Behind the Galleria dell'Academia (where Michelangelo's famous David stands) is a small museum that is often overlooked by visitors to Florence, the fascinating Museo Del Opificio Delle Pietre Dure. Pietre dure means "hard stones" and refers to the cutting and inlaying of precious and semiprecious stones like lapis lazuli and malachite in mosaics. The Opificio, "workshop," was founded in 1588 by the Medici grand duke Ferdinando I whose brother invented the idea of making mosaics out of pietre dure in imitation of classical works in marble intarsia. This unusual and refined craft was perfected in Florence and is now known as mosaico fiorentino, and you can see examples of varying quality for sale in shops all over Florence.
In the museum you can see many exquisite examples of this art.
There are altar pieces, designs with shells, pictures of antique vases, landscapes, and (my favorites) lovely panels and boxes with brightly colored birds and flowers surrounded by a black background. If you are interested, you can also see displays of the tools and instruments master craftsmen once used.
This is a small gem of a museum and easily seen in under an hour, a perfect place to stop in at during your free time with our tour, perhaps before or after you do a bit of shopping. It's a place I'd love you to see, and one I very much enjoy visiting myself whenever I have the chance.
