How the school promoted the wood carving evolution

Until the middle of the 19th century, the learning of the wood carving craft was passed on from generation to generation without any external help. The idea to carve various models came exclusively from the wholesalers, who could best interpret the demand on the market. But neither them nor the sculptors considered the necessity to manufacture with a more precise and refined technique. The production came mainly from the cottage industry, which was subordinated to the main economic sector of agriculture. The products of Val Gardena sold well, but the profit of the home workers was often beneath the dignity of man and their dependence on the wholesalers was strong. The latter had to make sure that the prices remained as low as possible as the merchandise was exported in more and more remote countries – from Russia to America –, what brought an increase of the transportation costs with it.

The situation of Val Gardena’s handcraft experienced a considerable improvement thanks to the establishment of a sculpture school following the far-sighted idea of Rudolf Eitelberger. This development didn’t please either the wholesalers or the municipal council, which was presided by the former, as they feared a reduction of their income through the construction of such school. This problem was solved by the Austrian government, who showed an interest in this project and thus subsidised the foundation of a vocational school by Ferdinand Demetz in Ortisei in 1872. Afterwards, the school passed into private hands. It brought great technical and artistic improvement with it and indirectly also a positive development of the sculptors’ economic situation. Over the course of a few years, various new laboratories for sculptors and carpenters were built, and also the number of painters increased. The manufacture of altars, which in the first half of the 19th century was neglected, was reassumed, and some wood carvers specialized in the furnishing of entire churches. As to the volume and the profit, Val Gardena outdistanced the other localities which traditionally dedicated themselves to wood carving such as Oberammergau, Berchtesgaden and Munich.

In 1894 a private school was established also in S. Cristina. It was headed by the director of the school in Ortisei, whereas a certain Professor Raske taught a class of 12 scholars in drawing and wood carving. The manufactured sculptures were exported and the scholars received a minimal remuneration per day. But this school closed down after only four years because of the negative propaganda of the wholesalers, who saw only a danger for their interests in it. Thereupon, thanks to the commitment of the municipality Selva Gardena and the support of the Austrian government, a further sculpture school was built in Selva Gardena. This time the population themselves were the ones insisting on the necessity of such a school. The building was finished in 1908 and named Scuola Professionale Imperatore Francesco Giuseppe in honour of the Austrian Emperor Francis Joseph.

In contrast to the handcraft which continued to expand, the agriculture dropped behind more and more and lost its role as main source of income of the valley. However, the wood carving industry evolved only in Ortisei, which had always been the commercial centre of Val Gardena. In the other municipalities, S. Cristina and Selva Gardena, as well as in the localities Bulla, Roncadizza and Oltretorrente, the situation didn’t change: the home workers specialized in the toys manufacture continued to depend on their wholesalers.

The numerous sculpture laboratories emerging in Val Gardena triggered a considerable migration movement towards the valley. People came from neighbouring places such as Val Badia and Arabba, but also from other countries such us Bavaria and Austria-Hungary. The immigrants found quickly a job as sculptors, painters, gilders and carpenters, and contributed to the economic boom of Ortisei. Until 1914, that is to say in less than 50 years, the number of sculptors, including masters and scholars, had increased from approximately 20 to 260. Also the number of painters rose significantly from approximately 4 to 85. Moreover, a new carpenter sector emerged which was specialized in the manufacture of altars and the interior decoration of churches. In those days, the products were exported around the world, above all to Great Britain and the British colonies, to Germany, Russia, Japan, China and Australia, whereas the exports to Italy and France stalled because of the high customs duty.