As early as 1300, the city of Florence was renowned for its leather production, both for the quality of its tanning and the quality of its finished products. Over the centuries, Florence has been home to artists and artisans. Craftsmanship in the Tuscan capital has always had a significant impact on the city's economic and political life. Among the various guilds of artisans that emerged in Florence during the late Middle Ages were the Arte de' Cuoiai e Galigai, dedicated to tanning and leather production.
The Guilds in Florence: A History of Politics, Creation, and Production
In the mid-1100s, artisan guilds began to form in Florence, destined in subsequent centuries to be protagonists in the city's political, cultural, and artistic evolution. These guilds were called Arti (Arts). It is important here to clarify an important concept regarding the word "Arte." Arte derives from the Latin word Ars, which meant "physical or mental ability to build something." It therefore refers to the ability to build, create, shape: it is, in its purest sense, craftsmanship.
There were twenty-one Arti in Florence, seven Major Arts and fourteen Minor Arts. Each had its own statute, headquarters, emblem, and patron saint. The Major Arts, including the Arte di Calimala, the Arte dei Medici e degli Speziali (of which Dante Alighieri was also a member), and the Arte della Seta, came to control the city politically by 1300. Craftsmanship, or creating with one's hands, was instead a peculiarity of the Minor Arts. Among the fourteen Minor Arts, those with the most relevance were the Arte de' Beccai and the Arte de' Cuoiai e Galigai, which were closely linked.
The Arte de' Galigai: The Origins of Leather Production in Florence
The Arte de' Beccai was dedicated to slaughterhouses. Initially, it was located on Ponte Vecchio, where it remained for over two centuries. The hides obtained from the Arte de' Beccai were taken and processed by the Arte de' Galigai. The first records of the Arte de' Galigai date back to 1282. It included leather workers (cuoiai), tanners called Pelacani, leather sellers called Pezzai, and leather gilders called Orpellai.
Each Arte had its Patron Saint, and that of the Arte de' Galigai was Saint Augustine, to whom they made their customary offering in the Church of Orsanmichele every year on August 28th. The tanning activity was carried out upstream and downstream of Ponte Vecchio, where the hides were soaked in the Arno. The art of tanning was passed down from generation to generation. The famous saying "impara l'arte e mettila da parte" (learn the trade and put it aside) refers precisely to the importance of learning a craft skill and then putting it to good use. In Florence, one went to a workshop (bottega) to learn, and in the workshop, the master craftsman taught his young apprentices the trade of working with leather.
Leather Production in the Medici Era
In the 1560s, when Florence was under the rule of the Medici family, Grand Duke Cosimo I de' Medici decided to entrust his trusted architect, Giorgio Vasari, with the creation of the famous Vasari Corridor. This nearly kilometer-long corridor connected Palazzo Vecchio with Palazzo Pitti, passing over the Ponte Vecchio. Thus, the Medici family would cross the city by passing over the Arte de' Galigai and the Arte de' Beccai, from which a decidedly pungent odor emanated.
A few years later, the Medici decided to move both Arti. The Arte de' Beccai was relocated to Piazza del Mercato Vecchio (today Piazza della Repubblica). The Arte de' Galigai, and everything related to leather production, was moved near Piazza Santa Croce, occupying two streets that over the centuries had different names — dei Galigai, dei Pelacani, dei Bucciai, de' Macci — and where today we still find Via delle Conce and dei Conciatori.
The tanning of hides and their manufactured products flourished in the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, gaining a prominent role. In the 16th century, the fourteen Minor Arts were incorporated into four universities. The Arte de' Galigai, the Arte de' Calzolai, and the Arte de' Correggiai were united in the Università dei Mastri del Cuoiame. Shortly thereafter, the Major Art of the Vaiai e Pellicciai was also annexed, and the university was named Università de' Vaiai e de' Cuoiai.
Leather Production in Florence: From the Grand Duchy to Today
Leather production in Florence boasts an almost thousand-year tradition and is renowned worldwide today. This tradition is now carried on by the leather district, particularly Ponte a Egola, Castelfranco di Sotto, Santa Croce sull' Arno, and Fucecchio, becoming a major global reference for leather and hide production. A district that continues to uphold the tradition of ancient Tuscan tanning, with attention to people, eco-sustainability, and the environment.
Tanning, born in ancient times, has come down to us thanks to the artisanal knowledge passed down from father to son. Leather, vegetable-tanned leather, and its manufactured products have become true ambassadors of Made in Italy worldwide, not only for their beauty and value but because they convey the values of our people and our territory.
Old Angler, Between Modernity and History
We at Old Angler proudly carry on the Florentine and Tuscan tradition. We passionately create leather bags and leather accessories, combining local tradition with modern design.