When the art of the Renaissance comes to rest on a guitar
The unveiling of the masterpieces in Florence, October 17
For the world of music, 2026 is the year of The Eye of Florence: the most prestigious and unprecedented project in the history of lutherie, signed by Fabrizio Paoletti, artist and craftsman, founder of the eponymous Paoletti Guitars, a world leader in the custom shop field. The art collection will be consecrated on October 17, 2026 in the heart of Florence, cradle of the Renaissance, at an exclusive venue on the Florentine hills. The event will be attended by leading figures from the worlds of art, culture and music, as well as the highest authorities of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
The Quarrata-based company has long been recognised beyond Italy’s borders as an undisputed excellence in Made in Italy craftsmanship, with instruments in the hands of artists of the calibre of Bruce Springsteen, Brian May, Johnny Depp and Mark Knopfler. Now, 2026 is set to mark the pinnacle of that legacy, with eight string masterpieces entirely inspired by the works of the great Renaissance artists Donatello, Ghiberti, Paolo Uccello and Andrea del Castagno: one for each of the eight stained-glass oculi in the dome of Florence’s Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, depicting the life of Christ and Mary, each five metres in diameter and positioned fifty metres above the ground. The eight works, respectively: Nativity (Paolo Uccello), Lamentation (Andrea del Castagno), Resurrection (Paolo Uccello), Coronation of the Virgin (Donatello), Ascension (Lorenzo Ghiberti), Oration in the Garden (Lorenzo Ghiberti), Presentation of Christ at the Temple (Lorenzo Ghiberti), Annunciation (Ulisse Cambi, a tribute to Paolo Uccello).
Ancient art fused with artisanal mastery: this is the heart of The Eye of Florence, created by Fabrizio Paoletti in collaboration with the OPA (Opera del Duomo) of the Medici city. Each guitar, whose design has required years of work (Paoletti has been working alongside the Opera del Duomo since late 2022), is entirely covered, across the neck, front, back and sides, with over five thousand tesserae of Venetian mother-of-pearl, each sought out and hand-carved by Paoletti himself, faithfully reproducing the eight oculi in their entirety, including the lead lines between each section of glass that make up the mosaics of the eight original works on Brunelleschi’s dome.
The reverse of each instrument features a reproduction of the marble carpet that adorns the floor of the Cathedral. At its centre stands the most extraordinary element of the entire collection: an authentic marble fragment sourced directly from the stones of the Duomo di Firenze, made available by the Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. These fragments have been worked alongside the master restorers of the Opera itself, the very same people who dedicate themselves every day to the conservation and care of the monument. What distinguishes each of the eight guitars is therefore not only a specific design that continues across the front, sides and neck, but also its own fragment of marble from the Duomo and the manner in which it has been worked. Each instrument holds its own identity and a complete meaning, while simultaneously forming part of a broader vision that finds its fullest expression in the collection as a whole.
The same attention has been devoted to the nature of the instrument itself. At the heart of every work remains the material that has always defined Paoletti’s production: chestnut wood, selected here in its finest portions and worked so that it could sustain a project of this complexity without losing its acoustic and material identity. Every detail has been considered so that the elements inherent to the guitar do not interrupt the continuity of the images depicted, but instead become part of the work itself. The pickup has been concealed from sight; the ebony bridge has been designed and crafted by hand; gold details and finishes have been introduced not as mere ornamental elements, but to enter into chromatic and material dialogue with the mother-of-pearl, the marble, and the iconographic richness of the stained-glass windows. The challenge was twofold: to create a visually unified work and, at the same time, to preserve the nature of a genuine musical instrument, capable of generating sound.
Following the worldwide launch in Dubai last year, Fabrizio Paoletti now prepares for the most awaited moment of his career: the simultaneous unveiling of all eight extraordinarily rare guitars, never exhibited together until this moment, each born from a different vision and a different eye. The event will be held in private, at an exclusive location on the Tuscan hills.
On October 17, their value will extend beyond the dimension of the individual instrument: for one evening, the eight visions will once again become one, allowing the entire collection to be seen for the first time as Fabrizio Paoletti has imagined it from the very beginning. Eight distinct works, united by a single great narrative dedicated to Florence, to the Renaissance, and to the capacity of contemporary craftsmanship to keep an ancient heritage alive through a new form.
Art of Guitar / The International Partner
Exclusive partner of the Eye of Florence project is Art of Guitar, a prestigious musical instrument boutique based in Dubai, founded by Nisreen Shocair and Rick Vlemmiks. Uniting music, craftsmanship and design in a space that recalls an art gallery, it has rapidly become a reference point in the region. Recognised among the world’s top 100 musical instrument retailers according to the NAMM ranking, Art of Guitar is distinguished by its impeccable selection and the trust it has earned among international collectors and musicians. The collaboration with Paoletti Guitars, born with the Marco Polo Limited Edition, was consolidated with the worldwide launch of The Eye of Florence collection, hosted at their Dubai premises on May 24, 2025. Within the project, Art of Guitar plays a key role both commercially and curatorially, serving as the point of connection between Paoletti Guitars and an international audience of elite collectors.
The Eye of Florence has been accompanied from the outset by an international strategy built step by step, to give the collection the visibility and context it deserves across the world’s leading cultural and artistic stages. The project has been presented through targeted initiatives, exclusive events and carefully selected collaborations in a number of countries, including the United States, Canada and Japan, always maintaining a coherent, measured and deeply respectful approach to its uniqueness. The aim is to tell the story of The Eye of Florence with authority and awareness, highlighting its origins, its meaning and its vision. The intent is to accompany the project through to its completion, honouring not only the final result but also the journey, the vision and the profound meaning it represents, and to let the work of Fabrizio Paoletti speak for itself, today and in time.
The Vision of Fabrizio Paoletti
For the founder of Paoletti Guitars, The Eye of Florence represents far more than an artistic project: it is a living dialogue between two worlds that share the same soul, art and lutherie, both born from human gesture, from time, and from respect for materials. To have received the trust and collaboration of the Opera del Duomo di Firenze, and to be able to incorporate into each guitar authentic fragments from one of the most sacred and symbolic sites of Italian ingenuity, is an honour without equal. Each guitar is a tribute to Renaissance genius, but also a bridge towards the present: through music, these instruments tell a story of a heritage that continues to live and resonate through time. To know that the notes of a musician will one day vibrate upon a fragment of Florence’s Duomo represents, in Fabrizio Paoletti’s own words, the highest possible form of connection between art and sound.
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