Passion and perseverance are at the heart of the Bianco Bianchi workshop in the little town of Pontassieve, a short train ride from Florence. Bianchi (1920–2006) always had a passion for painting, and it was through his love of art that he dedicated his life to learning about and restoring the lost art of scagliola.

Scagliola is a type of gypsum known as selenite. The stone appears clear and shiny like the light of the moon. Scagliola is also the name of the technique whereby selenite is ground into a powder and then mixed with natural glues and pigments to form a paste, which is then inlaid into slate, marble, or selenite itself.