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Marble Inlay Stone Art

"Marble Inlay work” is one of the most attractive art that done from marble. Same type of that adorns the Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Akbar Tomb and other Mughal monuments. It is a closely protected traditional art and only a few expert exponents are available today. The delicate process involves cutting and engraving marble shapes by hands. To start with, a predefined pattern e.g., floral design or geometrical design is engraved on the marble slab. Small pieces of marble of different shades are cut delicately to  fit in these grooves precisely. These small pieces are then slipped in the grooves. Apart from marble, many other materials can also be used. Basically, Inlay is the process setting in shell, wood, stone, metal, etc. into a cavity that has been hollowed out of the surface.


History of Inlay Art


Inlay work on delicate precious stone began in the workshops of Florence in Italy around the end of the 16th century. This was known as PIETRA DURA.(Pietra= Stone, Dura= Hard) The Italians had created a classic artistic form and held a monopoly over it. From 1630 onward pietra dura appeared on movable, small objects as decorative panels, with bird and flower motifs, suitable for cabinet fronts and table tops. 



Inlay work on delicate precious stone began in the workshops of Florence in Italy around the end of the 16th century. This was known as PIETRA DURA.(Pietra= Stone, Dura= Hard) The Italians had created a classic artistic form and held a monopoly over it. From 1630 onward pietra dura appeared on movable, small objects as decorative panels, with bird and flower motifs, suitable for cabinet fronts and table tops. Some of these soon reached the Mughal's in the form of presents. Of all the Mughal Emperors, Shah Jahan was the greatest patron of architecture in India. For him no amount of money or time was too much to create enduring, everlasting architectural beauty and through it be remembered always. It is in his buildings that one feels most compelled to make the connection between Mughal art and pietra dura. The Taj Mahal, the cenotaphs of the Emperor and his wife, the main floor and the surrounding marble railings bear very close resemblances to the pietra dura form.

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