Venetian Plaster

Venetian plaster is a decorative finish consisting of plaster mixed with marble dust, applied  in thin, multiple layers, which are then burnished to create a smooth surface with the illusion of depth and texture.
When applied correctly, Venetian plaster can be used to 'create' a highly polished, rock-hard, marble-like finish. Venetian plaster is especially useful on surfaces where marble panels could not be installed easily, and on surfaces that would be too expensive to have carved from real marble such as columns, corbels and curved walls.