By Ana Sparages
The Pennsylvania State University – ISI Florence Fall 2022
In search of a true Florentine artisan, I wandered the streets of the San Niccolò area during a weekday morning. As I wasn’t feeling a pull towards any particular artisan (and as I was getting worried), I stumbled upon Marco Baroni and his jewelry-making. In speaking with him, I truly uncovered a hidden gem that turns out isn’t too hidden from the celebrity scene. Marco Baroni as a young child had a summer job in a jewelry shop. He loved it so much that he decided to leave high school before his final year in order to pursue his passion in this art. Having now been working on his own brand, Marco Baroni Firenze, for 20 years and the shop open for 15, he’s learned the ins and outs of the business and has now been passing on knowledge to his apprentice Mari (who just started a month ago). In speaking with both of them, I learned that there is not a “generational exchange” in Florence of this type of artisanal work in the same field as Baroni. In fact, there has been a large decrease. Hence why Mari is vital to the passing of the torch in this artwork!
Using a combination of metal, iron, and gold, then adorning with gems such as sapphire and diamonds, Baroni’s pieces are unfortunately a gift that a study abroad student cannot afford, with some pieces between $700 to $12,000. He sources all his material from suppliers all over the world who compile in Florence–of course with some having set prices like gold. What makes his jewelry unique is the complex and meticulous work involved. Starting from just an idea, Baroni (and Mari) form a drawing of their vision. Once acquiring materials, a lot of intricate tools are used extensively to file (sometimes filing for over 3 full days) away the material (like gold), for example for the bed of the stone. Precision drills are utilized, metal can be fired, and overall, a lot of effort goes into each finished art.
His work most certainly doesn’t go unnoticed though. When I asked about customers such as tourists, he said a lot of his business is impacted by socio-political happenings. However, his pieces have been featured on celebrities! He doesn’t wish to partner with any luxury clothing brands, but he has been featured in Vogue on household names such as Marc Anthony. Flipping through a Vogue online issue, Baroni proudly zoomed in on his name listed in the column defining what Marc Anthony was wearing and was beaming.
As I finished my incredible interview, Baroni had a calm mindset. The road is already paved for him and he’s excited about any opportunity. As for Mari, who translated a majority of the interview, I’m personally excited for her growth in jewelry-making and how her skills transfer into the Marco Baroni brand.
I chose Marco Baroni because I had never seen jewelry quite like it. I walked into his shop and had a feeling of deep curiosity with the way the gold was intertwined into steel, and then seeing bright stones layered on top. The fact that each individual piece is hand-constructed detail by detail absolutely blew me away and I wanted to know more. When I asked about coming back for an interview, they immediately obliged and were happy to speak with me. This, of course, made me even happier to do the interview with two friendly faces.
During the interview, Mari and Baroni cleared an area for us to sit and chat, which is incredibly kind thinking about all the work they have ahead of them with plugging away on pieces! They were so calm and thoughtful in their answers and didn’t sugar-coat anything, even when explaining why pricing seems high to a student like me.
This genuinely impacts my study abroad experience because it has given me perspective. There are so many types of artwork in the world, and this is a unique one. I love jewelry like rings and necklaces, so seeing his twist on something that can be typical is fantastic. I felt bad that I couldn’t afford to buy something at the end of the interview!
Studying abroad in Florence is a chance to see a different part of the world and become enriched with culture. Artisans across the city don’t just dabble in different areas, they specialize in something that sets them apart from one another. Marco Baroni is a wonderful example of this. He has a personal touch (literally and figuratively) on each and every piece of art he produces. It was a humbling experience to watch him following the interview as he got out his precision drill and worked so daintily on a ring. It was absolutely fascinating to me and excites me to think I met someone so well respected in the art community.