traditional mosaic i purchased in florence, italy at pitti mosaici

Mosiac of the Duomo from afar.

(Florence, Italy).  One of the most memorable things that I purchased in Italy was a mosaic painting of the Duomo at Pitti Mosaici (Piazza Pitti 23-24r).  On my previous trips to Italy, I often admired the beautiful mosaics in shop windows but it wasn't until this recent trip - when I saw firsthand the amount of labor, skill and care that went into creating each piece - that I truly appreciated the amazing craftsmanship of traditional mosaics.


Each piece is created with many many pieces of semiprecious stones - carefully chosen for their colors and textures, then carefully cut and arranged to create a fanciful design by hand, and then polished and polished until the stones form a seamless and breathtaking piece of art.  The more intricate (and expensive pieces) can have hundreds of stones for one piece of artwork!

We were fortunate enough to get a private tour of the workshop of Pitti Mosaici which is located a short walk away from the retail shop.  Ilio de Filippis (whose family has owned the store for generations) was not there but one of his lead apprentices was there.  He was a sweet, quiet man who we learned had been honing his craft for 30+ years (since he started his apprenticeship at the young age of fifteen)!  He was working on a delicate little rose that was to be inlaid in a mosaic table.  He explained that creating the one rose could take literally half a day.  We were also able to see several works in progress all over the workshop.
 

See the little rose coming into being?

We really appreciated being able to witness the amazing skill that went into creating the work that was on display in the store.  It was also a bit of a ploy by the clever salesperson to get us to 'invest' in a better (and more expensive) piece of art.  
 

This will be an intricate frog made of hundreds of inlaid semiprecious stones.

But I don't regret it at all.  I feel a bit of enjoyment every time I look at the mosaic painting in my dining room.  Not only can I appreciate the exquisite craftsmanship and colors daily, but it also reminds me of my lovely trip in Italy everytime I catch a glimpse of my mosaic Duomo.  It also feels like purchasing a little bit of history.  After all, not many young people want to endure the years of apprenticeship and hardship to master this skill, so who knows how long this dying art will endure?

I noticed a few shops throughout Florence that sold mosaic paintings ranging in price and quality.  For a simple souvenir you can probably get an affordable small piece (about $30-50) but if you are going to invest in a quality piece, you should take your time to pick one that you really love.