Jewelry Style in Florence
Stile Orafo Fiorentino Association follows the ancient tradition of the craft guilds that in Florence shaped and formed the social, economic, and political reality since the Middle Ages; economic power managed to permeate and shape the politics of the time, with the rise of the bourgeoisie and the decline of aristocratic families. The Art of Silk, or the Art of Por Santa Maria, was one of the seven major arts of the guilds of crafts in Florence, which also included goldsmiths, whose workshops were located in the area between the Ponte Vecchio and the Mercato Nuovo, today the Loggia del Porcellino.
Florentine goldsmithing traces its origins back to the ancient Etruscans, developing over time to create Renaissance masterpieces that are a testament to refinement and mastery of techniques. A manifestation of this heritage of beauty and skill are the Gates of Paradise of the Baptistery of Florence, made by Lorenzo Ghiberti between 1425 and 1452, and the salt cellar commissioned by Francesco I to Benvenuto Cellini and created by him between 1540 and 1543.
The techniques that help define Florentine goldsmithing are complex, ranging from engraving with a burin to granulation, piercing and chasing, from chasing to niello and agemina, from wire work to sheet and wire lamination, from cuttlefish bone casting to crucible casting. Traditional techniques, in modern goldsmithing, are reinterpreted to create innovative pieces that encompass centuries of history and culture.