The Aesthetics of Marble
from Late Antiquity to the Present

Marble is a metamorphic stone that has been a material of choice and the subject of reflection for millennia. Its geology, history, and economics are well known, but its aesthetics remain understudied. This book sheds new light on the celebration and uses of marble in art and literature and on the iconic potential of the stone. Through empirical research centered on the Mediterranean from Late Antiquity to the present, it closely examines the artistic versatility of marble in its uses and re-uses, including the marble cladding of architecture, the carving of marble and painting on stone, the political and philosophical connotations, and the de- and re-materializing of marble made possible by digital technology.