Artisans and Workshops at the 2021 ‘Artigianato e Palazzo’ Fair

Tommaso Candria working on handmade handbags in the Corsini Garden

Until Sun. 19:  ARTIGIANATO E PALAZZO CRAFTS FAIR.  Corsini Palace and Garden.  There are two entrances: via della Scala 115 and via il Prato 58.  Open 10 am – 7:30 pm.  Admission:  €10, reduced, and no admission is charged for children under 12.  Free catalogue included.

 Small lemon trees, manicured hedges and neoclassical statues line the path that leads to the Artigianato e Palazzo show where a select group of artisans from all over Italy annually display their creations.  In its 27th year, the fair is once again being held in the garden of Palazzo Corsini and the limonaia, where citrus trees were once housed during the winter months.

Artigianato e Palazzo welcomes many traditional artisans to showcase the beauty of their intricate work, such as shimmering jewelry, hand-painted porcelain, cameos, wood and stone inlay, hand-woven fabrics and baskets, perfumes and essential oils, one-of-a-kind belts, bags and purses, and hand-made shoes.  Each item—all for sale—displayed in the fair is made with a great deal of devotion and skill, and for many of the exhibitors their work is not only an antique practice, but also a modern way of life.   

The fair features 80 different artisans mainly from Italy, some of whom will give live demonstrations of their work, showing how their handicraft has remained the same for centuries.  Some of the craftspeople who will be present include glass workers, ceramists, goldsmiths, milliners, and antiques restorers.  Artigianato e Palazzo also hosts a section dedicated to sustainable design while another, “Viaggio in Toscana,” (Traveling to Tuscany) showcases the work of Tuscan residents.  Bloggers will also be interviewing artisans and discussing crafts, lifestyle, tourism, and fashion all while filming videos to be featured on their personal platforms.

A special exhibition is dedicated to “The Art of Handmade Paper.”  Within the show, “The Life of the Paper Mill” will be recreated, where it will be possible to witness the different phases of the process of making paper by hand, including the process of making a watermark and the technique of sewing the watermark onto the paper with a special sewing machine. A calligrapher be on hand to give live demonstrations of the art.