Artisans

During the Renaissance, most finished goods, such as shoes and jewelry, were produced by skilled crafts workers known as artisans. The artisan class first emerged in the late Middle Ages, when increased trade made many European cities centers of production. A growing population increased the demand for food and clothing. At the same time, the wealth of merchants encouraged the production of more luxury goods, such as jewelry and fine cloth.

Most artisans were members of craft guilds*. In general, these guilds were only open to men. Each guild set standards of quality for its products. It also set limits on how many hours a member could work, how many assistants he could have, and how much material he could use. These rules prevented any single artisan from dominating the market in his town. In most cities, local guilds controlled all production of goods. Only their members could work as artisans in that city.

Guilds also set standards for the training of new members. A person began work as an apprentice* under the supervision of a master craftsman. An apprentice spent several years working for, and usually living with, one master. He or his parents paid the master for his training. At the end of this period he became a journeyman, who was allowed to travel from master to master, gaining skill and experience. To become a master, a journeyman had to produce a masterpiece, a work that had to be approved by other masters.

Once a craftsman became a master, he could open his own shop. He was also allowed to marry. In fact, most guilds required masters to be married, because wives played a major role in running both shops and households. An artisan's wife and daughters could work in his shop alongside the apprentices and journeymen. If a master died, his widow could continue to run his shop, but she could not vote or hold office in the guild.

The fact that artisans usually owned their homes and kept large households set them apart from unskilled laborers. In many cities, craft guilds became a political force. They often struggled for power against city councils, usually dominated by merchants. Guilds also provided a social network for artisans. They offered financial support to aging masters, widows, and orphans, and also paid for members' funerals and for their children's baptism. Guild members often displayed their unity by marching together in city parades. The close-knit structure of the guilds created a unique artisan culture. Each guild was proud of its traditions and often hostile to outsiders.