Intarsia 398
This polished intarsia artwork consists of a single piece of Morrisonite Jasper with a single-color border and black backing. The cabochon is constructed from 6 individual pieces.
The Morrisonite in the center is framed so that the streamers mimic rooted trees in front of a beautiful light pink background. The jasper has healed brecciation patterns, sections of varying translucency, and a mossy appearance at the bottom that all contribute to the image. The frame of a light gray jasper balances the light pink tones against the deep green, and keeps the overall piece from becoming too dark. The frame has a consistent and even color, with hints of natural stone texture. Backed with black basalt for a solid dark base, and an angled bevel.
Center: Morrisonite and Black Basalt
Border: Gray Jasper
42.5mm x 43.5mm
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Intarsia: The Gem Shop’s founder, Eugene Mueller, has an MFA in painting and has won awards in the Cutting Edge Competition® for his intarsia, and has crafted and/ or designed many of the pieces available here. For thousands of years artisans have been using stone, striving to create the most beautiful scene possible. This process is commonly referred to as Intarsia. Intarsia traces its history back to the Italian Renaissance, and was called pietra dura or pietre dure. This is a term for the inlay technique of using thinly cut and polished stones to create images. The stonework is glued stone-by-stone to a substrate after having previously been sliced and cut in different shape sections; and then assembled together so precisely that the contact between each section is practically invisible. Intarsia items are generally crafted on green, white or black base stones. Traditionally Intarsia pieces have a flat polish, but more contemporary pieces are more freeform and have a dome polish, and are often referred to as “composite cabochons.” Intarsia is a high expression of lapidary art requiring a close mastery. Each piece is eccentric and highly collectible – a true work of art.
