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Susanna Pozzoli © Michelangelo Foundation
Susanna Pozzoli © Michelangelo Foundation
Susanna Pozzoli © Michelangelo Foundation
Susanna Pozzoli © Michelangelo Foundation
© All rights reserved

Bruno Barbon

Bruno Barbon Cabinetmaker
Contact
Italian, English
Hours:
Monday to Friday 08:30 - 12:30 / 14:00 - 16:00 and Saturday 09:00 - 12:00
Phone:
+39 0415222312
© All rights reserved

Venice's very own Geppetto

  • • Bruno's only remaining employee is a metalworker older than himself
  • • In 2018 he was awarded the Maestro d'Arte e Mestiere (MAM) prize
  • • He contributed to rebuilding the Fenice theatre after a fire destroyed it

The small workshop among the calli (alleys) of Venice, right behind one of the unmissable masterpieces of the lagoon, the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, could well be the dwelling of Carlo Collodi’s woodcarver Geppetto, the creator of Pinocchio. Here, Bruno Barbon has laboured for 57 years, in rooms permeated with light and the scent of wood. His own Pinocchios are the countless 'moretti' (Venetian moors) he has crafted during his six-decade career: they are one of his many accomplishments, as is the restoration of innumerable pieces of Venetian furniture. “The other day, I was asked to restore some 18th-century armchairs,” says the maestro, who was born in 1939. He cannot even begin to imagine the day when he will start his well-deserved retirement.

Read the full interview

Works

  • © Bruno Barbon
  • © Bruno Barbon
  • © Bruno Barbon
  • © Bruno Barbon
  • © Bruno Barbon
Photo: © Bruno Barbon
Appliqué

This decorative lamp appliqué was hand-carved from Swiss pine and gilded with 24k gold leaf. Classical in design, it is available in a variety of finishes, including natural wood, wax, French polish and lacquer.

Height 48 cm
Length 40 cm
Width 12 cm

Photo: © Bruno Barbon
Bureau

This contemporary reproduction of an 18th-century nightstand, in French-polished walnut, is one of several replicas created by Bruno. His reproductions range from tables and chairs to mirrors, but he also works on original creations.

Height 72 cm
Length 60 cm
Width 34 cm

Photo: © Bruno Barbon
Moretto con Mensola (Moor with Shelf)

This traditional Venetian moretto in Swiss pine has been lacquered and gilded with 24k gold leaf. The shelf is available in several finishes, including natural wood, wax and French polish.

Height 45 cm
Length 45 cm
Width 23 cm

Photo: © Bruno Barbon
Moretto con Cornucopia (Moor with Horn of Plenty)

This traditional Venetian moretto statuette holds up a horn of plenty, the symbol of an abundant harvest. The sculpture in Swiss pine, lacquered and gilded with 24k gold leaf, is available in different finishes.

Height 98 cm

Photo: © Bruno Barbon
Moretto Gondoliere (Moorish Gondolier)

This traditional Venetian moretto statuette stands on a gondola, holding an oar in one hand and lamp in the other. Lacquered and gilded with 24k gold leaf, the statuette is also available in other finishes.

Height 70 cm

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