Professor Mario Di Donfrancesco has directed La bottega dell'arte, a workroom of papier-maché holy statuary and restoration, sited in Lecce, since 1980.
Graduated at the "Accademia delle Belle Arti" of Lecce, he directs the papier-maché course at the "E. Maccagnani" art school of Lecce. Moreover he manages professional courses about papier-maché for the Basilicata region.
His workroom is qualified by the italian Sovrintendenza alle Belle Arti for the restoration of papier-maché and wood works.
A remarkable number of restored and original works is placed in Italy, and furthermore in Malta and Germany, in the United States, in France and Vatican.

Historiographical notes can be found in the followings books:
Rossi-Rois, Cartapesta e cartapestai, Macerata, 1980
A.M. Contenti, Nel regno della cartapesta e del barocco, ed. Del Grifo, Lecce 1986
G. De Simone, Lecce, le edicole sacre del borgo antico, ed. Del Grifo, Lecce 1991
I. Laudisa, Album del presepe leccese, Conte, Lecce 1993
C. Ragusa, Guida alla cartapesta leccese, Congedo, Lecce 1997
G. De Simone, Tesori di carta, ed. Del Grifo, Lecce 2002

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