The ability to work with wood, to assemble small mosaic tiles, to paint the interiors of buildings with amazing trompe l’oeil, to build beautiful windows and instruments that can play perfect notes, to make clothes, massive chandeliers and sculptures of all kinds: Italian craftsmanship is inextricably linked to art, that becomes a blend of skills passed down from generation to generation.
Italy, homeland of art, an extraordinary wide-spread museum, could not help but develop over time expertise in the field of heritage conservation. A leadership that the world recognises and envies us for, so much so that our schools of restoration and our restorers are appreciated and sought after everywhere.
Thus, the work of the many master craftsmen throughout the country represents a real feather in our cap of the finest Italian skills: but the task of the restorer also requires great historical, technical and scientific skills.
In Florence, the Santo Spirito and San Frediano areas are home to antiques shops that are traditionally famous worldwide for the quality of the restoration work on all kinds of artefacts: from wood to glass, from furniture to musical instruments.
In Ancona, on the other hand, there is one of the few laboratories devoted to textile restoration. Among the many items that are given a new life, there are exceptional clothes from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries that were discovered in the crypt of the Santissima Annunziata Church in Monsampolo del Tronto, in the Ascoli area.
The many Murano glass and glazing artisans in Milan deal with most restoration and conservation projects, as do the most important goldsmiths.
On the other hand, the ateliers in Turin can be relied upon by those who want to bring ancient and precious furniture, ornaments or chandeliers back to their former glory. A microcosm of virtuosic skills, based on a profound knowledge of art history and materials.