Italian goldsmith Akelo showcases treasures in London
LONDON, November 6, 2011 – Works by celebrated Italian goldsmith Andrea Cagnetti, known professionally as Akelo after the ancient Greek river god, are on show at an exhibition at vintage jeweller Bentley & Skinner from 2nd-20th November 2011.
Inspired by the rich heritage of his homeland in the ancient Viterbo village of Corchiano near Rome, and in particular the beautiful gold jewellery of the Etruscans, Akelo immersed himself from a young age in the mysteries and alchemy of granulation and other antique goldsmithing techniques.
“I am surrounded by an archaeological landscape,” Cagnetti said of his homeland, speaking to Jewellery Outlook at the packed launch party attended by London’s glitterati at Bentley & Skinner’s store on 55, Piccadilly.
The long buried secrets of granulating gold believed to have been perfected by the Etruscans in the 6th Century BC witnessed a brief revival in the Victorian era epitomised by the work of Castellani. Whilst his work in this field was preeminent at the time, he himself admitted that the magic formula of the traditional methods eluded him.
In Akelo’s stunning creations, the mysteries concealed by this beautiful craft are finally revealed and the unique fineness with which he realises this ancient technique can be seen for the first time in thousands of years.
He has passionately and uniquely captured the spirit and enigma of the past and transcended them into modern day masterpieces.
Akelo’s pieces are highly sought after and can be found in several museums including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
