Buccellati. Ediz. inglese

 A fascinating survey into Buccellati style: a blend of past with present, of form, function and design lie at the heart of the workof a family firm which has become synonymous with gold and silversmithing over the past century. Around 1750 Contardo Buccellati set up show in Milan’s Goldsmiths Street. Since that time jewelry making and silversmithing have remained the central occupation of the Buccellati family.The great spur into making Buccellati a world renown name was given by Mario (1891-1965), who opened additional shops in Italy, Monte Carlo, Paris, New York, Hong Kong, Tokyo. The testimonial was then taken up by Gianmaria Buccellati, who, at the age of sixteen, started a simple apprentice in his family’s store and workshop in Milan.Unlike other firms, the house of Buccellati throughout the years has preserved the tradition of the Italian “bottega” (workshop) by creating its own designs and mantaining its own workshops of highly skilled artisans who create its intricate jewelry and objets d’art with traditional hand crafting and pre-industrial techniques.Perfection of execution, choice of precious materials and the famous technique of “texture-engraving”, developed to produce different effects of volume and light on metal, have characterised the Buccellati style. Sources of inspiration are the classical creations of Renaissance, the late Baroque style as well as 18th-century French works.Throughout the years Buccellati has enjoyed the patronage of the Holy See, they royal houses of Belgium, Spain, Italy and Egypt, the Italian poet Gabriele D’Annunzio and of many celebrities. The exhibition (October 2000 - February 2001), held at the prestigious Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, in Washington D.C., showcases over fifty masterpieces (objets d’art, jewels and silver objects) characterized by their elegant design, extraordinary craftmanship and luxury materials (gems and precious metals). A blend of past with present, of form, function and design lie at the heart of the work of a family firm which has become synonymous with gold and silversmithing over the past century.