Stone of the Month:
September 2019
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This low rugged stone gives the impression of a sharply rising rock formation that has been eroded over thousands of years. Its dark, nearly black color is reminiscent of many Japanese suiseki. However, this is an Italian stone collected many years ago by Luciana Queirolo in the Ligurian region of northwestern Italy. The dark color is due to the decomposed organic material present in the ancient marine limestone. This may have occurred after the limestone was lifted above sea level long ago. It is known in Italy as a “Maresco” type of metamorphic marly limestone. The color results from decomposed organic materials.
Regardless of how it was formed, the subtleties of this stone more closely fit with Japanese aesthetic qualities than the lighter gray and often more pronounced “Palombino” type limestone known to most stone enthusiasts worldwide. It can be suitably displayed in a tokonoma-like setting with a scroll or other companion material. This stone is 24 cm wide, 6 cm high, and 11.5 cm deep. It was displayed in the 3rd Japan Suiseki Exhibition in Tokyo in 2016 and later that same year at the Golden State Bonsai Federation Convention in Sacramento, California.
