Painting in Stone
Traditional techniques. Hand-cut stone. One piece at a time.
A Small Family Workshop
La Bottega del Mosaico is one of the few remaining artisan workshops in Florence specializing in commesso fiorentino—Florentine stone mosaic. This centuries-old technique involves cutting hard and semi-precious stones into thin pieces and fitting them together so precisely that they form a seamless surface, like a painting made entirely of stone.
Timeless Technique
Each panel is made today exactly as it would have been 500 years ago. Using bow-saws, iron wire, and natural stones, every piece is drawn, cut, and fitted by hand. No paint is added—color and detail come solely from the natural veining of jasper, agate, lapis lazuli, and malachite.
This is the same method used at the Medici court. Clients today commission panels—views of Florence, floral subjects, family homes—with techniques unchanged since the Renaissance.
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Portrait of Pope Clement VIII (1600–1601). Designed by Jacopo Ligozzi, executed by Romolo di Francesco Ferrucci del Tadda. Commissioned by Ferdinando I de' Medici—rendered in hardstone to endure through the ages. 97 × 68 cm. J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles.
What We Make
Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
Panoramic view of the city with Brunelleschi's dome rendered entirely in stone.
Floral tray
Oval bouquet of flowers bordered by lapis lazuli and malachite.
Ariadne cup with doves
Classical dove motif in semi-precious stones on a golden bowl.
Bird on branch
Detailed avian subject with natural stone veining for feathers and foliage.
Plan Your Visit
The shop in Via Guicciardini shows a selection of Florentine mosaic panels made in the workshop. You are welcome to come in, look closely at the stones, see finished panels and work in progress, and ask questions directly.