The “Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella” was established in 1221 by Dominican monks. Today the highest quality raw materials are still used and the founding fathers’ artisanal methods are still followed.
“Artigianato e palazzo” is a three days exhibition of approximately 80 craftsmen who recreate their workshops in the beautiful historic formal italian garden and orangeries surrounded by hundreds of lemon trees in terracotta pots and II C.a.d. statues.
In these “botteghe” the craftsmen will work and show their skill and secrets explaining ancient and preserved techniques of making bronze, wood, glass, iron, paper, marble objects.
This exhibition has been organized since 1995 by Neri Torrigiani and backed by the Princess Giorgiana Corsini with the purpose of promoting the ancient work of the artisans and to show as many guilds as possible from gold leafing to jewel making, from printing to pottery, from scents to hat making, from restoration of marble inlaid furniture to glass making.