17/05/2022
The roots of artisans in Italy are deeply intertwined with those of The Renaissance. Beginning with 14th century guilds of leather makers, gold-smiths, jewelers, and other artisans; quality was fiercely protected and enforced amongst members. Infusing beauty into their goods became an obsession of the age; in tandem with the blossoming artistic and intellectual revolution.
While the guilds of old are no longer around, their fiercely protected trade secrets have passed from generation to generation into the hearts and hands of modern Italian artisans. “Today in Italy, many of the trades of the past remain living traditions. The medieval guilds may be long gone, but their arts, their techniques, and their soul still thrive. The skills, the forms, the knowledge, and more importantly, the spirit of the past, is kept alive in the hands of a small number of individuals who take pride in their own towns’ and cities’ unique visual essence. These living traditions are passed down verbally—and through hands-on practice—from generation to generation. (Laura Morelli, Yale PhD in Art History)”
The Italian obsession with quality is not random, it is the result of centuries of tradition that have been refined and passed down from artisan to artisan. Our goal at Mercoglio is to share this rich tradition with the rest of the world.
Read the Blog Post: https://mercoglio.com/blogs/mercoglio-blog/the-ancient-tradition-of-italian-artisans
