Small Private Altar with Christ and the Woman of Samaria

With the support of the Medici family, Florence became a centre for stonecutting in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. There was special interest in the technique of commesso di pietre dure (Florentine mosaic). Making use of natural patterns and colouration, the craftsmen assembled precious stones to create an image. Notable products of the archducal workshop are the Small Private Altar and the Lapis Lazuli Vessel.