The Collections of ancient marbles “Federico Pescetto” and “Pio De Santis” (2015)
The Pescetto and De Santis Collections (belonging to the prestigious Geological and Historical Collections of ISPRA) represent a unique and valuable patrimony. They are therefore a source of pride not only of the Geological Survey of Italy, that included them into its heritage since the late '800, but also of ISPRA, which still keeps them today, and of the city of Rome and the whole Italian country. For the variety of rock types, the size and quantity of the finds, these collections on marbles are in fact among the most important worldwide.
The scientific-technical relevance and the historical significance of these collections has led to the realization of a Catalogue. It provides a written and photographic repertoire of the samples of ancient marbles included in these collections. The Catalogue, which combines the need for scientific rigor with that of a fluent reading of the text, is intended not only for specialists (historians of art and architecture, architects, petrographers, museologists) but also for a wider public.
The publication "The ancient marbles of the Pescetto and De Santis Collections " (edited by F. Capitanio, ISPRA, Museum collections, 2014), which follows the earlier publication dated 1986 "Decorative ancient stones. Federico Pescetto and Pio De Santis Collections” (G. Giardini & S. Colasante), is a further and necessary step in the path of development and dissemination of this type of cultural heritage.
The Catalogue shows the different effects that the study of ancient marbles has on Geology and History of art and the numerous elements of interest and charm associated with the study of antique decorative stones.
The extensive photographic collection in the second part of the volume, and reproductions of the samples at the scale 1: 2, are designed to provide scholars a valuable tool for the identification of the main lithological types and their varieties. The almost infinite range of colors and textures of the samples strikes the attention, imagination and curiosity of non-specialists, encouraging them to approach the matter of old marbles, in particular, and decorative stones in general.
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