White Carrera Marble Pedestal Base and elegant plinth for any art object, H:38" top square 11 X 11" botton square 13.5 X 13.5" The word "marble" derives from the Greek marmaros, "shining stone" Marble is a metamorphic rock resulting from the metamorphism of limestone, composed mostly of calcite (a crystalline form of calcium carbonate, CaCO3). It is extensively used for sculpture, as a building material, and in many other applications. Pure white marble is the result of metamorphism of very pure limestones. The characteristic swirls and veins of many colored marble varieties are usually due to various mineral impurities such as clay, silt, sand, iron oxides, or chert which were originally present as grains or layers in the limestone. White marbles, like Carrara, have been prized for sculpture since classical times such as this sculpture of a lady and the pedestal that it is exhibited on. This preference has to do with the softness and relative isotropy and homogeneity, and a relative resistance to shattering. Also, the low index of refraction of calcite allows light to penetrate several millimeters into the stone before being scattered out, resulting in the characteristic "waxy" look which gives "life" to marble sculptures of the human body. The pedestal is in fairly good condition, there is a small chip at the bottom of the base, it can be repaired.

Antique Furniture
Antique Pedestals