Craftsmanship and the Teleology of Mastery: An Interview with an Austrian Luthier

Abstract

This article features an edited interview with Anna Wagner, an Austrian luthier, investigating core professional tensions within contemporary craftsmanship. The dialogue explores the teleology of artisanal practice against technological proliferation and market acceleration. Findings reveal Wagner’s definition of mastery as a humanist praxis where holistic process-comprehension fosters self-actualization, a framework directly opposing the fragmentation inherent in capitalist labor models. The luthier employs the “less is more” axiom as an ethical mandate to protect the historical integrity and intrinsic value of antique instruments. While embracing diagnostic technologies to enhance expertise, Wagner stresses that embodied, non-replicable knowledge remains paramount. The discussion concludes by identifying future challenges for material culture, particularly the necessity of developing pedagogical strategies for transferring tacit knowledge and transparent methods for validating qualitative value in the commercial sphere.