Fernando Marmolejo Hernández

Goldsmith

©Taller Orfebre Marmolejo

Pursuing a family legacy

Fernando specialises in cofrade art which is typical of Seville
He learned his craft by working alongside his father
Drawing is a big part of his design and making process

Fernando Marmolejo Hernández is the son of master goldsmith Fernando Marmolejo Camargo, and grew up surrounded by goldsmithing from a very young age. As a child, he frequented his father's workshop and played with the tools. "I did not choose this craft, it chose me. It was my destiny. I am very happy with what I do," says Fernando, who began as an apprentice in the traditional way, running errands for the workshop, holding pieces for the journeymen, and learning by watching. "When I was 15 years old I was sent to my father's new workshop in the centre of Seville, a workshop-showroom of which I was responsible, attending to customers and managing new orders," he says. "I worked in my father's workshop for about 37 years. Later, when my father and teacher passed away, I made the decision to become independent from the family workshop and opened my own in 2007."

Interview

©Taller Orfebre Marmolejo

©Taller Orfebre Marmolejo

Is Seville the best place to be a goldsmith?: Our trade is in good health because of the place where it is located: Seville is the World Capital of Brotherhood Art. The town of Seville, its neighbouring provinces, as well as the rest of the brotherhoods of Spain, all come to the workshops of Seville. All of them are our main clients.
What attracts you so much to design and drawing?: Design and drawing are two of my passions, which I learned from my father and teacher. Since I was a child I admired his creativity and ease in the execution of projects through drawing and the use of colour by applying watercolours.
What is your day-to-day life like in the workshop?: At present, I am focused on the management of the workshop, and supervision in the making of the works as Master Goldsmith. My son and the journeymen are the ones who carry out the work on a daily basis, although I often intervene in some of the tasks since handling the metals is vital for me.
What influence does your environment have on your work?: Being surrounded by countless places of great architectural beauty, from different periods and civilisations, where an enormous amount of all kinds of objects and materials of great artistic richness abound, has served me as inspiration for my designs. The heritage from my father is also key.

Fernando Marmolejo Hernández is a master artisan: he began his career in 1972 and he started teaching in 1995