Alabaster serpentine figure 'Arrotino, the Knife Sharpener' or…
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alabaster serpentine figure 'Arrotino, the Knife Sharpener' or 'Slave Sharpening Knife', based on the early sixteenth century original. Condition good to fair, some cracks & a loss to one thumb, piece missing to the rear corner. Length 40 cm

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  • Alabaster - Alabaster is soft natural stone used for statuary, with a similar appearance to marble, but easier to work with. As it is softer than marble, an item made from alabaster can be scratched with a metal object, and an alabaster item does not polish to a high surface gloss like marble.

    Alabaster objects can be semi-translucent. Alabaster occurs in a pure white form and also with veining from dirt. Colours vary from white through yellow and pink to brown. The veining is usually green or black but can be multicoloured.

    Being semi-translucent, alabaster is often used for the bowls of figural lamps, with the figure itself being either alabaster or marble.

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