Painting with Stone

The work of Melocco Bros is woven into Australia’s architectural heritage. Through mosaic, terrazzo, sgraffito, and scagliola, the brothers – Peter, Antonio, and Galliano – transformed their adopted city after migrating from northern Italy to Sydney in 1908. With talent and determination, they established a business that elevated architecture to art.

Their craftsmanship graces landmarks such as Central Station's mosaic floor, the marble-clad David Jones, and the gleaming columns of the Commonwealth Bank in Martin Place. Sydneysiders have marvelled at the Tasman Map in the Mitchell Library, reflected on sacrifice in the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, quietly contemplated the crypt beneath St Mary’s Cathedral, and been entertained amidst the opulent interiors of the State Theatre.

By the 1960s, ninety per cent of the marble, scagliola, and terrazzo work in Sydney’s public buildings had been created by Melocco Bros. Yet their contributions remained underappreciated. In Painting with Stone, architectural historian Zeny Edwards celebrates the brothers' legacy, revealing their innovation and artistry. Through their mastery, inanimate stone became a medium of storytelling, embedding the Melocco Bros' names in Australia’s architectural history.