On Wed, 12 Nov 2003 00:04:08 -0800, Luigi Zanasi
wrote:

Originally, "Arte", in Italian, meant (and still means)
craft or trade. Like the "Arte della lana" in medieval Florence was
the trade guild regulating wool weaving and dyeing. A craftsperson or
independent tradesperson is still known as an "artigiano" (artisan) in
Italian, like my cousin who is a plumber (Sorry Tom).


Commedia del'Arte?


Regards, Tom
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker
Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania
http://users.snip.net/~tjwatson