L'ARTISTA DEL LEGNO - TARSIE - CORNICI IN LEGNO VECCHIO

Since 1987, our shop "L'ARTISTA DEL LEGNO" has been an exclusively family owned and operated workshop specializing in the production of highly qualified, artistic wooden objetcs. The family is headed by the professional craftsman Ubaldo Ricci, a master in the field of marquetry, inlay and primary materials, whose career spans decades. Flanked by his wife Irene, a determinate presence for the organizational aspects of running a flourishing business, Lorenzo, his son, who has obtained certification as master of Art and his daughter, Barbara, a university graduate in literary studies, the entire family shares a mutual passion for woodworking and craftsmanship. Located close to the town of Urbino, the workshop is permeated with reminiscences of the historic and artistic tradition of the Montefeltro territory, a setting which supplies an endless font of inspiration and love for execution of highly qualified and exclusive crafts and distinguished craftsmanship.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF INLAY Born during the Gothic period, the art of wood inlay flowered during the fifteenth century reaching its zenith in the court of Federico da Montefeltro with the idealization and execution of what is known today as "lo studiolo" or study, an entire environment created of rich perspective illusion obtained through inlayed marquetry. Such an environment was found in two of the Duke's palaces, the original acclaimed study still in sito in Urbino and the second , made for the summer residence in Gubbio, now in the permanent exhibition of the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. Celebrated artists such as Bramante, Botticelli and Francesco di Giorgio Martini were called to contribute to the design of this exceptional endeavor and there for contributed also to the tradition of excellence engrained in contemporary craftsmanship. THE TECHNIQUE The technique involved in the creation of even the simplest of designs implies both artistic skill and refined workmanship as the execution necessitates the use of individual pieces of numerous types of wood distinct in form, colour and dimension. To obtain the subtle interplay of light and shadow, selected fragments are often toasted with hot sand until the exact tonality desired is obtained. No artificial colour is used. After the pieces are accurately set into the compositiopn and fixed with expert precision, the end product results in a figurative design which is truly unique, a one of a kind object. The workshop "L'ARTISTA DEL LEGNO" also produces equally as elegant frames which enhance the inlayed design and which are guaranteed to be made from authentic antique wood of from rare premium woods.
Somes phases the inlay's technique