We have so far introduced a number of tabletops that use stone as their primary decorative ingredient, whether it be the tesserae of mosaic or pietre dure of marble inlay. An new art form that ensued was Scagliola, where imitation stone is created by combining ground selenite with water, animal glue and natural pigments. The resulting mixture is spread or, once hardened, carved into and engraved with a particular design. Finally, it is heavily polished to give the appearance of marble.

From the 16th century onward, grottoes were constructed as fanciful retreats from reality. They appeared throughout Europe, from the Buontalenti Grotto at Palazzo Pitti in Florence, to the Grotto of Thetis at Versailles (torn down in 1684), to the Kuskovo Grotto near Moscow. These fantasy structures were “adorned with interesting rock formations, fountains, seashells, and often, matching furniture.”1