Unset Octagonal Intarsia Pendant

Unset octagonal gemstone intarsia pendant with malachite mirrored center, turquoise, opal and rhodochrosite outer edges by master lapidary artist Nicolai Medvedev. Dimensions: 39 x 35  x 5 mm Beginning his formal art training at the age of twelve, Medvedev continued for fourteen years, including several years of impressionist painting at the prestigious Art Institute of Moscow. An interest in central Asian jewelry, with its inlays and gemstone overlays, and the Fabergé-style craftsmanship he discovered at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg led him to try his hand at intarsia. Since immigrating to the United States in 1980, he has focused entirely on intarsia, developing a unique approach. He is now widely considered to be one of the world's premier intarsia artists. Because intarsia involves such a high degree of intricacy and is created on such a small scale, the amount of concentration and time involved in producing one piece is incredible. Though usually working on several pieces at on