First used in Pompeii, but really took off in Europe during the
Renaissance. The Italian school of faux painting was loose and
artistic, while the French, was formal and realistist. True
marblizing should be so good that people frequently are unable
to distinguish the real from the false. The techniques were
perfected by the 17th century and have been used in all style of
construction, well into the 20th century. The art of Marbling
reached its apogee between 1845 and 1870. Some of the best
examples are found in Buckingham Palace,where the pillars in the
Emperors Room, were done to perfection and imitate marble. Most
visitors are amazed when told they are faux. It is a process of
layering tinted transparent glaze over a base coat, to create a
marble like look. The glaze is manipulated while still wet, to
form patterns and textures. Feathers were often used to paint
the veins. About three houses ago, I visited the Missouri
Governors Mansion in Jefferson City, Mo. The Double parlor was
seperated by 4 floor to c