Walking through the streets of Italy, what catches the eye are the walls of buildings -- especially those in Rome and Venice, which are crumbling yet feel charming. This is a completely different world from the culture of "precise" finishing in Japan. What if the source of that beauty lies in "Marmorino"?
Marmorino is a traditional Italian stucco finish mainly composed of lime and marble powder, characterized by a finish that has both luster and depth.
Art created by craftsmen's hands and weathering
In Venice, this Marmorino has been widely used both inside and outside buildings since ancient times. According to the specialized book "L'arte dello stucco", Marmorino was once an essential technology for protecting the health of the city, and its technique was polished in daily construction.
In architecture from the 15th to 17th centuries -- especially around St. Mark's Square -- you can see Marmorino walls that maintain beauty even while being exposed to rain and wind. This is proof that it has been heavily used not only for decorative purposes but also for its property of being resistant to deterioration even in humid environments.
If you visit the Trastevere district of Rome, you can see traces of Marmorino layered many times on the outer walls of old apartments. Past colors and textures peek from peeled parts, making you feel as if the building is wearing "time".
Marmorino living in history and spirituality
Palladio's description and traditional structure
16th-century architect Andrea Palladio touched on the layer composition of Marmorino in his work "The Four Books of Architecture", praising lustrousness, thickness, and structure where the wall "breathes". This leads to the concept that materials change and become beautiful while responding to the environment.
In the Santa Croce district of Venice, Marmorino walls discolored by sea breeze and humidity rather blend into the cityscape and are established as part of aesthetics. The significance of "leaving it as it is" rather than repairing can be felt here.
Aesthetics of partial repair -- Patchwork as art
For example, in the ceiling decoration of Ca' Rezzonico restored at the end of the 18th century, repair traces of different eras are intentionally left in the layers of Marmorino. That becomes a means to visualize the "inheritance" of history, giving depth and narrative to the space.
In repair of Marmorino, we respect the "difference" of repair rather than aiming for perfect matching. "L'arte dello stucco" also states that "leaving differences is the ethics of craftsmen", which leads to beauty like patchwork.
"Beauty of Imperfection" to convey to Japan
Although the popularity of Italian stucco is increasing in Japan, the reality is that high-precision and homogeneous finishes are often required on site. We deeply understand that sensitivity and request of Japanese customers.
Our company thoroughly implements precise fitting down to details and consideration in repair. On top of that, we try to construct aiming for a "good balance" by incorporating the sensitivity of "appreciating aging as taste" like Italy and fusing cultures.
It is not just finishing roughly, but "designing a space that ages beautifully". Marmorino begins to tell its own story over time, and traces of repair and changes in light create new beauty.
Summary
- Marmorino's roughness highlights the beauty of weathering, giving a unique expression to the city.
- In Italy, partial repair is also considered a valuable act of "recording differences".
- Culture and spirituality beyond mere coating materials dwell in stucco.
- We practice creating spaces that utilize the taste of aging while responding to Japan's precise construction needs.
The charm of Italian stucco lies in that attitude of "allowing change and sublimating it as beauty".
Stucco Plus will deliver such traditional beauty into Japanese life. Please feel free to contact us.
