Master craftsman

A master craftsman (sometimes called only master or grandmaster) was a member of a guild. In the European guild system, only master craftsmen were allowed to actually be members of the guild.

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An aspiring master would have to pass through the career chain from apprentice to journeyman before he could be elected to become a master craftsman. He would often have to produce a sum of money and a masterpiece before he could actually join the guild. Becoming a master was often very hard.

Related Topics:
Apprentice - Journeyman - Masterpiece

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In many guilds the master craftsman had strict obligations, one of which was to take on an apprentice (or several depending on the craft) to ensure the survival of the guild.

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Today Florida State University has a special Master Craftsman Program to train artists in handcrafts.

Related Topics:
Florida State University - Master Craftsman Program - Artists

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In Germany, while guilds have been abolished there as well, the ranks of apprentice, journeyman and master craftsman have been retained until today.

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