116 - A large marble tray with inlay work of marble and semi-precious stones (“pietra dura”), richly decorated with abstract, geometric, and floral motifs.

A large marble tray with inlay work of marble and semi-precious stones (“pietra dura”), richly decorated with abstract, geometric, and floral motifs. The center is adorned with a large oval medallion made of lapis lazuli inlays, framed by polychrome links. Our tray is a modern, highly decorative interpretation based on the monumental tray of Philip II of Spain (Roman workshop, before 1587), housed at the Prado Museum in Madrid. H_125 cm W_240 cm D_5 cm Bibliography: for the original model, Annamaria Giusti, *Pietra Dure: The Art of Semiprecious Stonework*, J. Paul Getty Museum Publications, 2006, illustrated on pp. 32 and 33. Note: The original tabletop was sent from Rome to Spain in 1587 by Cardinal Alessandrini (Michele Bonelli, 1541–1598), nephew of Pius V, as a gift to Philip II. At the time, its dimensions exceeded those of any other table made exclusively of semi-precious stones. Its exceptional significance also lay in its composition, which consists solely of siliceous stones, which are more difficult to work with.