Enrico Cirio, the spark of a Genius Upon approaching the world of Enrico Cirio (1932-2007), a comparison with the creations of ancient goldsmith workshops arises spontaneously: Cirio embodies the Renaissance artifex (artist, fabricator), a scholar of the universe, versed in design, gemmology, metal art, mechanics, able to transform, with extraordinary technical ability, the most daring and imaginative ideas into unique jewels − in a chain that through one hand, his, runs from the idea all the way to the realization of a unique piece.
Enrico's path was set by his family: born in Turin in 1932, together with his brother Andrea he begins learning the goldsmith trade from his father, and attending the Gherardi Goldsmith school, while, at the same time, dedicating himself to aeronautical studies.
In 1955, Enrico embarks on his solo journey: already gifted with great technique, he begins to experiment with traditional jewels, which reveal his mastery, going on to later develop his own style. Driven by an innate curiosity, he is passionate about the world of gems, which for him are not solely synonymous with beauty or wealth, but are the "sparks" from which his daring and symbolic creations originate. He is a great friend of the gem-cutter Bernd Munsteiner, whose original cuts he manages to interpret with ingenious inventiveness, and, always keeping style guidelines in mind over the decades, he never, however, renounces his own personal vision. In his work, at times soft shapes coexist with sharp and geometric ones, rendering a number of jewels true mechanical prodigies. By visiting the site www.ciriomuseo.com, created by his wife Anna − his inseparable accomplice −, it is possible to confront oneself with much of his work, and to understand its underlying poetics which draw inspiration from childhood memories, rapid visions, glimpses of life experiences, natural landscapes, all of them reinterpreted in precious or alternative materials such as wood, glass, coal, and even horse dung. During the upcoming spring jewelry auction, Aste Bolaffi will present a significant collection of Enrico Cirio's work, ranging from 1955 to 2007, the year of both his death and the "Nuvole di Pietra" (Stone Clouds) exhibition dedicated to him at the National Library of Turin, a truly important recognition in honour of a profoundly Turinese artist, appreciated throughout the world.

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