Oliver Jahn was Editor-in-Chief at AD Architectural Digest Germany between 2011 and 2023. He is practically a brand of his own on the international design, interiors and architecture scene. This bibliophile has more than 15,000 books on his shelves. He studied linguistics, literature and philosophy in Kiel, Germany. He worked at the Suhrkamp publishing house in Frankfurt and the art magazine Monopol before joining AD in 2006, initially as Head of Architecture and Design. As a connoisseur of architecture and design, he was personally involved in the planning and shaping of the new building in Munich where AD’s editorial offices are located.

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Shortly before her A-levels, Christine Wagner went to England in order to brush up on her English where she stayed with an elderly lady “in her overgrown garden, within a small wooden hut there was a potter's wheel, where I turned my first cup and bowl,” she recalls . A visit to a ceramics exhibition in Japan after high school inspired her to delve into ceramics “the vessels were completely new and surprising to me,” she explains. Christine decided to stay in Japan and she started an apprenticeship with Master Yasoji Sasaki. Three years later, Christine Wagner returned to Germany and finished her apprenticeship in Landshut and subsequent studies in ceramics at the University of Arts in Linz, Austria. Since then she has worked on her inimitable expression that does not reproduce but embraces a traditional aesthetic in a contemporary way.

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It was on a cold winter's day in January 1975 when a young philosophy student went on a hike in the snow-covered Chiemgau. On his way, Thomas Schmitter was invited to have a rest in an old farmhouse, where he was quickly entranced not only by his hosts but by the wooden panelling and furniture in the living room. "It was simple and yet absolutely fascinating work," he says. "Its truthfulness seemed to lie precisely in its timeless simplicity, its natural proportions and in the material itself.” In that moment he realised he wanted to create such things himself. A few days later Thomas applied to the technical school for carpenters and wood sculptors in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

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Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg has been handcrafting porcelain tableware, figures and objects of the greatest quality and purity since the 18th century. Still today, this is one of the few porcelain manufacturers in the world crafting every single piece entirely by hand, not only without any automated processes and using only porcelain paste made on site, but also without templates for painters. The company was founded by the Wittelsbach family, who moved their first pottery factory in the Nördlisches Schlossrondell to Nymphenburg in 1761, and put their coat of arms on every single piece created.

Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg has always counted the international high aristocracy as well as embassies, churches and palaces among its customers. The Nymphenburg creations have received many prizes and can be admired in the world’s major design collections. In the spirit of the company’s beginnings, internationally recognised designers and artists are again shaping the profile of today’s creations, taking inspiration from its glorious past in order to present pioneering creations of contemporary porcelain design.

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Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg has been handcrafting porcelain dinner services, figures and objects of the highest quality and purity since the 18th century. Still today, this is one of the few 'pure' porcelain manufacturers in the world, crafting every single piece entirely by hand. One of two Nymphenburg flagship stores in Munich, this shop is part of the Nördlisches Schlossrondell complex. The castle used to be the summer residence of the Wittelsbach family, who, in 1761, moved their porcelain factory into the premises, having founded it a few years before. Since then, the buildings of the master workshops have been continuously expanded over time to become what they are today.

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The Galerie für Angewandte Kunst was founded in 1992 with the aim of raising awareness and creating appreciation for the importance of applied arts across the artistic spectrum of our time. With eight exhibitions a year, the gallery serves as a forum for the discussion of contemporary arts and crafts. A highlight is the annual exhibition of the Bayerischer Kunstgewerbeverein, where the latest works of the association's members are presented in a comprehensive show featuring, among others, the glassworks of Franz X Höller and Eduard Deubzer, the textiles of Katja Stelz, and the ceramics of Claudia Schoemig.

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As a child growing up in the countryside in Germany, Sebastian Herkner was always tinkering in the garage, building things with his hands. Being a designer was his dream for as long as he can remember. After studying product design at the Offenbach University of Art and Design, and a short experience at Stella McCartney’s London studio, he opened his own company close to Frankfurt in 2006. His award-winning pieces of furniture reflect his  creative approach: “It’s important to be openminded, to absorb everything, and then to use instinct to transform inspiration into something truly unique.” Protective of traditional crafts, he especially treasures those that run the risk of being forgotten. For him, “craft is beauty connected with places, territory, culture, people. We need to safeguard both the artisans and their work in order to protect our heritage.” In 2019, he was nominated Maison & Objet Designer of the Year.

Herkner, Sebastian

Treasuring endangered craftsmanship

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The German Crafts Association (Bundesverband Kunsthandwerk, or BK) is an independent organisation that represents over 700 craftspeople, designers and freelance artists across Germany. In addition to collaborating with galleries and training institutes, BK handles artisans’ press relations, lobbies the German Office of Cultural Affairs and organises member participation at fair trades, like the New York International Gift Fair or Interior Lifestyle Shanghai. Thanks to its membership in the World Crafts Council (WCC), BK is able to elevate the status of contemporary German craft and bolster the artisans’ cultural and economic interests on a global scale.

Bundesverband Kunsthandwerk - German Arts and Crafts Association

Globalising German expertise

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German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks, ZDH) is responsible for the whole of the skilled crafts sector in Germany. It consists of two entities. First is the Chambers of Skilled Crafts, which provides advice on financial and legal matters and training in their vocational centres. All craft enterprises must join one of the 53 chambers. Second is the National Confederations of Skilled Crafts which have a voluntary membership and represent the specialist interests of a particular trade sector or skilled craft. The purpose of ZDH is to reach a consensus on all major issues in crafts policy in Germany. ZDH is also responsible for coordinating activities related to European policy affecting skilled craft companies.

Zentralverband des Deutschen Handwerks

Supporting Berlin's craft community

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Anne Petersen is the founder and editor-in-chief of SALON, one of the leading design and art magazines in Germany. She studied art history, communication sciences and politics at the LMU in Munich and the Sorbonne in Paris. Anne is an expert in the fields of interior and arts and crafts and is particularly interested in porcelain, glass and jewellery.

Petersen, Anne

Championing printed press about arts and crafts

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Developed in partnership with Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte and made possible by the support of Cartier, Homo Faber in Città gives you a rare chance to visit over 70 artisan workshops. The project is developed in collaboration with Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Confartigianato Imprese Venezia, CNA Venezia, Consorzio Promovetro Murano, The Venice Glass Week and Venezia da Vivere.

Our Partners

Step inside the workshops and ateliers to learn the secrets of local master artisans and manufacturers

Try your hand at different crafts with an authentic experience

Marvel at examples of fine craftsmanship by doing our itineraries

This september, the second edition of Homo Faber in Città invites visitors to step off the beaten track and discover the artisanal addresses where Venetian craftspeople create objects of exquisite beauty. A rare opportunity to witness Venice’s master artisans and young talents demonstrating their crafts and presenting the tools, materials and skills involved in contemporary Venetian craftsmanship.

Enrich your experience beyond Homo Faber 2024: The Journey of Life

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Homo Faber Guide is an online portal dedicated to contemporary craftsmanship, showcasing artisans, ateliers, museums, galleries, shops and experiences. Create your user account for access to exclusive features on Homo Faber Guide: save your preferred pages, hear about hot topics first, leave recommendations for your favourite artisans and much more.

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Although the Michelangelo Foundation researches the talents for its projects autonomously, collaboration with our ambassadors is fundamental. Over 120 associations, schools and institutions allow us to map the continents for craftsmanship and to have partners in each country who share our vision and goals. In addition, we have asked well-known personalities in the craft, design and art world to be our ambassadors in the cities where they live, so that their recommendations can offer a unique insight into craftsmanship in the major cities of Europe and beyond.

Who are our ambassadors?

Download our free Homo Faber Guide app (iOS and Android) to discover artisans, museums, galleries, shops, and experiences by location. Search Homo Faber on the App store on your mobile device.

Find craftsmanship destinations on the go

Discover the addresses of esteemed manufacturers, well known for producing high quality objects across a wide variety of crafts. Read their stories and find out where you can shop their contemporary pieces, see their archive collections and even in some cases visit their workshops. Find exceptional ateliers where artisans collaborate creatively to create fine pieces of craftsmanship. Reach out to them to commission something special.

Ateliers & Manufacturers

All the artisans and small workshops featured in Homo Faber Guide have been carefully researched and selected. They are presented and narrated through a selection of images and an interview, which allows readers to immerse themselves in the universe of these makers who exemplify excellence in their individual fields or are promising talents of the future. Find masters and rising stars who share the same passion and determination, and whose workshops are ready to share their secrets with visitors.

A selection of the best artisans

Are you eager to discover a city through craftsmanship? Do you wish to spend a few hours visiting an applied arts museum or attending a course on a craft with one of the masters featured in Homo Faber Guide? Browse the section dedicated to experiences and find your next adventure.

Experiences

An expert artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years. He or she may also be engaged in passing on their knowledge to the next generations, but they have been doing so for less than seven years. Beyond this, they will become a Master artisan.

Who is an Expert artisan?

Homo Faber Guide provides you with a selection of the best addresses across Europe and further afield, where you will be able to discover and purchase exceptional objects, some of which are created by artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide.

Galleries

Homo Faber Guide is an online platform dedicated to craftsmanship that allows you to discover artisans and their masterpieces; explore museums, visit galleries and shops selling unique objects; enjoy experiences in cities across Europe and beyond.

Homo Faber Guide is a signature project developed by the Michelangelo Foundation for Creativity and Craftsmanship, an international non-profit organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, which was set up in 2016 thanks to the intuition of Franco Cologni and Johann Rupert. The Michelangelo Foundation’s mission is to celebrate and preserve master craftsmanship, and for this reason it has created a map of the most significant representatives in this field, with the aim of connecting all its protagonists: artisans, designers, gallery owners, art curators, collectors and enthusiasts of high-quality handmade pieces.

About the Guide

Are you an artisan, atelier or manufacturer? Would you like to be featured in Homo Faber Guide? The Michelangelo Foundation encourages self-assessment initiatives and is pleased to evaluate new members to appear on the Guide or in other projects. Thanks to the Master’s Touch Evaluation Tool, every artisan can send their application: register and access a questionnaire to see if you fulfill the 11 criteria for excellence that stand behind all the activities of the Michelangelo Foundation. If your answers reach the minimum requirement, your application will be brought to our attention; if, on the contrary, you should score below the minimum requirement, we will give you some points for improvement, in the hope that you may participate in future initiatives of the Michelangelo Foundation.

Join the Homo Faber Guide!

Our artisan labels

A master artisan is an accomplished artisan who has been in activity for more than ten years, and who has also been engaged in passing on his or her expertise to the younger generations for more than seven years. This is in keeping with one of the key values of the Michelangelo Foundation: the transmission of knowledge in craftsmanship.

Who is a Master artisan?

Find museums handpicked for their links to contemporary craftsmanship and the exquisite collections they have on display. In each city, discover a museum of interest and organise your visit. From Italian museums displaying coral collections, glass pieces and ceramics to decorative art museums in Russia and Greece, marvel at the variety of museums exhibiting masterpieces, showcasing techniques and recounting histories.

Museums

A rising star is an artisan who has been active for less than ten years, and who is capable of expressing his or her craft with competence, creativity and originality. Whether self-taught or trained, the rising star represents the future of craftsmanship, in creativity, concerns and approaches.

Who is a Rising star?

The artisans featured in Homo Faber Guide have been selected through a meticulous assessment process based on the 11 criteria for excellence, identified by Alberto Cavalli, Executive Director of the Michelangelo Foundation, in the volume The Master’s Touch, written with researchers Giuditta Comerci and Giovanna Marchello. The members of the Michelangelo Foundation’s network who have been invited to participate in sourcing artisans for the Guide use an evaluation tool based on these criteria. In this way, they can identify the most suitable artisans to include in the project.

Simple rules for a transparent selection

In which city does the artisan work?

In which country does the artisan practise?

What craft does the artisan practise?

What is the artisan’s Instagram page?

What is the name of the artisan you are recommending?

Does the artisan have a website?

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