Bleu Turquin
Turquin blue marble comes from Italy. There is a darker shade variety (see photo 2) and a lighter shade one, called pale. It was particularly appreciated in the reign of Louis XVI and the First Empire. Its sober aspect suits well Neo Classical styles of furniture and Turquin blue mantels were often adorned with gilded decorations. A superb example of its use can be found in the dining room of the Petit Trianon in Versailles (see photo 1).
Bibliography:
J. Dubarry de Lasalle, Identification of marbles, Ed. H. Vial, Dourdan, 2000
J. Dubarry de Lasalle, The use of marbles, Ed. H. Vial, Dourdan, 2005
P. Julien, Marbels, From Quarries to Palaces, ed. Le Bec en l'air, Manosque, 2006
Marmi antichi, collective work, ed. De Luca, Rome, 1998
