The Arte dei Cuoiai e Galigai was one of the Arti Minori. It brought together all the experts in leather processing, from tanning to the final decoration.
Professional Figures
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Galigai (Tanners): They considered themselves both artisans and merchants, as they took great care in the sale of the finished products.
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Conciatori (Tanners): Popularly called “pelacani” (dog-skinners), they were responsible for cleaning and treating the hides.
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Orpellai (Gilders): Artisans specialized in luxury decoration, such as the gilding of leather.
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Pezzai: Those who sold raw, unprocessed leather.
The Tanning Process
The work was exhausting and foul-smelling due to the use of harsh substances (such as urine and animal dung) to soften the hides. There were two types of processing:
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Heavy Tanning (Concia Grossa): For large animals (buffalo, horses, camels).
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Fine Tanning (Concia Fine): For soft and precious skins (calves, chamois, goats).
Origin of the Hides
The material came from two main sources:
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Local: From the butcher shops of Florence (the Beccai).
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Imports: From distant lands such as Palestine, or closer regions like Sardinia, Sicily, and the Alps.
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Coat of Arms: A shield divided vertically into black and white (partito di nero e di bianco).
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Patron Saint: Saint Augustine (Sant’Agostino).
