What is a Goldsmith?

Centuries Old Craftsmanship:  That’s what a Goldsmith is!

A Goldsmith is a metalworker who specializes in working with Gold, Platinum and other precious metals. Goldsmiths must be skilled in forming metal through filing, soldering, sawing, forging, casting, setting stones, and polishing.

Goldsmiths also excelled in using innovative techniques such as enameling which allows glass to be fused with a precious metal like gold, enabling the creation of a highly colourful gold-made piece of art.  Other medieval techniques used by medieval goldsmiths included basse-taille which allows them to create low-relief gold patterns to be filled by enamel, engraving and embossing.  This was used on items such as golden scepters, crowns and textiles with gold lining.  

Goldsmiths Manuscripts:

Manuscripts in medieval Europe were one of the most widely employed artisans. Typically, Goldsmiths were commissioned by rich nobility. During the medieval period, illustrated manuscripts were produced in Europe, Goldsmiths were the ones who used their high technical skills to adorn the covers, pages, bindings, very intricate gold work was achieved.  Nobles, monarchs, monasteries and clergymen commissioned illuminated manuscripts to be made. 

Emperor:

Goldsmiths were occasionally commissioned by the Emperor when gold or other precious metals were needed.    The Byzantine Empire mosaic was one of the key genres of Art during the medieval period. 

Bankers:

In most major medieval European cities, Goldsmiths often acted as bankers since they had a stock of well-secured gold.