Goldsmith
Historic notes on a craft that still exists

The Pescocostanzo production recalls some aspects of the Lombardo, from which it probably derives, and there are definite connecting points with the designs of pillow lace, another work typical of Pescocostanzo, in the embroidery the stitches "alla-milanese" and "veneziano" are recurrent. In particular, we refer to the filigree technique which is often used and is characteristic to Pescocostanzo but brings to mind Venice, and so leaving room to the hypothesis, as with the lace, of lagoon contacts, perhaps indirectly through the Lanciano fairs.
But at Pescocostanzo, as well as working by melting, there was use of moulds too, and the use of repoussé was not totally ignored. The possible contribution of the Neapolitan school for these kinds of work must not be underestimated; above all being the natural source of supply of the mw materials together with enamels, cameos, and semi-precious stones used in the working. Oriental influences are more evident in the Scanno goldsmith's production, linked as it is to the custom and culture of those people. Here, silver is preferred to gold, and melting to filigree, the latter being used more for decorating and welding the melted products. This work of composition often elaborated during the centuries, from a pastoral culture used to re-utilizing everything, starting from buttons, of which the traditional costume of Scanno is rich and of other forms of decorations, until a jewel is created. Such an artistic evolution which follows exactly the phylogeny of the goldsmith's art, is documented at Scanno in the prints and traditional materials that the Di Renzo family, still today, hands on from father to son, and has been doing so for the past 13 generations, since 1560, keeping intact their own laboratory with all its instruments. At Sulmona, too, all the techniques were used, including filigree, even in ages previous to the beginning of the Pescocostanzo goldsmith's art. But what is still possible to be seen in the city are, above all, the medieval evidence of this art, preserved in the Museo Civico (Town Museum).

<<-   1 | 2 | 3 | 4   ->>

The present production

Useful information