Knock Knock Knock

"Knock Knock Knock. Iron Guardians from the Cesati Collection" explores the world of door knockers, objects which have become true emblems of European homes and palazzi, standing watch over their thresholds for centuries. Forged in iron between the Middle Ages and the 18th century, these artefacts were far more than simple tools: they were works of art, capable of conjuring up mythical and imaginary worlds. The result of fifty years of research and enthusiasm, the Cesati collection brings together some of the most extraordinary examples of this form of “civic ironwork”, revealing its originality, variety of types and extraordinary expressive power. In this volume, which accompanies the exhibition of the same name at the Labirinto della Masone, Alessandro Cesati and Carlo Donà have penned reflections on door knockers and their meaning, while Stefano Salis’s essay focuses on the symbolism of doors in general. The book features illustrations of the most beautiful or unusual door knockers, alternating with a selection of photographs of thresholds by Massimo Listri.