Luras, Forteleoni Collection

The Collection, consisting of cork works, is housed in the home of the last thirty years of Tonino Forteleoni's life. Forteleoni, a very skilled craftsman, collaborated with ISOLA, participating in numerous exhibitions and biennials, and taught in the artistic-craft laboratory of the cork section of the Institute for Industry and Craftsmanship in Calangianus. He stood out for having introduced techniques that profoundly changed the methods of the artistic processing of cork: in particular bas-relief and mosaic. He worked the bas-relief with simple tools: a small, very sharp blade, a rasp and sandpaper (bas-relief); he applied the mosaic tiles with glue and a hammer. Everything else was entrusted to his exceptional craftsmanship and to the imagination that led him to continuous changes in style, in a constant and exasperated search for detail and the infinite shades of color offered by the various parts of the cork. There are numerous works, mainly on religious subjects: icons and paintings with rich frames covered with gilded clay, using bas-relief, engraving and mosaic; masks, plates, chairs, mirrors. But also chest coverings (a particularly elaborate Liberty-style front), headboards, wardrobes, tables. The explanatory panels arranged between the windows that house the products of traditional culture, have the task of facilitating the “reading” of the exhibits on display by providing the visitor with essential information on the topics to which museum materials relate, translating them into simple and clear language. The photographic reproductions arranged in correspondence with the various objects are intended to document, as far as possible, techniques and methods of use, in the practical use of the objects on display. The large panel dedicated to traditional weaving at various times and to the preliminary preparation of the raw materials used has the same educational purposes. In order to make it easier to identify the various components of the frame represented (horizontal frame), we have indicated them with numbers and to provide, in addition to the Italian term, the local name. There are architectural barriers.

Why it is important to visit it
It is important because it is perhaps the largest and only collection in the world made of cork. In addition, information about his life, some works, the techniques used to create them, the materials used and other indications that help to better understand and appreciate the work of the cork artist have been exhibited.