SIMONE BATINI
// Simone was born in Pietrasanta in Tuscany, Italy. His great passion for photography led him to dedicate himself to several series of photos of his home region´s places, landscapes, and people. Simone shared a series documenting the work of the master luthier Fabio Ragghianti.
“It is the little rift within the lute That by and by will make the music mute, And ever widening slowly silence all. ”
Alfred Lord Tennyson
What draws you to the arts?
“I am attracted to art by beauty and above all by the difficulty and development in creating works through the working process.”
What did you like best about photographing the luthier at work?
It was challenging, as the radius of action was very limited, given that work of luthiery usually takes place in small workshops. I decided to try to make a series of it precisely because this teacher gave me the opportunity to also enter the school, which otherwise is a very difficult environment to be documented photographically.
Today we meet, in Simone´s photo reportage, the renowned master luthier* Fabio Ragghianti. Throughout his illustrious career, Ragghianti has provided guitars to such notable musicians as George Benson, John Renbourn, Horea Crisovan, Davide Mastrangelo, and Alessio Monti.
Born in Viareggio, Italy, in 1952, Ragghianti inherited a passion for wood craftsmanship from his father, who worked on wooden crafts as a hobby. Ragghianti´s journey with the guitar began at the age of 14 when he began playing the instrument. He entered the workshop of luthier Carlo Raspagni at the age of 20, marking the onset of his love affair with the world of luthiers. In 1981, Ragghianti became a student of esteemed luthiers Leo Biancardi and Paolo Vettori, leading him to forsake his language teaching profession for a full-time commitment to the art of luthiery. At the same time he was performing as a part-time guitarist.
Years of apprenticeship and diverse learning experiences, including at the Malden School of Musical Instrument Repair in England and at Maestro Matter’s workshop in Portugal, shaped his expertise. Visits to renowned builders like David Rubio and Daniel Friederich enriched his knowledge.
Awards followed, with recognition in ’93 and ’95 at the Baveno International Competition and the ’98 Craftsman of the Year award by the Rotary Club. Ragghianti shared his insights through conferences at prominent venues, including the Guild of American Luthiers in Tacoma, WA, the Civic Luthiery School in Milan, and the High Guitar Specialization School in Cremona. He also contributed to the professional training school of the Calabria region and the Luthiers School International in Sebastopol, California.
In recent years, Ragghianti has continued crafting traditional models while dedicating his attention to experimentation. The fruit of these experiments is the ever-evolving MXM model. Currently serving as a teacher of guitar construction at the Tuscan School of Luthiery in Sesto Fiorentino, Ragghianti’s adventurous journey in the realm of luthiery persists. The master wanted us to know that the talented jazz guitar virtuoso Edoardo Ferri just aquired a Ragghianti archtop guitar.
*A luthier is an artisan skilled in designing, crafting, and restoring stringed instruments, draws inspiration from the classical era of lute making. The word “luthier” comes from the French word for “lute,” which is a stringed instrument that was popular in the Middle Ages and extensively used until the Baroque era. It encapsulates both artistry and artisan techniques that have endured with little change.
Click on the photos to see the full image.
All photos © Simone Batini
To see more of his photography visit Simone´s Instagram page.
We have previously featured Simone´s documentary photography about an exhibition of Caravaggio paintings and about Carrara marble sculptors in the magazine.
SPECTACULUM MAGAZINE 
3 replies on “WHERE SOUND IS BORN”
Dal primo momento quando ci siamo conosciuti, presso la scuola di liuteria ho subito capito di poter intraprendere l’esperienza di conoscere questa arte insegnata da lui. Un percorso di apprendimento con Fabio come guida, mi da certezze e nozioni…..trasmesse con semplicità e professionalità. Grazie per quello che mi dai….
Grazie a te per essere uno dei miei allievi
These are such gorgeous pictures! They seem to really capture the beauty of this man and his art.