Zsolt Nagy, Gold of Sicily – Fruit Bowl Decorated with a Marquetry Landscape (ART & OBJECTS 2025)

Photos:

Zsolt Nagy

Country

Hungary

This turned fruit bowl was crafted from a pale-toned block of Australian marri wood, whose sun-bleached hue reminded me of southern Sicily’s dry summer hills. As much of the island burns golden under the Mediterranean sun, that scorched, dusty atmosphere became the starting point for this piece. The marquetry landscape wraps around the entire form of the bowl. The image was developed intuitively, without a pre-drawn plan—guided instead by the natural grain, texture, and color of each individual veneer. I call this approach “going by the grain”: letting the wood suggest the shapes and rhythms of the composition. All elements were cut entirely by hand, using only a veneer knife. Techniques like fragmentation and fine lining helped bring subtle textures and depth to the scene. Each blade of grass was cut individually into place, enhancing the organic feel of the landscape. The marquetry was applied to the curved surface of the bowl without a vacuum press, using only elastic tapes. Matching the ends of the picture seamlessly around the circumference required precise adjustments; the final junctions were fully concealed with custom inlaid wood, ensuring a continuous and unified visual flow. The piece is finished with a matte lacquer, preserving the warmth of the southern light it evokes, while minimizing the deterioration of contrast and color over time.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.