There is a beautiful Romanesque Church in my grandfather’s village located in France, in “Saone et Loire”.
We used to play there with my little brother Laurent.
The sacred atmosphere of this place, full of mysteries, fascinated me. Since then, I became really interested by their construction and by the men who build it.
Sacred builder work reached its apogee in the Gothic era. The builders left little trace of their knowledge behind them; they preferred the oral tradition and the training by Masters. But French churches and cathedrals provide wonderful libraries, full of living symbols and patterns that I often use for my collections.
« Il faut plus surement retrouver l’intelligence intuitive d’hommes épris du sacré, amoureux de leur oeuvre car, à cette époque on n’invente pas les symboles on les vit. »
« Search here for the intuitive intelligence of Men captivated by sacred art, in love of their work, because, at this time, you did not invent symbols, you lived it. »
By using their patterns in my jewelry I try, in my own way, to transmit the spirit of the Cathedral’s Builders.
Thierry Martino
