SET IN STONE
Anyone who has hiked a mountain or combed a beach to seek out unusual stones can appreciate our shared affinity for the special qualities of rocks—their age, origin, resilience, coloration, textures, and shapes. Natural rocks such as limestone, marble, and slate, formed over millions of years by heat and pressure applied to organic matter, connect us to Earth’s geologic history. It is no surprise that quarried stones became a desirable resource for artists, as surfaces for their paintings, during a particularly innovative period in Europe between the 15th and 16th centuries.
“Paintings on Stone: Science and the Sacred 1530–1800,” an exemplary exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum (through May 15), brings together more than 70 artworks by 58 artists, featuring 34 different kinds of stone. The initial inspiration for this cross-disciplinary project grew from a commitment made over 20 years ago by Christian B. Peper (1910–2011), a longtime patron of the museum and reader of classical literature, to support the purchase of a small oil painting on lapis lazuli panel by Giuseppe Cesari (1568–1640). is a smoldering, jewel-like painting, no larger than a hand
