A new book by architectural historian Zeny Edwards chronicles the life and work of Peter Melocco, an early-twentieth-century artist, designer, and businessman who spent his formative years studying at The Cooper Union. Painting with Stone: The Story of the Melocco Brothers explores the architectural legacy of Peter, Antonio, and Galliano Melocco, three brothers who emigrated from a small village in northern Italy to Sydney, Australia. Through their work in mosaic, marble, terrazzo, sgraffito, and scagliola, the Melocco brothers established a creative legacy that transformed Australian architecture.

“Although Peter Melocco’s achievements took part in Australia, he often credited Cooper Union with giving him his start as a young mosaic artist and designer and had fond memories of his time there,” says Victoria Hynes, granddaughter of Melocco and executive editor of Painting with Stone. 

At age 10, Pietro (who became known as Peter in Australia) was sent to New York to train as a marble worker and mosaic artist, taking courses in art, design, and masonry at The Cooper Union. Seeking opportunities to apply his skills, Melocco relocated to Sydney in 1908 and eventually started a workshop there with his brothers, introducing many classical techniques to Australia for the first time. Over the first half of the twentieth century, the Melocco brothers’ craftsmanship was employed to decorate many of Sydney’s most iconic buildings, banks, and public landmarks including Central Station, the foyer of the Mitchell Library, the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park, and Saint Mary’s Cathedral. In all, ninety percent of the marble, scagliola, and terrazzo works across public and private buildings that were built in Syndey up until the 1960’s were crafted by Melocco Bros Ltd.

In Painting with Stone, Zeny Edwards sheds light on the enduring significance these three brothers hold for Australian architectural history. Hynes, a visual arts writer and editor of 25 years, commissioned the book project with the support of the Consulate General of Italy in Sydney and Co.As.It. Sydney. The book was published in May 2025 by Longueville Media.