By Santo Burrato

 

This display is the creation of Santo Burrato, a northern Italian stone collector. He took a cluster of calcite minerals that he had collected in Croatia approximately 20 years ago and turned it into a striking contemporary viewing stone display by skillfully carving a base from the wood of a walnut tree. While the base holds and orients the stone, the wooden leaves give this display a distinct chrysanthemum-like appearance. Viewing stone displays can be abstract, suggestive, or realistic. Explicit displays such as this are readily understood by a broader range of viewers and do not require a previous knowledge of the principles of stone appreciation. This is especially appealing to novice stone collectors. Stone connoisseurs learn to appreciate all three types. This display is 7cm high, 7 cm wide, and 13 cm deep.