Commesso

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Commesso, or Florentine mosaic, is a craft of making pictures and designs by fitting together thin pieces of colored gemstones. A marble slab (usually black) is cut with the pattern, and the gems are cut to fit and inlaid. Because different stones have different hardness, the surface is polished section by section, not all at once. The art began in Florence, Italy, and dates back to at least the 14th century, becoming especially popular before the 17th century. It has been used to decorate pictures, furniture, and architectural details.