"I wanted to add a piece to what is the great Italian goldsmith production appreciated all over the world, as I remember quoting the Universal Exhibition in Vienna in 1873, telling the story and the archive of the Peruzzi brothers who began their activity in Florence at the end of the nineteenth century, when French jewelry still dominated the world. It was a family of silversmiths who only later opened their first workshop and shop in Florence in 1920, where they are still present in Ponte Vecchio". The jewelry historian Bianca Cappello presented her new volume entitled "Jewels in Florence, the Historical Archive of the Peruzzi brothers 1880-1970", in the Etruscan Museum of Valle Giulia in Rome.
Present, in addition to the author, Maria Paola Guidobaldi, curator of the National Etruscan Museum collections of Villa Giulia, Monica Cecchini, creator and artistic director of Roma Jewelry Week, Steven Tranquilli, general manager of Federpreziosi Confcommercio and Laura Giannoni Peruzzi, CEO of Fratelli Peruzzi and soul of the study project on the imposing material of the historic Florentine company. 237 pages and 300 archive images reconstruct the fascinating scenario of Florentine goldsmithing from the model of "Italian" jewelry, initially promoted by the Castellani family of goldsmiths in Rome, to the "democratic" jewels of the 70s of the twentieth century. "Being able to present the volume in the splendid context of the National Etruscan Museum of Villa Giulia in Rome, which houses one of the most important collections of jewels of the Castellani family of goldsmiths in Rome, is a great opportunity to tell the many links between Florentine and Roman goldsmithing because it was from Rome that the Italian jewel was born, then spread and replicated with various changes elsewhere "explains the author. "I was not in the industry, I married a Peruzzi heir and I fell in love with this world - reveals Laura Giannoni Peruzzi -. This book, which I strongly wanted, I would like to be a first step to convey the passion for this art to young people, so that the goldsmith's art can be handed down. And I would like this to happen in Florence, which is a bit closed as a city, but also in Rome, Naples, Venice. Wherever there is still the local tradition of goldsmith's art. We must overcome parochialism and team up so that high craftsmanship does not die". "The world of jewelry has enormous growth potential - adds Tranquilli - we must try to train young people in schools by bringing them back to do things using their hands". Gioielli a Firenze, Archivio Fratelli Peruzzi (1880-1970) is an in-depth critical text, at the same time fluent and easy to read - which allows both the general public and professionals to read one more piece in the reconstruction of the fascinating history of Florentine goldsmithing. The volume in Italian and English (preface by Luigi Salvadori, introduction by Dora Liscia Bemporad), was edited thanks to Fondazione CR Firenze and Intesa Sanpaolo, promoters of the Rinascimento Firenze program whose implementing subject was the Oma Association - Osservatorio dei Mestieri d'Arte.
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