A type of decorative marble with green and white stripes or bands, often used in sculptures and architectural ornaments.
From Italian cipollino, diminutive of cipolla (onion), because the stone's layered appearance resembles onion rings or layers. This Italian name reflects the stone's origin in the Alps and its popularity during the Renaissance.
Renaissance sculptors were obsessed with cipolin marble because its natural stripes created optical illusions—when carved skillfully, the bands would seem to flow around a sculpture, making static stone appear to move and dance.
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