The Art of Intarsia: Exploring the Intricate Craftsmanship of Wood Inlay
Studiolo from the Ducal Palace in Gubbio (Wikimedia Commons).
The masterful art of intarsia has produced some awe-inspiring pieces of Renaissance craftsmanship, but these meticulously crafted ‘paintings’ in wood with a geometrical illusion of depth have not only earned papal recognition but also foreshadowed modern art forms like Cubism.
Practised for centuries, this highly decorative woodworking technique is renowned for its ability to transform plain and austere wood surfaces into enchanting, detailed works of art. Intarsia has enjoyed an enduring appeal over the centuries and a history that can be traced to ancient beginnings in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Rectangular Walnut Chest Inlaid with Various Woods. Central Italy, c. 18th C. Sold for €2,800 via Cambi Casa d’Aste (April 2019).
One-Door Walnut Veneer and Inlaid Nightstand. Late 18th C. Sold for €300 via Cambi Casa d’Aste (November 2023).
Artisans across ancient civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia used wood inlay techniques to adorn furniture and artifacts and this delicate art would evolve and flourish in the Roman and Byzantine Empires, where it was often used to decorate religious and ceremonial objects. It was during the fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic boom that defined the Renaissance that really established the art of intarsia though.
Renaissance Revival
Elevating the craft to unheralded new heights, master craftsmen like the Olivetan monk, Fra Giovanni da Verona were at the heart of a significant intarsia revival during the Italian Renaissance, as his stunningly detailed panels were in demand across Italy and even by Pope Julius II.
Inlay depicting a wardrobe with polyhedrons, choir of Santa Maria in Organo, Verona (Wikimedia Commons).
Famous for his intarsia, his interior decoration of churches and palaces elevated the craft to new heights, most notably as the architect at the monastery of Santa Maria in Organo, Verona in the late 15th century. Fra Giovanni also built the stalls of the abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore, which were then placed in the cathedral of Siena.
The extraordinary wooden inlays in the church of Santa Maria remain Fra Giovanni’s legacy. The wooden choir’s wooden carvings and tarsias are made with different colored woods arranged to create beautiful views of Verona. The elegant bell tower of the Romanesque and Gothic style church was also designed by Fra Giovanni and completed in 1533, and its influence can be seen across Europe in the following years, with each region developing its unique styles and methods.
An Italian Carved Limewood, Walnut, Tulipwood, Ebony and Fruitwood “Microscultura” Relief Self-Portrait by Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo, Dated 1796. Sold for £200,000 via Sotheby’s (July 2018).
Techniques and Materials
Derived from the Latin word interserere (meaning to insert), intarsia comprises pieces of naturally hued wood within a floor, wall, or piece of furniture, whereas marquetry assembles a pattern from veneers glued to the frame of furniture. Often produced from a variety of wood, intarsia typically utilizes walnut, maple, and cherry to exaggerate the unique color, grain, and texture of each wood.
Napoleon’s favourite cabinet- maker Giuseppe Maria Bonzanigo was one of the most appreciated ebonist in the world, who used a variety of woods, including pear tree. Known for his micro-sculptures in the Louis XVI style, Bonzanigo harnessed the consistency and color of wood using small homemade tools to create his wood and precious ivory intarsia.
Pair of Important Inlaid Commodes from the Workshop of Johann Friedrich Spindler. Sold for CHF 180,000 via Koller Auctions (March 2021).
And the choice of wood can have an impact when creating a mosaic-like picture with an illusion of depth, as the grain pattern and coloring can create variations in the pattern. The complex geometric patterns and realistic images used in intarsia are broken down into individual pieces, each of which are carefully cut from separate types of wood. Each piece is then meticulously shaped and assembled in a feat of precision and skill. It’s then a case of glueing the shapes to a wooden backer-board cut to the outline of the pattern, which typically creates a three-dimensional effect that is varnished or oiled.
Pair of Neoclassical Dressers in Veneered and Inlaid Wood with Precious Woods. 18th-19th Century. Sold for €12,000 via Cambi Casa d’Aste (November 2023).
Intarsia as Art
Not only limited to wood, Siena Cathedral hosts one of the most incredible examples of intarsia today that took two centuries to complete, with about 40 artists all contributing to the marble carpet of the Italian cathedral. Consisting of 56 panels in different sizes, the differing rectangular and hexagonal scenes represent scenes from the Old Testament in allegories and virtues – and many are still on display in their original state. Earlier scenes were made using the graffito technique of drilling tiny holes and filling them, but the technique evolved to include black, white, green, red, and blue marble intarsia, resulting in an enthralling contrast of light and dark.
The Renaissance Ducal Palace in Urbino, Italy is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was built for Duke Federico III da Montefeltro around the mid-15th century by the Florentine Maso di Bartolomeo. And within the studiolo (a small study) of the palace is beautifully executed intarsia work that covers the walls with trompe-l’œil shelves, benches, and half-open latticework doors depicting books, musical instruments, and scientific tools that remains one of the most famous examples of this Italian craft. The three-dimensional effect showcases items like an astrolabe and an armillary sphere, alongside representation of famous people, weapons, and exotic animals.
Geometric figure (1537), intarsia by Fra Damiano da Bergamo. Museum of the Basilica of Saint Dominic, Bologna, Italy (Wikimedia Commons).
Artistic Expression
From its ancient origins to its Renaissance revival and modern-day practice, intarsia showcases the incredible skill and creativity of artisans who transformed simple pieces of wood into intricate, stunning works of art. Whether in historical masterpieces or contemporary creations, the beauty and craftsmanship of intarsia continue to captivate and inspire.
The art of intarsia saw the creation of perspective and complex geometric forms in wood inlay during the Renaissance when there were estimated to be 48 workshops in Florence alone. These meticulously crafted ‘paintings’ in wood applied geometrical laws to create the illusion of depth and exemplify the fusion of art, mathematics, and philosophy during the Renaissance era.
The influence of intarsia began to ease around 1550, but its legacy has endured far longer. Awe-inspiring, intricate, and influential, intarsia not only leaves a legacy of incredible artistic merit, but also as an antecedent that has directly influenced Cubism and other forms of Diagonality.
Sources: PublicDomainReview.org – Exquisite Rot, Spalted Wood and the Lost Art of Intarsia | FundamentalsofWoodworking.com – Marquetry and Intarsia | UKCraftFairs.com – Intarsia | VADS.ac.uk – Far Giovanni da Verona | History.com – Renaissance | JStor.org – Renaissance Intarsia: The Art of Geometry | CenterforDiagonality.org – Intarsia: a Renaissance Obsession | GeorgeHart.com – Fra Giovanni’s Intarsia Polyhedra | Veronissima.com – Santa Maria in Organo | MetMuseum.org – Studiolo from the Ducal Palace in Gubbio | Collections.VAM.ac.uk – Panel – Far Raffaello Da Brescia | RobertoAlborghetti.com – Siena Cathedral Shows “The Most Beautiful Intarsia Floor of the World” | TheHistoryBlog.com – The Duke of Urbino’s magical studiolo
Based in north London, England, Dan Mobbs has well over a decade of experience as a journalist and divides his time between sub-editing watch magazine Oracle Time and his love of art with Invaluable. With a wealth of museums on his doorstep, Dan regularly indulges his passion for mid-century modern design and modernist art at exhibitions and Invaluable has been a welcome home for his enthusiastic articles. Chat to him about Charles and Ray Eames and he’s putty in your hands.
