Just a few steps from Santa Maria Novella, Florence still preserves workshops where art is understood through materials, skilled hands and knowledge handed down over time. One of the experiences I remember most fondly took place in the restoration and painting workshop of Veronica Balzani and Laura Amorosi.
A workshop where ancient techniques become an experience
Entering a restoration workshop in Florence reveals a side of the city that museums can only partly show: the technical knowledge behind the creation and conservation of works of art.
In Veronica and Laura’s workshop I was able to look closely at tools, materials and procedures connected with traditional painting. At the time, the experience also offered participants the chance to work on a panel themselves, approaching gestures and techniques that evoke medieval and Renaissance workshops.
From gold leaf to medieval painting
One of the most fascinating parts was working with gold leaf. Behind the luminous surface of a painted panel lies a precise sequence of preparations, tools and careful gestures. Trying some of these steps changes the way we look at the paintings preserved in Florence’s churches and museums.
This is what makes experiences like this so valuable: they do not replace a museum visit, but they help us understand the physical substance of artworks and the skills of the people who continue to preserve traditional techniques.
Craftsmanship as a key to understanding Florence
Florence is not only a city of famous masterpieces. It is also a city of craftspeople, restorers and workshops. In my work as a guide, I enjoy showing the connection between the works we admire and the knowledge that made them possible.
The experience described here reflects the time when I took part in it, and the activities offered by individual workshops can change. If you would like to build an itinerary around Florentine craftsmanship and artistic techniques, we can check what is available when you visit.
