The Artisans

A story of excellence in hand-decorated ceramics: Laboratorio Paravicini interprets high Italian craftsmanship tradition by reinterpreting its language in a contemporary key. The result is a variety of collections of plates and tableware with distinct characteristics, the development of careful research and experimentation, and an innate ability to evolve. It has become a reference point for an increasingly demanding international audience seeking quality and refinement over 30 years. Each piece is shaped and hand-decorated from thin white earthenware.

Bottega d’Arte Gatti Ceramica prides itself on its permanent search for innovative techniques and design, proved by a splendid collection. When Riccardo Gatti founded it in 1928, he was already a celebrated ceramist in Faenza, because of his skilled hand. But his talent was recognized also on a national level, as he exhibited in major establishments as the Milan Triennale, the Ceramics Museum in Faenza, and the Venice Biennale. Today, Ceramica Gatti continues to handcraft beautiful pieces on the wake of its founder and the centuries-long ceramic tradition of Faenza.

A true passion for the craft is behind the unique lines and aesthetic of the ceramics by I Borbone di Capodimonte. Capodimonte is a hill in the heart of Naples where, in 1739, King Charles II founded the Royal Ceramics Factory beside his palace. Today the workshop is lead by Antonio Fullin Mollica, who followed the footsteps of his father and grandfather. The uniqueness and perfection of Capodimonte's creations have also been proved by auctions at Sotheby's and Christie's.

Florentine wood carvers Fiorenzo Bartolozzi and Giuseppe Maioli met in 1938 and, soon after, from their friendship stemmed a fruitful artistic collaboration that made their Bottega d'Arte one of the leading wood carving and restoration workshops in the world. 70 years later the atelier remains internationally renowned, attracting the attention of the most discerned commissioners around the world. Prestigious examples include works for the Quirinal, the Italian President's palace in Rome, for the Arab Emirates Palaces and, most recently, for the Kremlin in Moscow.

Marco Castorina is the heir of an ancient family of carvers, a reference for the prestigious Florence wood artisan guild since 1895. His careful work and research led the shop to be considered unique in its field, becoming a landmark for architects and interior designers, with more than 5.000 items in continuous evolution. The knowledge of the Castorina family is handed down from father to son since the beginning of their activity to safeguard the Florentine heritage.

Galleria Romanelli is one of the oldest sculpture studios still active in the world, having been founded in 1860. Its incredible building is set in the Oltrarno, the artistic heart of Florence, and originally belonged to Lorenzo Bartolini, a great Italian sculptors of the 19th century. Sculptures made by several generations of the Romanelli family have, since long, been acknowledged worldwide. Today, the Gallery keeps catering for art lovers, collectors, and designers looking for unique artworks, thanks to a team of skilled sculptors lead by Raffaello Romanelli.

The traditional Tuscan passion for ceramics goes back for generations in the Ceccarelli family. This genuine passion emerges through the raw material shaping it into expertly-modeled and prestigious ceramics. The Ceccarelli ceramists like to say that the result is the witness of their efforts. Indeed, the typical irregularities distinctive of manual labour, together with the complexity of the finishes, obtained in 10 different manufacturing steps, are at the core of their distinctive style.

Established after the end of WW II, Fratelli Lisi is a family-owned silversmith workshop in Florence. Lisi artistic silver pieces are defined in particular by their realistic quality as well as a flair for nature and wild life, although usually retaining also a functional value. Fratelli Lisi's handmade silverware is a repeated playful exercise of exceptional true-to-life detailing. This attitude derives from the origins of the workshop: in a time of need and mass production, the Lisi brothers were among the first to develop unique objects and techniques.

Gloria Giannelli is well-known for the peculiar feminine touch she gives to her alabaster creations. She featured in several international magazines thanks to the elegance of her elaborated fretworks and trimmings. Throughout her prestigious career, Giannelli was awarded several times. She won the “Gremigni Award”, participated to the German prize for young artists "Jugend Gesteldet" and represented Tuscany in international expositions in China and Japan. Yet, she still keeps working in her workshop in Volterra, the famous ancient town perched among the Tuscan hills.

Tuscan artisan Bianco Bianchi has been making unique pieces using the refined scagliola technique since the 1960s. Well-known for his Medusa-head table made to order for the renowned Miami mansion of fashion designer Gianni Versace, Bianco Bianchi's marble works decorate the world's most beautiful homes. Bianco Bianchi's children, Alessandro and Elisabetta, now continue on the family tradition by translating century-old techniques into both classic and modern-inspired objects.

Antonino Sciortino, versatile Sicilian artist, infuses a minimalist baroque style into his metalwork, amalgamating the ethereal inspiration of dance with the maritime influence of his hometown of Bagheria. As a child, he learnt the technique of ironworking at his brother's workshop, but his love for dance pushed him to pursue a career in television, in Rome, where he became a dancer. The call of manual art returned in 2003, when he moved to Milan where, supported by the “Compagnia del Giardino,” he opened his own workshop.