Scagliola is a Baroque technique developed with the aim of using poor materials to imitate the composition and surface of marble and stones.
It is a mixture of plaster with natural pigments and animal glue. Once hardened, the surface is sanded and grouted in several stages and then polished.
Historically, scagliola has been used in architecture and inlay as an alternative to stones, mostly in ecclesiastical contexts.
Recently, thanks to its intrinsic formal freedom, scagliola is having a new life in contemporary design and applied arts.