On 23 July, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., the Bottega at Reschio opened its doors for a special evening dedicated to craftsmanship.

Three local artisans – a leatherworker, an embroiderer and a calligrapher – brought their creative energy to life, and every gesture spoke of time, care and skill.

Their combined workshop was an invitation to take a closer look. To pause. To watch how a line of ink could follow the rhythm of a breath; how a needle, guided slowly, drew a story across fabric; how a piece of leather, in the right hands, became something destined to stay with us for years, gaining its own patina.

Each of the three guest artisans carried with them not just a technique, but a world.

Giuliano Foca, master bookbinder from the outskirts of Perugia, showed how he still follows the same processes used in the 15th century. He coloured leather using natural pigments, bound each volume with hand tools, and finished with gold leaf – crafting books both strong and beautiful, timeless containers of memory. One of his creations, the Reschio Guest Book, remained on display, ready to serve as a silent witness to those passing through the castle for generations to come.

Paola Matteucci revealed herself as a true weaver of dreams. She embroidered on tulle, a fabric as light as air, creating intricate patterns in delicate coloured threads. Her works appeared as more than decorative objects: they were stories stitched with patience and soul. She also shared her teaching experience, showing how she passes on not only the technique, but the reverence for this art.

Lorenzo Paciaroni, a modern-day scribe, filled the room with the poetry of letters. In his scriptorium, he demonstrated his fluent command of ancient alphabets – from Gothic to Roman Capitals – adapting them to the present with wedding invitations, poetic scrolls, and custom labels. His calligraphy showed itself not merely as beautiful writing, but as a slow and thoughtful art, a way to make words endure.

Throughout the evening, selected pieces were available for purchase and could be personalised on the spot. Not as a whim, but as a way to give each object a voice of its own: a name, a word, a sign. Guests discovered that handmade objects are never identical. They carry invisible marks – of the wood or leather they came from, yes, but also of the person who made them, and the exact moment they were born.

In a world that rushes, Reschio once again affirmed its belief in slowness. In the beauty of imperfection. In the value of what is human. This Open Day was more than a celebration of craft – it became a quiet declaration. A daily manifesto. A reminder that every object, when shaped by knowing hands, holds memory. And, in some way, a soul.