There is an ancient art in which fire does not destroy but creates beauty. It is the art of fired enamel, an art described as “beautiful and difficult” by Benvenuto Cellini, with countless variations and applications. Through the careful fusion of coloured silica powders with metal, it produces luminous surfaces with extraordinary and sometimes unexpected chromatic transparencies. It is an art that requires passion, perseverance, precision and technical expertise to transform materials into objects of genuine beauty.
Anna Bini Rizzo knows this well. A Florentine goldsmith who has taught for many years in Florence and Rome, she is one of Italy’s most talented practitioners of this refined and demanding art. Her work is the subject of the exhibition Lo smalto a fuoco: un’arte da conoscere (Fired Enamel: An Art Worth Discovering), on display until 19 November 2026 at the Carlo Azeglio Ciampi exhibition space of the Regional Council of Tuscany (Via de’ Pucci 16/r) in Florence.
The exhibition brings together around 70 works — figurative panels, paintings, jewellery, decorative objects, religious artworks, plaques and medals — tracing the entire artistic career of a woman who has made enamelwork her life’s calling, carrying forward a family tradition and transforming it into a highly personal form of artistic expression.
Trained under the guidance of her father, Bino Bini, a renowned goldsmith, sculptor and medallist, Anna Bini Rizzo has devoted years of study and research to the many techniques of enamelling (Cloisonné, Grisaille, Miniature, Enlèvage à l’aiguille, Painted Enamel, Champlevé and Plique-à-jour). Her works bring metal surfaces — gold, silver and copper — to life through an ever-changing and vibrant encounter between material, design and colour.
“In mastering this rare and demanding art,” said Cristina Acidini, President of Florence’s Accademia delle Arti del Disegno, “one of Anna Bini Rizzo’s achievements is to keep alive — and to have passed on to younger generations through teaching — an ancient and noble body of knowledge that still today reveals all its versatility in the pursuit of beauty.”
Opening hours
Monday to Friday: 10 a.m.–12 noon and 3 p.m.–7 p.m.
Saturday: 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Sunday: Closed.
❤️ Support Florence Daily News
If you liked this article, please consider supporting Florence Daily News.
We are an independent news site, free from paywalls and intrusive ads, committed to providing clear and reliable reporting on Florence and Tuscany for everyone.
Your support — whether a one-time gift or a regular contribution — helps us stay independent and keep telling the stories that matter.
Donate securely via Stripe below.
Make a one-time donation
Make a monthly donation
Make a yearly donation
Choose an amount
Or enter a custom amount
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.
Your contribution is appreciated.