An Italian Adventure - Eja Siepman van den Berg and Michelangelo's Cave

Pietrasanta: Heart of Italian Marble
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For several years now, Eja Siepman van den Berg has been working with craftsmen from the renowned Italian center of sculpture, Pietrasanta. Michelangelo himself recognised the beauty of the Carrara white marble extracted from the quarries around Pietrasanta. Not only did he use it for his own sculptures but he also worked in the marble quarries himself.

Five centuries ago Michelangelo travelled by foot and mule to the region of Pietrasanta, selecting the marble blocks for his work. Towns at the foot of these mountains have since attracted internationally acclaimed sculptors like Jean Arp, Jacques Lipschitz and Isamu Noguchi. 

Henry Moore, who owned a house here in the 60's and 70's, reveled when he first saw the marble quarries of Pietrasanta: "I was like a little child seeing the window of a sweet shop."

​Tradition and Innovation
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Today, however, Pietrasanta is not only known for its traditional craftsmanship. After all, tradition here goes hand in hand with the most modern digital techniques. That is one of the reasons why Eja Siepman van den Berg collaborates with the renowned Studio Stagetti, in Pietrasanta.

Photos:
Eja Siepman van den Berg at Studio Stagetti and Studio SEM, Pietrasanta