Photo by Rod Locke -Sirplus-
Developing a fascination with materials like plaster, gilding, and the technical intricacies of restoration is not a common path, it’s a niche passion that quietly calls to a select few. For me, it began as a subtle curiosity and grew into a job.
There’s something deeply poetic about working with materials that have been used for centuries. These elements carry stories, and understanding them means stepping into the shoes of artisans long gone. The connection between history and art is what makes the craft of globe-making so compelling. Each globe is more than an object– it’s a miniature world, a time capsule, a piece of cultural memory.
As a globe maker based in London, I design and handcraft bespoke globes for collectors across the UK and internationally. Working from my studio, each commission is a unique fusion of Venetian tradition and modern artistry, reflecting both historical techniques and contemporary design aesthetics.
Every globe is meticulously constructed using time-honoured methods, then brought to life with custom details tailored to the client’s vision, whether it's a terrestrial globe or a celestial one with a modern twist. My work celebrates the enduring beauty of cartography while offering a timeless object of curiosity, exploration, and personal meaning.
Rediscovering and restoring forgotten techniques in a modern context is a challenge, but one that feels very invigorating. In a world obsessed with speed and novelty, choosing to slow down and revive something old is almost rebellious.
It’s not just about craftsmanship, it’s about storytelling and breathing life into objects that have been overlooked or discarded.
From Venice to London
My journey took me from the romantic canals of Venice to the bustling streets of London, driven by a singular vision: to make bespoke globes shine again. Not just as decorative pieces, but as symbols of exploration, imagination, and timeless beauty.
The love for restoration didn’t come from textbooks or formal training, it was born in antique fairs and flea markets. Fairs became both my classroom and sanctuary. They taught me to see value where others saw dust, to appreciate the imperfect, and to chase the thrill of discovery.
Today, that childhood curiosity fuels my work. Restoration is an emotional process that requires patience, intuition, and a deep respect for the past. Every globe is a dialogue between eras, a collaboration between me and the old makers.
Unique Globes Need Unique Venues
London has long been a hub for mapmakers and collectors, from the British Library to today’s artisan studios, making it a magnet for individuals with a taste for heritage and craftsmanship. From the grand halls of the British Museum, which houses some of the world’s most iconic historical maps and globes, to the Royal Geographical Society, a cornerstone of exploration and geographic scholarship, the city offers a rich heritage of institutions that celebrate the art and science of mapping.
Equally intriguing is the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, part of the Royal Museums Greenwich, which holds one of the most extensive cartographic collections in Europe, dating back to the 13th century. These institutions not only preserve the legacy of figures like Vincenzo Coronelli, but also support contemporary artisans who are reviving traditional techniques in modern studios across the city.
The Right Place At The Right Time
There’s a reason I chose London. It’s a city that speaks to collectors and connoisseurs alike; a place where history, artistry, and prestige aren’t just admired, but lived. It’s more than a location– it’s a statement. Here, every hand-drawn line and gilded sphere carries the weight of tradition and the spark of innovation.
London offers a rare environment for a globe-making business, one that truly understands and celebrates craftsmanship. It’s a city where tradition and innovation coexist, and where artisanal work is not only appreciated, but sought after.
My studio has become a sanctuary of slow art in the midst of a fast-paced metropolis. Crafting a single globe can take months– sometimes even years, especially when the project is ambitious. The process demands precision, patience, and a deep familiarity with materials and techniques. Yet, beyond the artistry lies the reality of running a business: managing client relationships, navigating bureaucracy, and staying on top of accounting. These responsibilities, while necessary, can be exhausting.
Still, this city makes it all worthwhile. The encounters with curious people are among the most rewarding aspects of the work. Their genuine wonder, thoughtful questions, and fascination with the process remind me why I chose this path in the first place.
It’s this dynamic between the quiet intensity of creation and the lively energy of public engagement that makes London such an ideal home for globe-making. It constantly challenges me to balance the technical with the human, and in return, it offers a community that truly values the depth, detail, and devotion behind each piece.
At the same time, I never forgot my origins. There's a subtle but powerful connection between London and my homeland, especially Venice. Although my studio is based in one of the world’s most dynamic cities, the soul of my work is deeply rooted in Italian tradition.
That connection runs deeper than aesthetics: it’s woven into centuries of Italian ingenuity, symbolism, and devotion to art.
Venice, with its legacy of map making, maritime exploration, and creative experimentation, has long been a beacon for those who see the world not just as geography, but as narrative.
The city’s labyrinthine streets, its interplay of water and stone, and its role in shaping Renaissance thought all inform the way I approach globe-making today.
Italy’s history of cartography, from Fra Mauro’s celestial visions to the richly illustrated atlases of the Medici court, offers more than technicalities. A belief that maps are not merely tools, but expressions of worldview, imagination, and identity.
In my studio, I carry that lineage forward, blending the precision of London’s design culture with the poetic depth of Italian heritage. Each globe becomes a quiet dialogue between past and present, place and possibility.
Curiosity Fuels Creativity
What might surprise you is that my journey into custom globes didn’t begin with maps, but with music. One of my most personal and expressive projects was a series of 33 violins, each one crafted to represent a canto from Dante’s Inferno. Every instrument carried layers of symbolism, literary depth, and intricate craftsmanship, serving as a reflection of my own inner landscape.
That project taught me how to translate narrative into physical form. But when it came time to interpret Purgatory and Heaven, I needed a new medium, something that could hold the vastness and complexity of Dante’s cosmology. That’s when the idea of a globe took shape: a three-dimensional canvas that could merge storytelling, geography, and art into a single, unified object. It wasn’t just about mapping, it was about creating a world.
That shift marked a turning point in my creative journey. The globe offered a new language, one that could express Dante’s layered universe through form, texture, and spatial storytelling. It allowed me to explore themes of transformation, elevation, and harmony in ways that music and sculpture alone could not.
Since then, globes have become my way of navigating ideas, translating stories into objects that invite reflection and dialogue. But, back then learning the craft of globe-making was far from easy. Reading Vincenzo Coronelli’s “Epitome Cosmografica” was just the beginning.
He documented his techniques in incredible detail back in 1693. I was fortunate enough to find his writings and translate them from Venetian dialect into Italian. I studied everything: how to mix pigments, print maps from copper plates, develop glues, and varnish the final product. I recreated each step with care and reverence. It felt like a conversation across centuries.
I come from Asiago and trained as an art restorer in Venice, where I also learned the traditional art of printmaking. I still remember the first time I printed from metal plates, a moment that shaped my entire approach.
It became my way of telling stories, capturing Italy’s cultural legacy and weaving it into broader narratives of history and philosophy.
Projects like “The Seven Deadly Sins”, “Quattro Stagioni”, “The Olive Branch”, and “The Celestial Globe” all grew from that impulse. But it was the globe that brought everything together. It became my signature medium.
Now, in my London studio, I continue that tradition. Each globe is a slow, deliberate act of creation– a painted sphere that carries the weight of history and the spark of imagination. And through it all, Venice remains my compass.
Bridging Time Through Craft
My work is rooted in reviving materials and techniques that were nearly lost to history. Honouring traditional craftsmanship means being a bridge between the past and the future while living and exploring the present. These skills are part of a vast, interconnected web of knowledge that continues to shape how we understand and create.
Although my artistic process is slow and meticulous, I fully embrace modern tools to connect with a growing international audience. Each piece I create takes time, hours spent refining details, experimenting with materials, and allowing ideas to evolve organically.
But while the work itself is rooted in patience and precision, the way I share it is dynamic and immediate. Digital platforms allow me to reach people across continents, spark conversations, and invite others into the world I’m building, one dedicated to the past, while engaging with the present.
I don’t see tradition and modernity as opposites, they can strengthen each other.
Tradition offers depth and meaning; modernity brings flexibility and innovation. When used together, they create a richer language for expression. Innovation doesn’t erase heritage, it amplifies it. It gives ancient ideas new life, allowing them to resonate with contemporary audiences in unexpected ways.
My work often draws from classical sources: literature, mythology and historical craftsmanship, but I reinterpret them through a modern lens.
Whether I’m crafting a globe inspired by Dante’s cosmology or designing a violin that echoes a poetic theme, I’m constantly navigating between old and new. It’s a mix of nostalgia, novelty, and attention to detail rooted in passion.
Technology also allows me to document my process, share insights, and collaborate with others who bring different perspectives. It’s a way of expanding the dialogue around art, making it more inclusive and accessible. In the end, I want my work to feel timeless– not because it ignores change, but because it embraces it with intention.
My journey evolves day by day, shaped by the inspiration I draw from those who follow my work. I put effort into making even the smallest details stand out, knowing that custom globes require patience, precision, and passion. The tactile experience, and the scent of aged paper, grounds me from the very beginning of each day. It’s about crafting meaning.
Artistry in Motion
Globe making combines technical precision with narrative depth. Each custom globe carries layers of history, geography, and human curiosity, offering more than spatial representation, and becoming a vessel of meaning.
The process requires discipline through careful measurement, painting, assembly, and refinement. Intuition plays an equal role, guiding decisions when a detail resonates, when a surface communicates, and when a map transcends its coordinates.
Materials such as aged paper, natural pigments, and brass fittings contribute their own stories. Their resistance shape the sensory experience of creation, transforming each globe into a quiet dialogue between substance and form.
This craft evolves through interaction with those who engage with it– observers who ask questions, share curiosity. Their attention informs the work, encouraging deeper exploration and greater precision from my side. The resulting globes spark conversation, enduring as objects of memory and meaning.
In a culture driven by speed and automation, the slow but deliberate pace of handcrafting stands as a quiet act. It affirms the value of precision, the significance of beauty, and the importance of preserving stories in tangible form. Globe making continues to honour these principles, one sphere at a time.
Discover more about the creation of the bespoke Dante’s Globe and explore its details Here
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