In Florence, a city full of masterpieces, someone has to craft the frames worthy of holding them. Since 1969, the Pelacani family has taken this responsibility upon themselves.

Owner of Casa della Cornice frame shop, Marco Pelacani, and gilding specialist, Antonino Valenti, spoke about their craft at the American University of Florence’s (AUF) Palazzi Community Center (PCC) on Monday, March 23.

A continuation of the PCC’s “Made in Florence” series, the presentation allowed both students and Florence locals to learn the process of frame gilding and even try it themselves, giving the community an exclusive look at the techniques, tools and secrets of the art of framing.

Gathered around a wooden frame, the crowd watched as Valenti applied bits of 24 karat gold leaf with a paintbrush and Pelacani explained the history of the craft.

“The technique was been developed and implemented more than a thousand years ago here in Florence, and even today we use the same materials and the same techniques,” Pelacani said. “Antonino is one of the bearers of this tradition within this new millennium, so thanks to people like him, this tradition is passed on.”*

Once Valenti showed the audience how to properly cut and adhere the gold leaf, several attendees tried the technique, helping complete a frame that will be sold in the Casa della Cornice shop.

Pelacani inherited the shop from his grandfather, who started it after the 1966 flood of the Arno, Florence’s worst flood in history. 

“This extraordinary event made him understand that his destiny was no longer to be a restaurant owner. He decided to change his job, to reinvent himself,” Pelacani said. “Since that day he decided to make the frames, because Florence has always been a city famous for its crafts.”*

Pelacani and his father now work to keep the family business alive with the help of expert craftsmen like Valenti.

Their hand-carved frames are created using all-natural materials and are displayed in some of Italy’s most important artistic institutions and sacred spaces.

In Florence, Casa della Cornice frames can be found in the Galleria degli Uffizi, the Museo degli Innocenti, the Museo Marino Marini and more. They also appear in many churches in Florence, reflecting the origins of gilded decoration in religious spaces, Pelacani noted. 

Beyond Florence, their frames have been used in a modern art gallery in Milan for a painting by Lucio Fontana and in a major exhibition for the famous Colombian artist Fernando Botero in Rome, seen by over 400,000 visitors.

Botero preferred to use real-gold leaf frames, like the one displayed in the presentation at the PCC. Pelacani said these frames sell for around 800 euros and have held paintings worth millions.

This same type of frame is on display in AUF’s Fedora Pastry Shop and Bistro. According to PCC director Valentina Monaco, AUF frequently purchases frames from Pelacani for art displays such as Tiny Florence, hence how she knew of the artisans and invited them to speak at a “Made in Florence” event. 

“He decided to talk about this specific technique because it’s very unique, and especially it's a Florentine technique,” Monaco said. “They are so well connected with the world of art, and so there are so many connections with the university and what they do. That's really cool.”

While he is familiar with the crafting process, Pelacani said his favorite part of running the framing business is selling them. He said he loves helping artists find the perfect frame for them, adding the “final touch” to Italian masterpieces. 

“So when you come in my shop with a painting already finished and you can hang it on the wall, my bet is to find a way to reach your work,” Pelacani said. “And so it's a collaboration to do something beautiful, and this is the most beautiful part of my job — to finish a job.”

*quotes with an asterisk denotation throughout this article were provided via live translation on site and may not represent the complete original thought of the interviewee.