Antolini Showcases Natural Qualities of Stone and Strength of Art
Photo Courtesy of Antolini
VERONA, ITALY -- The spirit of the Tuscan Renaissance lives on today through the collaboration between Antolini® and Florence-based artist Murran Billi. Their partnership culminated in the unveiling of four unique projects during Milan Design Week 2025. Antolini’s Stoneroom®, located in the heart of Milan, served as the stage for the artworks – each representing a journey from the Renaissance to the present, through four iconic figures of the era, all linked to the de’ Medici family.
At the heart of the project is visionary artist Murran Billi, whose work has always centered on the human figure, blending the essence of classical Italian tradition with a contemporary sensibility. Through his collaboration with Antolini, Murran Billi explores the dialogue between antiquity and the future, choosing natural stone as a medium to impart timeless beauty to his creations. More on detail, his works incorporate layers of paint – a technique applied to reinterpret classical marble craftsmanship and infuse it with new meaning.
For this project, Murran Billi chose four iconic women from the de’ Medici lineage as the symbolic core of his artworks – emblems of Renaissance ideals, intellectual strength and political influence. These female figures are not only central to the cultural legacy of their time but also represent a timeless expression of power, resilience and vision.
“The de’ Medici, through their intelligence, were able not only to preserve power, but to elevate it, making the family a cornerstone in the history of art and politics,” stated Billi.
The women portrayed – Clarice de’ Medici, Clarice Orsini, Lucrezia de’ Medici and Lucrezia Tornabuoni – each inspired a dedicated artwork. Their portraits are rendered in carefully selected natural stones, chosen for their expressive qualities and symbolic resonance. Cristallo Rosa “Wow” natural quartz, from Antolini’s Exclusive Collection, along with Onice Bianco “Extra” onyx and Onice Verde Persiano “Light” onyx from the Natural Stone Collection, give form to this homage, merging historical depth with contemporary artistic vision.
A detail: using the same natural stone chosen for Lucrezia Tornabuoni's portrait, also a tub carved from a block of Cristallo Rosa “Wow” natural quartz.
Through this project, Antolini underscores the idea that natural stone is far more than just a material or structural element – it is a living symbol of history, art and nature itself. Each slab or block holds within it the memory of geological time and the potential for artistic expression. In the hands of an artist, stone reveals its hidden soul: veining becomes gesture, color becomes narrative and the surface transforms into a canvas where the past and the future converge.
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