Nobody Wants to Be Robin?

When You Meet a True Master

I was in my office, minding my own business and chatting with my cousin, when I got lucky … I met the greatest master of cameo art.

Nowadays, we’re used to people who turn themselves into brands: if you’re Italian, think of a famous soccer player; if you’re American, imagine a basketball champion or a football star; or simply think of a rock star or a Hollywood actor.
What do they really do? They make our lives happier, at least for the duration of their time on stage.
What they all have in common is that the public views them as demigods, and their entourage and marketing likely encourage this perception. Otherwise, the magic could fade, and you’d realize you’re dealing with another human being, one with strengths and weaknesses. Perhaps even the celebrity ends up believing it—unless they’ve kept their feet firmly on the ground.
Let’s be honest: in today’s world, everyone wants to be Batman because nobody likes being Robin. Why is it that, when we talk about the Beatles, almost everyone thinks of John Lennon or Paul McCartney, yet very few, if any, think of Ringo Starr?

But what if you had the good fortune to meet a true artist, a real master in his field, and you discovered that his guiding principles have always been respect for the past and humility?
What if you realized that even though he is “Batman,” he actually enjoys seeing life from Robin’s perspective?

This post of mine is intended as an ode to humility (and, if you will, a small act of contrition toward myself for occasionally having to put on a certain “show” at work to earn a living), because there is so much to learn from an encounter like this.

I had the opportunity and privilege to meet Pasquale Ottaviano, probably the most renowned living cameo master, a disciple of the late Scialanca, the last master of the nineteenth-century “Neapolitan school.”

But today, I only want to talk partly about cameos and focus instead on what drives an artist—on what comes from his heart rather than what he can skillfully create with his hands.
If you had the chance to meet Leonardo da Vinci, would you ask him to explain his painting technique, or would you rather ask what he thinks about life, what he aims to convey with his art, and how he strives to express his emotions?

In Pasquale Ottaviano, I found a thoughtful person, grateful for life, fully aware of his artistic path, and possessing a bit of nostalgia for the good old days when people were “decent.”
That’s what struck me most about this master: above all, he is a decent human being, and everyone can sense that in him, because you perceive it without any big proclamations. That’s not something you learn at school: life itself presents you with challenges, and the way you respond reveals your humanity.

Let me tell you what happened …
As many of you know, my family has been crafting and selling cameos since 1934. My father Bruno, a visionary man who, in some ways, was quite similar to the master, had purchased some of his works in the ’60s and ’70s. They recently came to light while I was organizing our collections. I recognized the workmanship of this great artist and took the liberty of contacting him.
Here is what surprised me: not only did the master confirm my hunch, but he also set out to improve and certify these pieces because he felt a duty to finish them. He didn’t want to leave anything, in his view, incomplete.
He simply told me, “I want to help you because my cameos must be sold and must be beautiful. It’s my cultural heritage, and I’m not entirely satisfied with these; I was too young and inexperienced.”

I must admit, his words gave me new strength, renewing my commitment to ensuring that true “Made in Italy” always prevails. Sometimes I feel discouraged when I get certain responses …

I’ll leave you with this thought: how would Batman ever manage those impossible situations without Robin’s help? And who would have played the drums for the Beatles?
I say this first and foremost to myself: let us learn to be humble. There’s so much to discover on the other side of the moon!

I leave you, as always, with the warmest hug in the world,

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