Home

Processing

The drawing on paper is made by the artist and cut into small patterns that will be attached to the variegated shades of the stones following the visual instinct, the innate gift of the artist and his perfect knowledge of the materials. The shape of the pattern will be cut by hand with a chestnut, cherry or hazelnut wood bow and an iron wire that flows with abrasive powder and water, creating a very precise and inclined cut to form the essential interstices to accommodate the glue, also it is made by artisans with beeswax and pine tree resin. The different stones are previously glued onto a slate surface which acts as a support during the cutting and filing phase. The various pieces which form the composition are adjusted in shape with diamond files, glued together so that the joints are invisible, flattened and finally polished in order to create a perfect decorative harmony showing the colors of nature in all their radiance.

History

1960-1977

In 1960 Renzo Scarpelli, born in Firenzuola (FI) in 1947, set foot for the first time in Giovanni Fiaschi's shop in the center of Florence and as it was used to do in the artisan shops at the time, Renzo joined the team to learn by looking. In 1972 he managed to open his own company in a small fund on the suborbs of Florence and there he began to make his handworks and successfully sold them to the shops in the city center. Renzo is an enterprising and obstinate man and with the sign "Le Pietre nell'Arte" in 1977 he moved his workshop to a larger space in the same area. The room adjacent to this new space became a mosaic and gift shop managed by his wife Gabriella. Renzo is a master in giving shape to stone that becomes a play of light and shadow thanks to his experience in technique and refinement that combined with a passion for art make him a complete artist.

1979

At the age of six-teen years old Stefano joined Scarpelli company as an apprentice in 1979 and the company grew as the market grew and the demand for the works created in the Scarpelli laboratory grew. Over the years, Stefano also acquired more and more experience and manual skills and contributed to the development and production of the artifacts. Stefano is still a precious craftsman and deals with the entire production of mosaics with a classic subject to be allocated to the Scarpelli’s gallery.

1992

In 1992 Leonardo, Renzo's second son, who since childhood has shown strong artistic inclinations, graduated from the Art Institute of Florence and officially joyned the family business where today his more contemporary sensitivity leads him to prefer subjects of a modern matrix. His preference for contemporary art is expression of the studies of the great masters of art of all time and of his mastery in creating a dialogue with materials. But Renzo has a dream cherished since he was a boy: to have his own shop, in the center of Florence, capable of involving all the members of the family.

1999

One day in 1999, Catia, the eldest daughter, found a place in Piazza del Duomo, a perfect position from a commercial point of view, which soon became the first direct shop managed by her in the center of the Tuscan capital. The dream began to take a concrete shape and the family was gathered together to bring the brand Scarpelli Mosaici all over the world.

2001

After a couple of years the company hired a new employee, Pier Paolo, who over the years refined the technique and the pace of production that is truly unique in the mosaic scene. Today he is one of the pillars of the laboratory in via Ricasoli

2007

The shop assistant Mayumi joined the staff of the shop and immediately became the reference image for customers and visitors to the atelier.

2008-2014

The inauguration took place in October 2008. The shop soon became a place of attraction for enthusiasts, lovers of beauty, international buyers, tourists from all over the world. In 2014 Filippo also entered to complete the staff of the laboratory and to contribute, with his extensive experience, to a work that, like a mosaic, was completed thanks to the union of every single member of the team. Gabriella, wife of Renzo, continued to deal with suppliers and the creation of jewelry.

Today

Renzo and Leonardo receive certificates, prizes and awards, they compete with international projects while their faces appear more and more often in television broadcasts and in magazines dealing with art, design and travel. Catia manages the commercial sector, communication and the image of the company which is now structured and organized organized in all his parts. Costanza is an important support , she has shown aptitude towards a sector unknown to her and demonstrated her interpersonal skills.

The doors of Renzo's dream have opened wide to let in all those who want to discover the secrets of the art of the Florentine mosaic, a common heritage to be preserved over the centuries as a great treasure.

Stones Research