Taking edible art to another level, at Walter Musco's pastry shop in Rome, chocolate eggs are sculpted into mini masterpieces and put on display in a gallery.

The eggs, which are laid out like brightly colored pieces of jewelry, are all created as tributes to various cultural and artistic icons.

"It's a simple idea, I'm really passionate about art and I expanded my field to include literature, music and cinema," Musco told AFP, adding that the eggs on display were the ones that have "pleased" him the most.

Musco has been creating his delectable masterpieces for a decade and put up a selection to display ahead of the Easter weekend. However, they don't have to be eaten and if buyers would prefer to admire the masterpieces, they can be preserved for much longer than expected. 

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"If looked after, they can last for years," he said.

"The main thing is to keep them out of the heat, so not next to a chimney or a radiator, or near a window exposed to the sun. There's no problem up to about 26 or 27 degrees Celsius," Musco said.

However, the eggs are an expensive taste, and they can cost as must as $470. The majority of the delectable delights on display are for sale but customers must purchase them in person due to the risk of damage if sent by post.

Musco is self-taught and comes from a creative background, having had art galleries in the past selling African, South-East Asian, Oceanic and Australian Aboriginal art. The chocolatier says that he draws his inspiration by looking at "everything that is abstract and not obvious to understand, but has a big emotional impact." 

Looking beyond Easter and into the future, the Rome-based artist says that he would like to make chocolate egg pieces in direct collaboration with artists as "a way to exchange opinions and ideas and thus evolve."

Video editor: David Bamford