Paolo Penko, Maestro Goldsmith, designer and sculptor, obtained

Paolo Penko, Maestro Goldsmith, designer and sculptor, obtained his diploma with top
marks from the Art Institute of Florence, the city of his birth, which has instilled in him a deep
fascination for renaissance art, turning him into a profound art connoisseur and inspiring many of
his works.
Fascinated as he was by the renaissance style, he put his historical and technical know-how
to the test, together with his imagination and manual skills, to forge jewellery inspired by this
glorious period of Italian art and the works of such famous artists as Botticelli, Andrea della
Robbia, Ghiberti, Pontormo, Donatello, and Ghirlandaio.
In his “workshop” in the heart of the city, just a stone’s throw from the Duomo, assisted by
his wife Beatrice, expert gemmologist, he creates unique, fully hand-made jewels crafted according
to the ancient techniques of the Florentine goldsmith’s tradition.
The art of Florence is the primary source of inspiration for Paolo Penko’s jewels and
silverworks, which are reminiscent of the jewellery portrayed in art, while their fine craftsmanship
reminds of the volutes, spirals, friezes, tiny geometries and marquetry designed by the great masters
of Florentine architecture.
Penko the artist is capable of carrying out all the processes of the sophisticated and rigorous
techniques of the great tradition of the Florentine goldsmith’s art, including the open-work,
“cesoro” (of Etruscan origin), engravings with the scorper, “niello” and damascened works,
majestically applied not only to the production of jewels but also to the silver cire perdue casting in
the reproduction of medals and works of art, and the creation of new shapes and expressions. A
painstaking eye to the intricate details and the perfect balance of the proportions are constant
features of all Paolo Penko’s works.
This can be seen in the sacred jewellery, such as the silver and antique turquoise missal
cover created for Santa Maria del Fiore, and the pectoral crosses, like the one moulded for the
cardinal of Florence, or in the reliquaries such as the one for the friar’s cord of Saint Pious of the
Florentine Church of San Remigio.
He has received numerous prizes and recognitions, also on an international level, thanks to
having managed to “keep alive the interest in craftsmen’s workshops where the final product is a
bearer of culture”.
In 2007, in the Salone dei Cinquecento, in Palazzo Vecchio, he was awarded the prestigious
“Bel San Giovanni”, attributed to “personages who thanks to their activities, have gained fame and
unanimous acclaim for their contribution to the spiritual and material elevation of the community
where they work.”
As a result of these special characteristics, Maestro Paolo Penko is often invited to represent
the Italian Goldsmiths’ trade abroad, and in fact, America and Japan are heading the business
project for internationalising the “Penko” brand.
Some of his most significant works have entered to form part of the collection in the
Bargello Museum and the Silver Museum in Palazzo Pitti in Florence.
He also crafts prestigious prizes and awards in gold, silver and bronze for important
cultural events in Florence of an international nature, such as the Croce di San Giovanni (Cross of
St. John) for the Society of St. John the Baptist in Florence, which is presented at the ceremony of
tributes on the patron saint’s day of this city, the Sigillo della Pace (Seal of Peace) for the City
Council of Florence, the Medal celebrating the fortieth anniversary of the flood of the river Arno,
the Galileo 2000 prizes, the Gocciola d’Oro (Golden Drop) prize, the Apotheoses of Florence, gifts
to the heads of governments and states visiting the city, and recently the Giglio d’Oro (Golden Lily)
for Ingrid Betancourt, plus many more.
His talents as a designer and illustrator are also highly appreciated and after the success of
his designs in the book by Michele Brancale “Soave e Invecchiato”, he has also been asked to work
on other publishing projects.
Penko is therefore a craftsman of his times who has managed to create a symbiosis
between the renaissance and mannerist styles and the demands of the present day and modern
design. He also focuses on research and innovation, and high touch added to high tech is his
winning formula for guaranteeing a market niche for his own artistic creations. A prime example is
the patent of Videojewel, where the goldsmith’s art and videoart have given life to a new synergy, a
jewel that makes Penko Bottega Orafa a forerunner in the creation of innovative technological
jewels on the world scene.
PENKO BOTTEGA ORAFA
Via F. Zannetti, 14/16r - 50123 Firenze – ITALY
Tel./Fax +39 055 211661
www.paolopenko.com
[email protected]