Roman marble statues and carving

[Incognito]

Somehow missed this, but an itneresting discussion of Roman marble

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/2293759.stm

excerpt:

Wealthy ancient Romans were the first to adorn their homes and public buildings with coloured marbles. An exhibition that has just opened in Rome brings together more than 300 examples of coloured marble statues and other objects, inlaid marble floors, and wall panels that have endured for nearly 2,000 years.



Greek sculptors preferred to carve their statues from pure white marble, sometimes painting them with colours which have long since faded away. But the Romans developed a taste for the much richer - and permanent - effects of the many brightly coloured, veined and speckled marbles, which came from the farthest corners of their Mediterranean Empire.

 

[littlemissattitude]

That is a really remarkable hippo. I'd love to see that exhibition. Probably no chance of it ever traveling, though.