Gioielli d'Autore, Padova e la Scuola dell'oro
Contemporary Jewellery, Padua and its Jewellery School
Exhibition Dates: 17 June - 14 August 2011.
Highlighting the importance of the city of Padua as a centre at the forefront of contemporary
jewellery, this exhibition explores the creative development of artists whose innovative jewellery
designs and education philosophy led to the creation of the renowned Padua Jewellery School,
from its origins in the 1950s until today.
Curated by the City of Padua, Gioielli d'Autore. Padova e la Scuola dell'oro features more than 150
works by 16 of the Padua jewellery school’s internationally acclaimed Italian jewellers. These
stunning works reveal how the artists made their innovative choices based on research of
materials, aiming at reaching harmonious balance and purity of form.
The story begins in the 1950s, on the workbenches of the gold-working section of the Istituto d’Arte
“Pietro Selvatico”, in Italy’s Veneto region. There Mario Pinton taught and inspired his students in
the creative process that turns ideas into objects. It was a Renaissance workshop where open
conversations were at the basis of artistic research.
The exhibition follows the artistic paths of venerated jewellers Mario Pinton and Francesco Pavan,
and their students, who have in turn become important names in the artistic world: Giorgio
Cecchetto, Lucia Davanzo, Maria Rosa Franzin, Stefano Marchetti, Paolo Marcolongo, Paolo
Maurizio, Barbara Paganin, Renzo Pasquale, Piergiuliano Reveane, Marco Rigovacca, Graziano
Visintin, Alberta Vita, Annamaria Zanella and Alberto Zorzi.
CAPTIONS:
LUCIA DAVANZO, Behaviour, 2003, Necklace, Gold, silver, 156h x 1cm, property of the artist,
Padova
MARIO PINTON, Spilla, 1987, Brooch, Gold, ruby, 13.4 x 14.3, private collection.
BARBARA PAGANIN, Crisomela, 1990, Brooch, gold, silver, jade 3 x 7.5 x 2cm, Property of the
Artist, Oriago di Mira
GRAZIANO VISINTIN, Spilla, 2004, Brooch, Gold, gold leaf, green and red enamel, 5.5x5.4cm,
property of the artist, Padova
PAOLO MARCOLONGO, Parallelismi, 1984, Bracelet, Silver, 7 x 4.5cm, private collection,
Padova
PIERGIULIANO REVEANE, Covoni, 2006, Brooch, Gold, niello, rough diamonds, 1 x 6.6 x 3.3cm,
property of the artist, Venice
PAOLO MAURIZIO,Moebius variante oro,1989, Bracelet, Tempered gold, 8.5cm, property of
the artist, Vicenza
RENZO PASQUALE, Empty, 2007, Brooch, white gold, rock crystal, stoneware, acrylic enamel,
7.2 x 7.2 x 1.5cm, Property of the Artist, Padua.