An important and very rare Florentine pietre dure plaque, Grand Ducal workshops circa 1720

the oval of slate, inlaid in hard stones with the seated figure of St. John the Evangelist, his hands holding a quill and a book, an eagle by his left side, framed by a moulding of gilt bronze, the surround inlaid in relief with scrolling foliage carved from agate and other hardstones, the outer frame also of gilt bronze cast with incurved corners, the reverse showing the support of oak in remarkably untouched condition

The Counts Zichy, who owned the palazzo Grassi in Venice during the 18^th and 19^th centuries; thence by descent.

Overall in exceptional condition, the surround missing oval stones centering each of the sides, small section of foliage missing at 8:30 and 11:30 respectively, small section of slate missing at 3:00, central panel of oak on the reverse split at joint.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

In Florence, the passion of the Medici for importing precious stones led to Ferdinando I de' Medici's founding of the court workshops that still survive as the Opificio delle Pietre Dure (The Grand Ducal Workshops). Royal patronage encouraged Florentine craftsmen to migrate to Prague, and their practices gradually spread to such centers as Augsburg, Paris, Madrid, and St. Petersburg. The primary objective of the workshop which comprised artists, architects, painters, stone carvers and metal-smiths was to manufacture opulent furnishings for the Grand Duke's residences and to distribute to foreign royalty as ambassadorial gifts. The court workshop had been set up in the Casino di San Marco, moved to the Uffizi in 1586 and during the seventeenth century continued to develop; it is during this period that we see a stylistic development in Florentine craftsmanship, from the intricacy of Mannerist designs to the bold drama of the Baroque. Giovanni Battista Foggini (1652-1725) was director of the Florentine Grand Ducal Workshops under Duke Cosimo II (1670-1723). Drawings by Foggini in the Giornale of the workshop are now preserved in the Uffizzi and illustrated by Lankheit and Gonzalez-Palacios.

The coming year will see a comprehensive exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, entitled Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe, July 1 - September 21, 2008. This will be the most comprehensive exhibition on the tradition of hardstone carving (pietre dure) that developed in Italy in the 16th century and subsequently spread through Europe.

RELATED LITERATURE

K.Lankheit, Florentinische Barockplastik, Munich, 1962; A. M. Giusti, P. Mazzoni & A. P. Pampelloni Martelli, Il Museo dell'Opificio delle Pietre Dure a Firenze, Milano, 1978; A. Gonzalez-Palacios, Il Tempio del Gusto: La Toscana e l'Italia Settentrionale, Milan, 1984, vol, p.43 and vol.II , nos 63 and 72; A. M. Massinelli, The Gilbert Collection, Hardstones, London, 2000, 9-20, no. 3.