As part of its quest to define and support excellence in craftsmanship, the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship published in 2017 the first English edition of The Master’s Touch: Essential elements of artisanal excellence. The work, authored by Alberto Cavalli, with Giuditta Comerci and Giovanna Marchello, lays the groundwork for a common language to describe the distinguished work of master artisans everywhere.
The ground-breaking study, originally published as Il Valore del Mestiere, takes a close look at what determines excellence in craftsmanship and identifies the key qualities shared by some of Europe’s finest master artisans. Through systematic research and analysis of relevant terminology, legislation, public opinion and in-depth interviews with master artisans, the authors identified 11 specific criteria for excellence and developed a corresponding assessment tool that can be refined with use over time.
The recurring terms underpinning craft excellence are:
authenticity
competence
craftsmanship
creativity
innovation
interpretation
originality
talent
territory
tradition
training
The criteria include qualities related to an artisan’s skills, to a particular region or territory, and of the creation itself.
“Artisanal excellence is a human aspiration and achievement that is deeply valued but often difficult to measure,” explains Franco Cologni, the Foundation’s co-founder and an Italian entrepreneur and leading cultural authority. “The Master’s Touch gives us a brand new and welcome method for identifying the qualities that master artisans should possess. In turn, recognizing masters as such gives us a powerful means for raising their profile and securing their vital role in our economies and our cultures.”
Quality is a key ingredient of success in all fields and this book provides those interested in craftsmanship with a way to think objectively about quality in this realm. Once the criteria were identified, the authors tested their practical application through in-depth interviews with recognized masters in Italy. An epilogue in the English edition features additional interviews with master artisans in France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Alberto Cavalli, Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation and the book’s lead author, stresses that the aim of the work was to “create a set of criteria that could be used with confidence and ease across the many types of artistic crafts and across cultures by those who seek to safeguard and promote fine craftsmanship.”
The 22 European masters interviewed represent a broad range of high-quality craftsmanship, from ceramics and violin-making to fine tailoring and jewellery making by way of metal working and cabinet making. Asked to speak about the importance of the various criteria in their work, their testimony grounds the criteria in lived experience, affirming and enhancing their relevance.
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