ZanonGallery By FACI

Giovanni Zanon Story in Inglese


Giovanni Zanon is a marble man. Marble has fascinated himfrom his very early days with its myriad colours and patternswhen he worked as a restorer and had to search outfragments of marble to repair a Louis XV bureau or matcha piece for an inlaid table. Once he had embarked on designingand making furniture himself inspired by classiclines and shapes but always incorporating marble sheer weight of the stone posed a problem.He gradually evolved a fail safe system of making thin marble veneers thatcould be applied to the largest pieces and keep the weight under control. He experimented with various types of wood to find the perfect base thatwouldn’t expand or contract, keeping the marble flat.  Once he had mastered the techniquewhich he patented in the 80’s, he went on to create wonderful pieces - tables,table bases, lamps, bed-heads, sideboards, cupboards and fireplaces – all inlaid with intricate patterns and colours,echoing the work of past masters from roman times and the French Empire period. This innovative technique allowed Giovannito apply the marble to extravagant shapes. The ceilings of his shop in Via Tordi Nona have the dramatic effect of great swathes of fabric and yet are constructedout of wood and travertine, the classic stone that comes from nearby Tivoli and isused extensively throughout Rome for all kinds of building work – facades, steps, floors,lintels, columns, statues and fountains.