DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1399#0215
PLATE 270.
INCISED MARBLE TABLE-SLAB,
BY THE MARQUIS S. PAPAZZUKRI MUTI, ROME.
TN vain have we sought to find any recognition of the Marquis Muti's tables in the official
Eeport of Class 30. It is true that the Marquis received a medal, but it was for "the
excellent manufacture of his stearic acid and candles," which should, we think, have lighted the
Jury on their path, so as to have induced them to notice the very pleasing and novel process
of ornamentation applied by the Marquis to marble and stone. The table which we have given
in our illustration was enriched by a process invented by the Marquis, and named by him
" litheglefia." It contained scenes from Dante's immortal poem, after Flaxman's well-known
outlines. The ornament, though original in style, was somewhat angular in character. The
diameter of the slab was 3 feet 4 inches, and it was valued at £100. The Marquis contributed
also another smaller table in the same style, containing scenes from Pinelli's " Costumes of the
Roman States," very spiritedly rendered on a slab of lava.
We may remark, that although there may be some peculiarity in the process which justifies
the Marquis Muti in claiming this method of ornamenting marble, &c, as his own, yet the
principle is one of very great antiquity. The practice of forming incised devices on metal,
marble, or stone, and filling them with a composition which hardened by exposure to the air,
was common throughout the Middle Ages, and was adopted by Duccio da Buoninsegna, according
to Vasari, for his pavement in Siena cathedral representing various figure-subjects, executed early
in the 14th century.
In the 15th century, memorial slabs, corresponding in their nature to the brasses of Cisalpine
Europe, were common in Italy, especially in Tuscany, and a great number of very interesting
examples are still preserved, containing an effigy of the deceased in outline, surrounded with
ornament in coloured marble and mastic. Rumohr, in his " Italianische Forschungen," vol. II.
p. 381, prints a contract found in the archives of Siena cathedral for a memorial-stone of this
description, which we think sufficiently interesting to give at some length :—" Memorandum of
the expenses for burying the Reverend Father ' Misser Karlo d'Agniolino,' of blessed memory,
formerly bishop of Siena, who passed from this life the 11th day of September, A.D. 1444; that
is, the expenses for the slabs of marble with the frieze round it, placed over his grave in
the cathedral, before the altar of the chapel of St. Crescentius." Separate payments are then
made. " To Maestro Giuliano da Como, for forty-five days' work on the great slab, for hollowing
out the tabernacle and the figure; to Maestro Antonio di Federigho, for twenty-five days'
work of the same nature; to Lorenzo d'Andrea, for thirteen days' work in hollowing out the
foliage of the frieze; to Francescho di Stefano, for thirteen days' work on the frieze, and filling
in with black stucco; to Maestro Giovanni Sabategli, for nine days' work on the frieze; to
Maestro Castorio di Nanni, for seven days' work on the frieze; to Pietro da Como, for three
days' work filling in and polishing the friezes; to Maestro Pietro del Minella, head master of
the work, for overtime in frequently drawing, ordering, and executing the said sepulchre."
Moreover, we have the composition of the mastic given; namely, sixty pounds of pitch, twenty-four
pounds of wax, and ten pounds of " bolo " (?).
From the above we see that the division of labour was carried to a great extent even in
this apparently simple art, no less than seven artisans being employed under the direction of
the capo maestro. The application of this process in a modified form to furniture is an idea
which is capable of some development, and the Marquis Muti has been very successful in his
attempts at putting it to a practical purpose. Other specimens of the same class of work were
to be seen in the Mediaeval works contributed by Mr. Nesfield, Mr. Street, and Messrs. Poole,
in Class 10 c, the effect in every case being very satisfactory and artistic.
INCISED MARBLE TABLE-SLAB,
BY THE MARQUIS S. PAPAZZUKRI MUTI, ROME.
TN vain have we sought to find any recognition of the Marquis Muti's tables in the official
Eeport of Class 30. It is true that the Marquis received a medal, but it was for "the
excellent manufacture of his stearic acid and candles," which should, we think, have lighted the
Jury on their path, so as to have induced them to notice the very pleasing and novel process
of ornamentation applied by the Marquis to marble and stone. The table which we have given
in our illustration was enriched by a process invented by the Marquis, and named by him
" litheglefia." It contained scenes from Dante's immortal poem, after Flaxman's well-known
outlines. The ornament, though original in style, was somewhat angular in character. The
diameter of the slab was 3 feet 4 inches, and it was valued at £100. The Marquis contributed
also another smaller table in the same style, containing scenes from Pinelli's " Costumes of the
Roman States," very spiritedly rendered on a slab of lava.
We may remark, that although there may be some peculiarity in the process which justifies
the Marquis Muti in claiming this method of ornamenting marble, &c, as his own, yet the
principle is one of very great antiquity. The practice of forming incised devices on metal,
marble, or stone, and filling them with a composition which hardened by exposure to the air,
was common throughout the Middle Ages, and was adopted by Duccio da Buoninsegna, according
to Vasari, for his pavement in Siena cathedral representing various figure-subjects, executed early
in the 14th century.
In the 15th century, memorial slabs, corresponding in their nature to the brasses of Cisalpine
Europe, were common in Italy, especially in Tuscany, and a great number of very interesting
examples are still preserved, containing an effigy of the deceased in outline, surrounded with
ornament in coloured marble and mastic. Rumohr, in his " Italianische Forschungen," vol. II.
p. 381, prints a contract found in the archives of Siena cathedral for a memorial-stone of this
description, which we think sufficiently interesting to give at some length :—" Memorandum of
the expenses for burying the Reverend Father ' Misser Karlo d'Agniolino,' of blessed memory,
formerly bishop of Siena, who passed from this life the 11th day of September, A.D. 1444; that
is, the expenses for the slabs of marble with the frieze round it, placed over his grave in
the cathedral, before the altar of the chapel of St. Crescentius." Separate payments are then
made. " To Maestro Giuliano da Como, for forty-five days' work on the great slab, for hollowing
out the tabernacle and the figure; to Maestro Antonio di Federigho, for twenty-five days'
work of the same nature; to Lorenzo d'Andrea, for thirteen days' work in hollowing out the
foliage of the frieze; to Francescho di Stefano, for thirteen days' work on the frieze, and filling
in with black stucco; to Maestro Giovanni Sabategli, for nine days' work on the frieze; to
Maestro Castorio di Nanni, for seven days' work on the frieze; to Pietro da Como, for three
days' work filling in and polishing the friezes; to Maestro Pietro del Minella, head master of
the work, for overtime in frequently drawing, ordering, and executing the said sepulchre."
Moreover, we have the composition of the mastic given; namely, sixty pounds of pitch, twenty-four
pounds of wax, and ten pounds of " bolo " (?).
From the above we see that the division of labour was carried to a great extent even in
this apparently simple art, no less than seven artisans being employed under the direction of
the capo maestro. The application of this process in a modified form to furniture is an idea
which is capable of some development, and the Marquis Muti has been very successful in his
attempts at putting it to a practical purpose. Other specimens of the same class of work were
to be seen in the Mediaeval works contributed by Mr. Nesfield, Mr. Street, and Messrs. Poole,
in Class 10 c, the effect in every case being very satisfactory and artistic.