This tabletop was made between 1842 and 1849 is an example of the enduring popularity of the ancient red porphyry, an “imperial” stone in ancient Rome and beloved by the Medici.
The tabletop represents one of the last important works made for the Florentine court, towards the end of its reign. The artwork is clearly inspired by neoclassical models, both in the choice of the material for the background and in the intertwining of the emblems at the center. The striking wreath of brightly colored flowers pre-announces the naturalistic taste of the Opificio’s production of the late-nineteenth century; the naturalistic effects are clearly visible also in the use of petrified wood for the realization of the cithara.