17th century Italian vase mounted and encrusted with calcite crystals in matrix.
This fragment is from a church in Florence. It was found and saved from the historic flooding of the Arno River in 1966. The piece was only painted on one side which is very common for many church vases.
The calcite crystals in matrix comes from the Elmwood Mine in Tennessee. It is an example of the world's finest crystallized calcite (referenced from the "American Mineral Treasure" book, pg. 337). The base and neck of the artifact are also adorned with the precious calcite crystal to look as though the piece has been crystalized and evolved together over time.
The story and history of this piece and Interi's collection of Florence fragments, in particular, are very interesting. While many fragments are distressed due to age, these Florence fragments in particular stand apart. They symbolize a history that has been carried through the streets of Italy, to an Italian palazzo where they were collected, to the Interi studio, to now the modern home or gallery.
Size: 11.5" high x 3.75" wide x 3" deep
