CBS 2 At The Met

CBS 2 At The Met: Pietre Dure

NEW YORK (CBS) ― To the manor born, Pietre Dure, that's Italian for hardstones, was the "must-have" art work for well-heeled royals across Europe, from the Renaissance to the early 19th Century.

Visitors will see see 170, sometimes over the top, examples of semi-precious stones like lapis lazuli and quartz set right into table tops, landscapes, urns and bureaus.

Every Pietre Dure mosaic produced was first based on a painting.

Be sure to check out a display case showing the step by step process that went into the making a Pietre Dure design.

Curator Wolfram Koeppe tells CBS2's Dana Tyler that this art is top of the line.

He said,"Of course it was a status symbol to have these objects, durable, hand down to following generations. When people would walk into a room and they would see a piece of Pietre Dure would know owner would have to spend a certain amount of money to acquire it."

Visitors will Imagine an octagon tabletop in their dining room. Made in Rome in the late 16th century, artisans used alabaster,lapis and marble to create a kind of orate jewelry chain. But what about that base?

Curator Koeppe explains, "100 years later after the tabletop was made one of the successors, the owners decided wanted a very fashionable stand. This is a baroque stand, with two dolphins! Enticing you to go around admire piece from all sides."

And for the 18th century woman who had everything, check out a pietre dure cabinet from Florence. Inlaid with ebony, mother of pearl, gilded bronze, rock crystal, then topped off with a crown. "This is a big baroque cabinet something to show off and try to impress all other royalty in europe! Her father though very unusual birthday present, you can see hubby sitting in middle.

Don't can't miss these bowls created in Russian workshops in the early 1800's. That green stone is called malachite. And there's no need to go to Buckingham Palace, the queen of England lent out a couple of late 18th century commodes inlaid with fancy fruits from the royal collection.

First time they are available together to public have barrier that's as close as you can get to her majesty i think!"

"Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe" at the Met until September 21st.

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