An Irish antique Statuary marble chimneypiece with finely carved tablets and beautiful inlaid scagliola panels (Bossi-work)

The centre plaque depicting a classical urn with grapevines and fruit upheld by ribbon bows, each end-block with two crossed trumpets and musical lyre. 

The pilasters and frieze panels inlaid with shades of green and blue scagliola, that form trailing vines upheld by ribbon bows.

Circa 1780

Pietro Bossi

Not much is known about Pietro Bossi, although much inlay work of the late 18th century is commonly known as `Bossi-work’. An Italian craftsman, Pietro Bossi worked in Dublin from 1785 to 1798 and used coloured marble inlay and also a coloured paste inlay, known as scagliola, on a white marble ground. He is listed in the Dublin Directories as an `Inlayer in marble and Stucco Worker’ at 22 Fleet Street in 1785-86 and at 38 Fleet Street in 1787-98.

His designs are in the Neo-classical style, a style disseminated by Robert Adam in 1770s. Bossi`s process was a closely guarded secret and was apparently carried out behind closed doors. He left Dublin in 1798 under a cloud of suspicion implicating him with the revolutionary movement.