Florentine crafts
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Florentine crafts made in Florence, Italy, are a centuries-old tradition maintained by several artisan guilds. Florentine style, especially in items produced in from the mid-19th century onward, typically reflect a contemporary interpretation of Renaissance art and furnishings. Popular items made in Florentine style include gilded picture frames, gilded leather, reproduction furniture, gilded decoupage plaques and triptychs, and tables inlaid with marble and rare wood.
During the Renaissance, Florence was renowned throughout Europe as a centre of fine art, particularly in painting, gold gilding, bronze work, and furnishings inlaid with intricate designs in marble or rare wood. The fine craft traditions associated with some of these arts never entirely died out in Florence, and remained well-established up to the 19th century. Florence's craft guilds were a crucial force behind the survival of these trades.[1]
In an effort to boost Florence's economy, and promote its crafts to tourists, a museum of decorative arts opened in the Bargello in 1865. This, in combination with Florence's reputation in fine arts, led to rapid growth in the demand for craft products among tourists, particularly from England. Victorian tourists found many craft shops listed in the back of guide books, such as John Murray's Florence and its Environs.[2]