Abstract Carved Marble Sculpture on Octagonal Acrylic Base. Sculpture in fluted egg form, bearing resemblance to a flower bud. Clear acrylic stand with support rod visible inside. 

Size: 8 x 8 x 16 in. 

#178 #8436 . 

Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals or dolomite that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. In geology the term refers to metamorphosed limestone, but its use in stonemasonry more broadly encompasses unmetamorphosed limestone. Marble is commonly used for sculpture and as a building material. The word “marble” derives from the Ancient Greek “mármaron,” (meaning “crystalline rock” or “shining stone”) but the substance was in use far before then by ancient sculptors. Outdoor statues, gravestones, and other marble structures can be damaged by acid rain, whether by carbonation, sulfation, or the accumulation of calcium sulphate, nitrates, and carbon particles that form a so-called “black crust.” Vinegar and other acidic solutions should also be avoided in the cleaning of marble products, although polishing with an acidic solution and steel wool causes crystallization of the rock, imparting a glossy and more durable finish. Due to marble’s remarkable durability in general, non-acidic weather conditions, it was ideal for carving for much of humanity’s existence, with large structures such as the Library of Celsus in Turkey still standing. The Statue of Abraham Lincoln in the Memorial in Washington D.C., carved from 28 blocks of Georgian marble in 1920, is a stunning modern day example of its use in sculpture. White marble has been prized since classical times particularly for its softness, homogeneity, resistance to shattering, and a low index of refraction that gives it a lifelike luster ideal for the sculpting of human forms. Today most blocks of marble are harvested from deposits in Turkey, Italy, and Greece, and it is used in many common household features in addition to art.