Cordoban leather. Craft and tradition in a workshop in Osuna

If you are a curious person, you like crafts and handicrafts, art, painting and engraving in general, you will love the tour that we are proposing. Today we are going to a Cordoban leather workshop in Osuna in the Seville region, to find out how the work is done in a craft that has been going on from medieval times to decorate chests, trunks, screens, cases, books, luxury shoes and gloves, and today continues to be made by craftspeople such as these in taller Arte2 which we now present to you.

What is Cordoban and embossed leather?

Cordoban leather, as its name indicates, originated in Cordoba and later spread to the rest of the peninsula. It is embossed, aged leather from a goat skin, while Guadamecí, whose name comes from Wad'Almasir, is Moorish in origin and like Cordoban leather it is embossed and polychromed, but decorated with silver and paintings.

These skins are placed on masonry slabs that have previously been engraved with mosaics. Next, a round headed punch is used to go along the engraving on top of the skin to obtain beautiful reliefs in the leather.

What does the tour consist of?

During the visit to Arte2 workshop you can see the whole production process of Cordoban and embossed leather. From the creation of those reliefs on masonry slabs.

To painting these beautiful pieces that decorate headboards, walls, books and many more items across half the world.