Collection: The Creatures of the Basilica of San Michele Maggiore in Pavia

Pavia is the city where I was born.

Here, fog wraps itself around every corner, but when it lifts, it reveals fragments of history and myth from a glorious, mysterious, and sometimes troubled past.

One of the city’s most iconic monuments is undoubtedly the Romanesque Basilica of San Michele Maggiore.

First documented in Paul the Deacon’s Historia Langobardorum around the middle of the 7th century AD, the Basilica has witnessed several important coronations.

It is a majestic and evocative building, with stories carved into every corner. Magical creatures with warning gazes, fantastical animals born from the waters, symbols of life, symbols of death, Christian symbols and pagan ones.

Mysterious scenes that speak of ancient peoples who chose to make their home beside a river.

The figure of Saint Michael the Archangel was greatly revered by the Lombards for his strong warrior nature, and echoes of the ancient pagan gods Wodan and Thunor can be found in him.

This project was created in collaboration with artist Gil Ferraro, a skilled illustrator with a passion for history and religion.

His graphic reinterpretations of the figures carved into the capitals and arches of the Basilica gave life to this jewellery collection, each piece, as always, entirely handmade using precious materials.