Paintings on Stone

Paintings on Stone: Science and the Sacred 1530-1800 examines a fascinating tradition long overlooked by art historians—stone surfaces used to create stunning portraits, mythological scenes, and sacred images. Written by an international team of experts, the catalogue reveals the beauty of these works, their complex meanings, and their technical virtuosity.

Using a technique perfected by Sebastiano del Piombo (1485–1547), 16th-century Italian artists created compositions using stone surfaces in place of panel or canvas. The practice of using stone supports continued to engage European artists and patrons well into the early 18th century. Paintings on Stone: Science and the Sacred 1530-1800 reveals the beauty of these works and examines the complexity of using materials such as marble, alabaster, lapis lazuli, and amethyst. Illustrated with more than 100 examples, Paintings on Stone is the most significant reference on this little-studied practice written by an international team of scholars.

The exhibition at Saint Louis Art Museum opens on February 20, 2022, and closes on the 15th of May 2022.