Venetian plaster is a wall and ceiling finish consisting of plaster mixed with marble dust, applied with a trowel in thin, multiple layers, which are then burnished to create a smooth surface with the illusion of depth and texture.  When left un-burnished, Venetian plaster has a matte finish that is rough and stone-like to the touch. Un-burnished Venetian plaster is also very brittle and damages rather easily.

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.

Venetian plaster can be tinted, or colored using natural or synthetic colorants. The ability to tint Venetian plaster is especially helpful when a specific color of "marble" is desired, or when a color that does not exist naturally is wanted.