scagliola

Scope note: Refers to wall or furniture surfaces made by mixing fine plaster of powdered selenite (gypsum) with alum, glue, water, and pigment to create an effect that imitates marble or pietra dura. It was either applied like paint to a wet gesso ground, fixed under heat and polished, or formed into colored pieces and inlaid like a mosaic. The technique was known in ancient Rome and revived in 16th-century Italy, later spreading to other places in Europe. Although it is cheaper than marble or other stone surfaces, scagliola is susceptible to damage and has survived in only a few examples. It is distinguished from "faux marbre," which creates the effect of marble by painting the surface of a wall or other surface.

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