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GENESIS OF MARBLE

THE FLOOR TO THE GEOLOGIST

FOCUS ON

MARBLE IN

ART HISTORY

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From the majestic columns of Greek temples

to the intricate sculptures of contemporary

art, marble has been a key player in the history

of art since ancient times. In ancient Greece,

it was the preferred material for sculpture

and architecture. The masterpieces of Phidias

and Praxiteles, as well as temples like the

Parthenon, showcase the skill with which the

Greeks worked marble. The Romans, inspired

by the Greeks, extensively used marble to build

monumental structures, many of which have

survived to this day thanks to the incredible

durability of the material. The Pantheon and

Michelangelo’s sculptures, such as the David

and the Pietà, are testaments to the skill and

ref inement achieved in working marble. In the

Middle Ages, marble was predominantly used

in Gothic cathedrals. With the Renaissance,

it experienced a new splendour, thanks to

immortal artists like Michelangelo and Bernini,

who explored the expressive potentials of

marble, creating works that combine technical

perfection with emotional intensity. In modern

times, marble has maintained its aura of

nobility and prestige, used in architecture and

contemporary design. Artists like Constantin

Brancusi and Henry Moore have reinterpreted

marble in a modern and abstract way.

Today marble continues to be synonymous

with timeless beauty used both in art and

architecture to create spaces of unparalleled

charm

The sculpture Moses by Michelangelo

Carrara marble mine

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Marble is a metamorphic rock formed

from the transformation of limestone,

which is subjected to intense pressures

and high temperatures within the

Earths crust This process known as

metamorphism occurs over millions

of years the limestone composed

primarily of calcite undergoes

recrystallisation that changes its

structure and composition, creating

a denser and more durable rock. The

original minerals reorganise into a

crystalline matrix It is thanks to the

impurities present in the original

limestone such as clay sand or

iron oxides that different tones and

shades are created giving marble its

magnif icent veining

The genesis of marble is

a fascinating geological

process that takes

millions of years and

transforms simple

sediments into natural

stones of rare beauty and

inestimable value