Originally used as an imitation of marble, expert craftsmen later wrought scagliola into a distinct art form. But one that is little known today.
A mineral (selenite), a passion for inlay techniques and plenty of patience – these are the essential ingredients of the ancient art of scagliola, also known as meschia, a fine and very sophisticated form of decoration that has very ancient origins; originally used as a building material and then for decorative purposes, it became a full-blown form of artistic expression in the 17th century, as can be seen by religious artworks in the Church of San Miniato al Monte, in the Oratory of San Tommaso d'Aquino in Settignano, and elsewhere, in the Chianti, Valdarno and Valdisieve.

Filippo Brunelleschi was the first Florentine architect to make extensive use of the grey-blue lapidary material known as  pietra serena. Columns, mouldings, arches, portals, were utilized more and more often both in interiors and exteriors, and in this way, pietra serena (literally, “serene stone”) came to be used in place of the pietra forte (“strong stone”) commonly utilized in the city of Florence until then.

From Marquis Ginori’s factory to world success.
The history of the production of ceramics in Sesto has very ancient origins. Ceramic items with etched lines and square-shaped spouts are known to have existed as early as the 5th and 4th millenniums BC, during the so-called Copper Age, as proved by recent archaeological finds in the area around Sesto Fiorentino.

Empoli and its district are a highly important reality in the field of glass production in Italy.

The various stages of the manufacturing process are activities of economic importance involving many businesses, both small and  large, in this area. An activity that continues an ancient tradition, begun as complementary to the production of wine.

The most renowned terracotta in the world comes from Impruneta, an historic township south of Florence.

This particular material is obtained from clay that undergoes certain working techniques then kiln-fired. The raw material from this area has unique properties: it is schistose, rich in iron and highly malleable as well as being elastic and hardy.

The January Pitti Uomo - taking place at the Fortezza da Basso from January 11 to 14 -  will mark a record: 1,010 brands will be showing at the Fortezza da Basso, plus 80 women’s collections at the Dogana for Pitti W, bringing the total to more than 1,090 collections presented. The fair’s role as a point of reference on the international scene is confirmed once again by the increase in the number of applications from other countries (the requests from foreign firms and brands have risen by 20% for this edition). And let’s not forget the Pitti Uomo buyers: at the last winter edition, out of a total of 30,000 visitors, 23,360 buyers came to Florence representing all the most important boutiques and departments stores in the world.

There used to be a time when women would arm themselves with needle, thread and bags of patience to sew and embroider: for work, to prepare their trusseau or for domestic needs. That embroidery tradition is still alive in Florence today, in small workshops of worldwide repute.

Leatherworking is a well-established craft industry in Florence. In the area around Santa Croce there are a cluster of small craft workshops and a trend-setting leather school

The technique of the ‘commesso fiorentino’ – mosaics in semi-precious stones – is very old and highly complex. Also known as Florentine mosaic, it was fostered in sixteenth century Florence by the Medici family and brought to perfection over the centuries by the skills of the Opificio delle Pietre Dure which was established in 1588.