LOUNGE /
BOOK
August 6, 2015
BOOK | Introducing the Techniques and Beauty Passed Down Through Italian Workshops, and the Lives of the Artisans
BOOK | A Guide to the Skills, Beauty, and Lives of Artisans Passed Down Through Generations in Italian Workshops
“A Tour of Italy’s Small Workshops”
The skills and aesthetic sensibilities behind Italy’s “world-class products,” and the little-known lives of the artisans who create them. Shinchosha has published a book that delves into the small workshops in towns where these top-tier items are made, compiling untold stories that add further luster to these captivating products.
Text by SAKIYAMA Chikako (OPENERS)
Skills and People Thriving in Small Workshops
When you think of Italy, what comes to mind? Ancient ruins, the Serie A football league, films, or perhaps for OPENERS readers, sports cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati, or impeccably tailored suits.
The common keyword here is excellence. A new book, “A Tour of Italy’s Small Workshops,” released by Shinchosha, shines a spotlight on the skills and artisans that have been passed down through generations to support this Italian excellence.
Montegranaro in the Marche region, known among fashionistas as the “holy land” of men’s shoes. Inside a custom shoe workshop
Renzo Formigli, a craftsman of handmade bicycles. He builds each bike with passion in Florence, where he was born and raised.
When crafted by Italian artisans, they become “world-class products” that captivate anyone who uses them. There is an eternal allure in what is created by Italy’s aesthetic sensibility, which values old things and uses them with care, rather than chasing fleeting trends. These creations emerge from small workshops tucked away in corners of towns.
Within these small workshops, exceptional craftsmanship and aesthetic values, passed down from father to son, master to apprentice, along with a rich way of life that cherishes people and celebrates existence, are nurtured. Mari Oya, who has lived in Italy for 20 years, visits each workshop, drawing out the hidden stories of daily life from the artisans’ words.
The book features not only fascinating products like bespoke men's shoe workshops and handmade road bike studios, but also world-renowned Murano glass, metal engraving, bookbinding, marbled paper, musical instruments like harps, and many other top-tier artisans. Reading this book will undoubtedly add further luster to your appreciation of Italy’s finest products.
Mari OYA
Italian Columnist. Born in Tokyo. After working as a kindergarten teacher and at a trading company, she moved to Siena, the ancient capital of Tuscany, Italy, in 1996. While working as an interpreter and assistant at a cooking school, she began her writing career. She has written serial articles on Italian culture and lifestyle for NHK radio texts such as “Mainichi Italian-go” and “Asahi Shimbun Digital & M.” She is also active as a commentator on radio programs, including NHK’s “My Asa Radio.”
“A Tour of Italy’s Small Workshops”
Author | Mari Oya
Size | B5, slightly smaller than standard, softcover, 128 pages
Publisher | Shinchosha, Tonbo Books
Price | ¥1,600 (excluding tax)
Release Date | June 28