:Artisan

The adjective "artisanal" is often used in describing hand-processing in contrast to an industrial process, such as in the phrase artisanal mining. Thus, "artisanal" is sometimes used in marketing and advertising as a buzz word to describe or imply some relation with the crafting of handmade food products, such as bread, beverages, cheese or textiles. Many of these have traditionally been handmade, rural or pastoral goods but are also now commonly made on a larger scale with automated mechanization in factories and other industrial areas.

Artisans were the dominant producers of primary products before the Industrial Revolution.

In ancient Greece, artisans were drawn to agoras and often built workshops nearby.{{cite book |title=Life in Ancient Greece |last=Peppas |first=Lynn |year=2005 |publisher=Crabtree Publishing Company |isbn=0778720357 |page=[https://archive.org/details/lifeinancientgre0000pepp/page/12 12] |url=https://archive.org/details/lifeinancientgre0000pepp |url-access=registration |access-date=6 January 2017}}

During the Middle Ages, the term "artisan" was applied to those who made things or provided services. It did not apply to unskilled manual labourers. Artisans were divided into two distinct groups: those who operated their own businesses and those who did not. The former were called masters, while the latter were the journeymen and apprentices.

One misunderstanding many people have about this social group is that they picture them as "workers" in the modern sense: employed by someone. The most influential group among the artisans were the masters, the business owners. The owners enjoyed a high social status in their communities,History of Western Civilization, Boise State University {{cite web|url=http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/medsoc/23.shtml |title=Document No.23 |access-date=2009-01-08 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090107061228/http://history.boisestate.edu/westciv/medsoc/23.shtml |archive-date=2009-01-07 }} and organised into guilds in towns and cities.

Shokunin is a Japanese word for "artisan" or "craftsman", which also implies a pride in one's own work. In the words of shokunin Tashio Odate:

Shokunin means not only having technical skill, but also implies an attitude and social consciousness... a social obligation to work his best for the general welfare of the people, [an] obligation both material and spiritual.{{Cite book|title = The Art of Fine Tools|last = Nagyszalanczy|first = Sandor|publisher = Taunton Press|year = 2000|isbn = 1561583618|pages = 131}}

File:Mendel I 010 r.jpg|Armorer, 1425

File:Mendel II 072 r.jpg|Blacksmith, 1606

File:Mendel II 017 r.jpg|Bladesmith, 1564

File:Mendel II 086 r.jpg|Cooper, 1608

File:Mendel I 053 v.jpg|Dyer, 1433

File:Mendel I 164 r.jpg|Furrier, 1543

File:Glass furnace with workers Agricola 1580.jpg|Glassblowing, 1500s

File:Landauer I 082 r.jpg|Gunsmith, 1613

File:Landauer I 022 r.jpg|Hatter, 1533

File:Mendel I 021 r.jpg|Joiner, 1425

File:Mendel II 065 v.jpg|Locksmith, 1600

File:Mendel I 144 v.jpg|Nailsmith, 1529

File:Mendel II 071 r.jpg|Potter, 1605

File:Landauer I 088 v.jpg|Ropemaker, 1616

File:Mendel I 089 r.jpg|Saddler, 1470

File:Mendel I 154 r.jpg|Shoemaker, 1535

File:Landauer I 038 v.jpg|Stonemason, 1550

File:Mendel I 018 r.jpg|Tailor, 1425

File:Mendel I 092 r.jpg|Tanner, 1473

File:Landauer I 014 v.jpg|Weaver, 1524

File:Landauer I 034 r.jpg|Wheelwright, 1545

• Applied arts
• Artist
• Arts and Crafts movement
• Caste – Tarkhan
• Guild
• Handicraft
• Job security
• Tradesperson

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{{Commonscat|Artisans}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150106105638/http://www.whatisanartisan.com/what-is-an-artisan/history-of-artisans History of Artisans]
• {{wiktionary-inline|artisan}}

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Category:Arts occupations