The Cleveland Museum of Art first became aware that the work was for sale a little over a year ago, says Alexander J. Noelle, the assistant curator of European paintings and sculpture, 1500-1800.

You might opt for a slab of marble that's ¼ inch thick, which is a standard size for this material. For the assembly, you'll need two slabs together, one main slab (which will be the countertop), and ...