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Hardstone carving
Hardstone carving, in art history and archaeology, is the artistic carving of semi-precious stones (and sometimes gemstones), such as jade, rock crystal (clear quartz), agate, onyx, jasper, serpentinite, or carnelian, and for objects made in this way.[1][2] Normally the objects are small, and the category overlaps with both jewellery and sculpture. Hardstone carving is sometimes referred to by the Italian term pietre dure;[3] however, pietra dura (with an "a") is the common term used for stone inlay work, which causes some confusion.[4]
From the Neolithic period until about the 19th century such objects were among the most highly prized in a wide variety of cultures, often attributed special powers or religious significance, but today coverage in non-specialist art history tends to be relegated to a catch-all decorative arts or "minor arts" category. The types of objects carved have included those with ritual or religious purposes, engraved gems as signet rings and other kinds of seal, handles, belt hooks and similar items, vessels and purely decorative objects.
- ^ "CAMEO database: Hardstone". Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014.
- ^ Carvalho, Pedro de Moura (2010). Gems and Jewels of Mughal India. London: Nour Foundation. ISBN 978-1-874780-72-4.
- ^ This catalogue provides a comprehensive history of pietre dure, a virtuoso form of hardstone carving that reached an artistic peak in Italy in the 16th century and subsequently spread throughout Europe. Giusti, Annamaria; Koeppe, Wolfram, eds. (2008). Art of the Royal Court: Treasures in Pietre Dure from the Palaces of Europe. New York: Metropolitan Museum of Art in association with Yale University Press. ISBN 978-1-58839-288-6.
- ^ That confusion is a good reason for not using the term pietre dure.[citation needed] See pietra dura for more on the distinction.
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