In Umbria woodworking has two parallel origins since
people began to work wood both as a way of producing essential objects
for everyday use and in order to create splendid wooden decorations,
such as those in the Renaissance and baroque palazzos and churches.
Nowadays, following the decline in both of these necessities, Umbrian
woodcraft, despite not having developed at industrial level, is turning
to tradition once more, in particular in terms of restoration techniques
and in the reproduction of period furniture, such as tables, chairs,
kitchen cupboards and dressing tables, which are often finely inlaid and
gilded, and this has led to the establishment of workshops and
specialist stores throughout the region, concentrated mainly in Citta' di
Castello, Todi, Gubbio, Assisi and Perugia.
Artistic woodworking has a long and rich tradition. From the 15th to the
mid 17th century specialized craftsmen, whose names have often remained
unknown and many of whom came from other regions, were responsible for
the creation of wood works of rare perfection.
There are countless examples of this artistic fervor, many of which can
still be seen today: the 16th-century choir in the Church of San Pietro
in Perugia, the choir in Todi Cathedral, the seats and pulpit in the
Exchange Guild (15th century), also in Perugia, the 15th-century small
study of the Duke of Montefeltro, once in Gubbio, now at the
Metropolitan Museum in New York, just to mention a few.
Important
proofs of this woodworks also remain in the furnishings sector, including the wedding
chests decorated with marquetry, whose highly distinctive motifs
persisted for many years in the region’s wood art. Important examples of
these chests include the decorated specimen housed in the Picture
Gallery in the Civic Museum in Gubbio and the late 16th-century one
housed in the communal Picture Gallery in Citta' di Castello.
The dresser is another of the wood pieces of furniture produced in the
region in which it is possible to detect the skill and elegance of the
artisans who built them. The same is true of the tables, rich in
decorations, which were sometimes of considerable size, as can be seen
in the case of the one housed in the Picture Gallery in Gubbio.
Umbrian wood art is the result of influences from the
neighboring regions, in particular Marche and Tuscany. This makes
attribution difficult when a piece of furniture is found outside its
region of origin or away from the site for which it was originally made.
Artistic woodcraft, like other activities, experienced a phase of
decline. Woodworking by carpenters, on the other hand, remained steady
and these artisans were widespread throughout the region and were in
great demand whenever household furniture or work tools were required.
In the mid 19th century, spurred on by the revival of historical styles
and the love for the so-called minor arts, the crafts of marquetry and
carving flourished once more. They were also applied to wood furniture, a
field in which Federico Lancetti excelled.
At
the same time artisan carpenters, incited by a
huge market demand, used their skill to create
period furniture. Citta' di Castello became, and
still is, the most important town for this type
of wood production.
Recommended itineraries:
a) San Giustino, Citta' di Castello, Montone,
Umbertine, Gubbio, Nocera Umbra, Valtopina
b) Assisi, Spello, Bettona,
Montefalco, Trevi – Collecchio
c) Tuoro sul Trasimeno,
Castiglione del Lago, Panicale, Ficulle, Castel
Viscardo, Orvieto, Todi, Avigliano Umbro,
Sangemini
Courtesy of Umbria 2000
