Antique Italian circular scagliola table top, 19th Century

This delightful piece is a circular tabletop, made in Italy in the nineteenth century during the time of the Grand Tour, from scagliola, an imitative type of plaster used often in fine decorative works.

It depicts a central landscape with figural scenes and a distant town. The scene is bordered with mythical creatures and floral decorations. Scagliola was a popular medium used in Italy in the nineteenth century, as it was used often to imitate other materials in a variety of decorative and architectural settings.

Made during the time of the Grand Tour, one can detect as well very faint far-Eastern qualities to style of the landscape: the subtle, gentle touch used in the scenes hints at Oriental influences. The piece is bordered by beautiful decorative motifs, particularly the mythical beasts, and the light floral motifs, in blue cartouches.