A passion for antiquity and cabinets of curiosities encouraged a very unique fashion in Italy throughout the 18th and 19th centuries: tables tops, compact cabinets and assorted objects that incorporated visually striking selections of the most beautiful marble samples around.
Aesthetics prevailed over scientific criteria when the samples were selected and so most of these pieces are valuable for their eye-catching chromatic nuances, rather than for any mineralogical interest.
At the same time, there were compositions that also integrated marble samples excavated from ancient pavements (that were in some cases integrated also in other works such as church altars or sections of villas) or even featured lava samples.
Most of these samples can be admired in neatly arranged cabinets containing marbles and hardstones or in table tops in which they were arranged to create geometrical motifs forming mesmerizing effects. The idea behind these pieces was indeed displaying the art of Italian marmisti (marble workers) who, through them could show their skilled craftsmanship and the beauty of their country.
Specimen marble pieces, especially table tops, were usually produced in Rome or Naples and collected by wealthy tourists in Italy for their Grand Tours.
It isn't so rare to spot specimen marble tables at auctions: Sotheby's has got some wonderful examples in an auction entitled "Stones III", that will close tomorrow, that features quite a few tables incorporating up to 180 marble specimen, often forming geometrical micromosaics.
The polychrome marble pieces, especially the table tops, can be incredibly inspiring also in fashion. You may argue that in fashion we can use techniques such as collage, patchwork or quilting, to create the same effects. But to create a piece inspired by these works, we could use the same principles behind the art of the Italian marmisti and select not just any leftover fabrics, but high quality textiles of different types, and come up with a wearable cabinet of soft curiosities that could show our knowledge of fabrics as well.
An example? Antonio Marras' A/W 2022-23 menswear collection. Inspired by '90s and grunge, it features designs that integrate bits and pieces of checked, tartan and Prince of Wales patterned fabrics. While in some cases the panels in clashing and contrasting patterns applied onto shirts and kilts add a punk twist to these garments, giving the illusion the designs were repaired with these patches, in others, like in the case of a sweater, the samples of fabrics were applied in a careful order and formed a visually-plesant configuration that called to mind the art of the Italian marmisti.
Apparently the idea came to Marras not from the marmisti, but from a sewing exercise the designer applied to while in lockdown and created a patchwork sweater upcycling tile-size scraps of collection leftovers.
Yes, you're right, this is definitely not a new idea, but it is a timeless trick that can help you coming up with something unique – your very own personal wearable cabinet of soft curiosities integrating exclusive textile samples.
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