18 products

18 products


Marble Wall Art & Pietra Dura Inlay Plates

This is the purest expression of the craft. With a coaster or a box, function shares the stage; with a wall plate, the inlay is the object, and there is nowhere for imprecise work to hide.

What you are looking at

Each plate begins as a marble disc. The pattern — usually a floral mandala rooted in Mughal decorative tradition — is drawn on, then channels are cut by hand. Fragments of lapis lazuli, malachite, carnelian, turquoise, abalone, and mother of pearl are shaped individually and set flush. The whole surface is then polished as one, which is why you cannot feel the joins.

Displaying it

Most pieces include a wooden display stand, so they work on a console, mantel, or shelf as readily as on a wall. Mounted, they hold their own against a dark or textured wall better than a light one — the colour needs contrast. Grouped in threes at varying diameters, they make a genuine gallery wall.

Light

Lapis and malachite are at their best under warm light. A picture light or a nearby lamp will reveal depth that flat daylight flattens out.