An artisan is a skilled worker who makes things by hand, such as pottery, furniture, or jewelry. They focus on craft, quality, and detail rather than mass production.
From French “artisan,” from Italian “artigiano,” from Latin “artitus,” related to “ars” meaning “art” or “skill.” It has always referred to people skilled in a craft.
Artisans stand between art and industry: they make everyday objects, but with an artist’s care. When you buy something artisan-made, you’re not just getting an object—you’re getting hours of practice and a pair of human hands in every detail.
Guild systems and craft traditions historically recorded male artisans more visibly, while women’s skilled work in textiles, food production, ceramics, and other crafts was often informal, underpaid, or left anonymous. The generic image of an artisan has therefore skewed male in many cultures.
Avoid defaulting to male pronouns or imagery when referring to artisans; use gender-neutral language unless a specific person’s gender is relevant and known. Recognize traditionally feminized crafts (like weaving or embroidery) as artisan work, not merely hobbies.
["craftsperson","maker"]
Women artisans have sustained and innovated in crafts such as weaving, pottery, metalwork, and printmaking, often transmitting techniques across generations without formal recognition in guild records or art history.
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