This malachite Medici-shape vase is part of a magnificent set consisting of two colossal vases and four tabletops on gilded wood bases. These pieces were specially commissioned to adorn the central room of the Imperial Museum - the New Hermitage. Malachite, a superb decorative material, came into fashion in the early decades of the 19th century, when large deposits of the mineral were discovered in the Urals. The Russian craftsmen who worked with malachite produced their pieces using a special technique that became known as "Russian mosaic". They cut the malachite into thin slices and stuck them onto a base following the natural grain of the mineral so as to create the impression of a single piece of stone. This work demanded not only practice and patience, but a fine artistic feeling. Russian craftsmen devised a number of different patterns in which to arrange the stone. This particular vase is decorated in the "ribbon" pattern - light silky bands wind diagonally around its body. The gilded bronze elements - massive handles in the form of snake tails and hoops - enhance the rich colour of the malachite.