Excellence unveiled: behind the scenes of the Maselli Atelier in Florence.
‘Symposium’ is yearly event by SprazzidiBellezza.com in celebration of its invaluable community.
Photos by Ludovica Barone.
The Symposium event had exceptionally brought together all members of the SdB international network, including the team and core partners. Hence, in the days following the event, I accompanied the innermost circle on a sublime immersive experience throughout Florence, to open their minds and hearts and witness with their eyes (and with the palate!) what we stand and work for every day for! The first threshold we crossed was the one of the Maselli atelier in Via de’ Ginori, one of the beating hearts of Florentine Excellence from 1955.
"Touch everything, because you won't get another chance."
It was true, a second chance to touch pieces that mark art history and that once they leave that workshop will only be contemplated from behind a glass case, would not just happen..
It is known [maybe too often forgotten] that the human hand "understands and learns" as much as the mind. Being able to "touch" is a privilege.
Touching an art object opens the door to a higher understanding that transcends the object itself. That is the Beauty of the most authentic Excellence: it always offers enrichment when directly experienced.
Did you know that Mary is usually depicted with only one star on her right shoulder? All the other stars and floral details in this XV century painting were added later, as were the robes covering the child, in a vivid blue color. Furthermore, it is possible that the halos and crowns were added at a later time, hiding part of the landscape originally depicted.
A place that is an extension of home, where one is welcomed like family.
Gabriele was a fabulous host. He proudly guided us from one work-in-progress to another, telling those behind the scenes that make each of those pieces of inestimable cultural value and which are invisible once the piece is complete. How to recognize by touch alone if a painting from the XV century has been modified? How to use that specific chisel to obtain that perfectly curved shape?
Gabriele Maselli and his two young sons [Tommaso and Giovanni] represent the second and third generation of Florentine master framers; people of a wisdom, kindness and depth that, in my personal experience, I have only found in artisans. With pride and dedication they share their “know-how” as a fundamental cultural vehicle, and they do so with every means to open the minds of those who want to understand.
Inside the Maselli Atelier, you won't find the same treasures twice. Works of inestimable value come and go and it is a rare privilege to cross their path. So the eyes of my companions investigated the corners of the Atelier, peering among the shelves, on the work tables, on which works in progress and hundreds of chisels (each with an absolutely different function, but all the same in our untrained eyes) were scattered apparently at random.
The air was thick with the unmistakable scent of wood, a fragrance that tells the story of countless hours spent carving and sculpting raw wood in Italy's most sought-after frames.
Priceless artistic masterpieces are made here, and yet, contrary to expectations, this space is not adorned with opulent furnishings or embellished with the trappings of prestige.
As you navigate the tight spaces and witness the organized chaos, listening to Gabriele's thousand and one stories, you'll come to appreciate the Beauty that emerges from Authenticity.
This is a reminder that true Excellence doesn't require a lavish backdrop; it flourishes in the heart of creativity, where dedication, skill, and passion intertwine to give birth to masterpieces of exceptional value and utmost technical perfection.
Many of my guests had never had such an experience, and seeing their eyes sparkle, full of wonder was one of the most intense gratifications I have ever felt.
The “Living National Treasures”
A Japanese cultural tradition nominates "Living National Treasures" every year; these are people in possession of artistic and artisanal knowledge of collective value, so fundamental that it is preserved by laws, regulated by the government.
The work of Gabriele and his sons was told to me for the first time years ago, in a university lesson, as an emblem of a 'know-how' to be considered a precious Florentine and Italian heritage.. and since then an authentic friendship and mutual support has bound us.
With gentle but firm gestures, with excellent precision (not unlike those of a pianist or a violinist), they handle artistic treasures. although I think it is appropriate to say that the real "Living Treasures" to be celebrated and protected by every means lies in themselves: Gabriele, Tommaso and Giovanni.
I have been sneaking into their Florentine atelier for years now..
..and in addition to great masters, I have always found human beings by the rare Beauty and big hearts. A simple and short conversation with them has the power to make a day richer and more precious.
In the name of this mutual support, Bottega Maselli participated in the Symposium event under the frescoed vaults of Palazzo Portinari in Florence, exhibiting some of their most precious masterpieces together with an exquisite capsule collection created for Dolce & Gabbana.
"Master of Art and Craft"
It is no coincidence that Gabriele Maselli was awarded the title of MAM - "Master of Art and Craft" by the Fondazione Cologni (who else if not him!) and is an integral part of the Well Made IT circuit of excellent ateliers in Italy. As if it was not enough, he is actively involved in training the artisans of tomorrow, custodians of our artistic heritage; without their brilliant souls and their unbreakable resilience, there would be no Made in Italy to be so proud of and grateful for.
