Italian Pietra Dura Pastoral Landscape Signed Giovanni Montelatici

A peaceful lakeside landscape unfolds in richly colored stone in this Italian pietra dura mosaic, signed Montelatici for Giovanni Montelatici (1864–1930). A shepherd tends sheep beside a winding country path, surrounded by leafy trees, rocky ground, and a vine-covered masonry pillar with a suspended lantern. Beyond, blue water and snow-covered mountains lend depth to the intimate scene beneath a softly shaded sky.

Pietra dura is the art of creating pictures from precisely cut and fitted pieces of colored hardstone, selected for their natural hues, veining, and patterns. Here, those variations become foliage, rugged terrain, distant peaks, and delicate shifts of light. The intricate stonework rewards close examination, revealing how individual fragments combine to achieve an almost painterly effect.

A black surround and black velvet mat set off the landscape’s vivid colors, while a gilt wood frame with ornamental borders provides a warm finishing touch. Beautifully suited to a study, sitting room, or intimate gallery wall, this work offers both pastoral charm and an engaging display of artistry in stone.

Framed: 16″High x 12.5″ Wide

Image: 8″ High x 5″ Wide

Circa 1890