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“‘ We are very honoured to take part for the second time in this extremely important cultural event , which even more this year has found the right fil rouge to link past , present and future with the theme The Journey of Life , in which our Maison is very much reflected ,’ comments Andrea Buccellati , Honorary President and Creative Director of the Maison .
Armatae Flores , the majestic centrepiece displayed in the Cenacolo Palladiano Hall , is composed of a garland of handmade artichokes , with handles developed like leaves crowning a silicified wooden base . It is the ideal object to embellish a table on special occasions , such as festivities and celebrations . Moreover , a limited series of individual artichokes enriches the composition , testifying in an original way how Nature has always been a great source of inspiration for many of the Maison ’ s creations . For Buccellati , the artichoke acquires all the meanings and symbols that have been attributed to it over the centuries : a complex element with dual , fascinating characteristics . Greek mythology , for example , tells the story of Zeus who , once rejected by the beautiful Cynara , transformed her into a green and thorny vegetable : the colour of the vegetable would recall the eyes of the maiden , the thorns the many pains the god suffered for this unrequited love , and the heart , still sweet , that of Cynara .
The story of the Buccellati artichoke began in the 1960s .
Gianmaria Buccellati continued in the footsteps of his father Mario , a fine silversmith , and realized the potential of Art de la Table , enriching it with precious objects inspired by Nature that tickled the human imagination , not only for their aesthetics and passion for detail , but for the intrinsic functionality they embodied , radically transforming the concept of the decorative object . He therefore produces a series of vegetables , including the thorny artichoke , inside the leaves of which Gianmaria cleverly conceals the mechanism of a cigarette lighter . The result is surprising for the unusual shape and new function given to this vegetable . Thanks to the continuous research in the Maison Archives and the campaign of new acquisitions , a rare exemplar , recently restored and brought back to its former glory , can now be admired in the Buccellati Historical Collection .
The jewellery project , which goes by the name of Idyllium Floralis , on display in the Arazzi Hall , interprets eternal love : the perfectly circular shape of the Eternelle rings and the bangle bracelet well communicate infinite and unbroken love .
Throughout the dates of the exhibition , a goldsmith will be present to demonstrate several techniques applied to the Eternelle rings , one of which has tulle work and the other combined with the bangle bracelet , in gold decorated with lilac enamel with a pattern composed of garlands and flowers all over the band .
The rings are representative of the Buccellati style and its DNA , and therefore iconic objects throughout the Maison ’ s creative history . The bracelet is presented as a summa of inspirations and refined techniques , with a rich garland of diamonds in the centre , recalling the idea of union and eternal love . Visitors will thus have the opportunity to feel as if they were inside a real goldsmith ’ s workshop and to admire at close quarters how the craftsman ’ s skilled hands shape the jewel into the final , always unique work .
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ISSUE 66 2024 THE ART OF LUXURY