Paolo Convilli is a wood carver and he mainly makes important carved frames for paintings, mostly commissioned by antique dealers for old paintings. However, he also carves a whole series of other wooden objects such as doors, armchairs, mirrors, carved bases, the classic Venetian moretti and, sometimes, some gondola ornaments, such as the crests above the seat. You can find him at work at the workshop "Soase Trevisanello" with which he collaborates, a stone's throw from the Accademia Galleries, frequented by famous Venetian painters but also by "foreigners" who come to Venice to teach at the School of Fine Arts. His father, Gastone, a skilled carving master, used to work in this historic workshop, passing on traditional techniques and knowledge to his son. From generation to generation: Paolo today works closely with Silvia, Aldo Trevisanello's daughter. In the same way, Gastone also worked with the gilder Gianni Cavalier, just as today Paolo collaborates with his son Alberto, continuing the intergenerational collaboration between historic artisan workshops. For Paolo, it all began by chance when, still a child, upon the death of his father, he began working in the workshop following restoration activities. He was commissioned an eighteenth-century chest of drawers in walnut, a wood that he discovered he preferred because it was perfect for working with beautiful nuances. With practice, the craftsman acquired confidence in carving, creating beautiful frames. This activity was no longer carried out because the demand in Venice had decreased: there were fewer and fewer painters, and those who were there opted for standard frames. While Gastone was also a gilder, lacquerer and lustrino, (i.e. specialized in finishing the furniture made in his workshop by polishing it with shellac) Paolo specialized only in carving, even if sometimes, at the request of private individuals, he also did the gilding. Most of the work, however, is carried out at the request of antique dealers and gilders; 20% concerns the restoration of old furniture. A knowledge that perhaps would have been lost if passion and pleasure, as well as working techniques, had not been passed on, slowly attracting many customers in search of a higher quality craftsmanship. A son of art: it's no coincidence that his great-grandfather was also a carver, and Paolo owns the old tools.