Hans-Ulrich Pauly

Lapidarist

Maintaining a precious dynasty

Hans-Ulrich is a fourth generation lapidary
His craft and the local region are intimately connected
He feels that creation should always be playful

Gemstone cutting is a rare craft, almost as rare as the materials themselves, which Hans-Ulrich Pauly's family has been working with for four generations. “It is a family tradition; my father and grandfather were lapidaries, so it has been part of me since the cradle,” he says. He has come a long way since training in gemstone engraving as an apprentice in his father’s workshop. Now having reached the honourable rank of master of the guild, he has worked with world-famous artists such as Damien Hirst. A few years ago his two children Julia and Florian joined the company to continue the family dynasty. “My dream would be to hand down my enthusiasm and fascination beyond the next generation to my grandchildren,” says Hans-Ulrich.

Interview

How would you define your work?: It is a creatively challenging, fascinatingly versatile struggle to wring the form from the material. Sometimes it is physically demanding, but it is always playful. If you can't look at your work in a playful and humorous way, you might have chosen the wrong job.
Is technology an opportunity or a threat?: Every day we try to broaden our understanding of how to combine traditional techniques with the latest technology. A state-of-the-art milling machine does not have the same feeling for stone as a master’s hand with decades of experience, but both can complement each other.
How is your region linked to your craft?: The two are so tightly interwoven that one cannot exist without the other. To me this is a beautiful thing, but it also means that if we don't find enough apprentices in the future, our craft and the region will die out. That's also why passing on my knowledge is so immensely important to me.
So do you think your craft is in danger?: Generally speaking yes, but we have managed to counteract the negative trend of the last decades. However, our craft is a diverse art with many specialisations and there are already areas in which the old masters die out without the opportunity to preserve their knowledge.

Hans-Ulrich Pauly is a master artisan: he began his career in 1980 and he started teaching in 1986