Deruta Ceramics

Deruta ceramics are a milestone in the history of Italian pottery. They gained worldwide fame during the Renaissance thanks to their creative and qualitative excellence. Deruta pottery was much sought after by noblemen and rich merchants at the time. Now it is the highlight of world renowned Art Museums,  among them V&A London and NGA Washington.  
Deruta dinnerware and decorative pottery are still deservedly popular and many ceramicists keep the tradition alive. We selected for you the classic patterns of Deruta plates, Raffaellesco, Ricco Deruta, and our favorite geometric designs together with many other surprises we have in store for you!

Deruta's artists

Alvaro Binaglia
Deruta - Umbria

D&G Design
Deruta - Umbria

Eugenio Ricciarelli
Deruta - Umbria

Fima
Deruta - Umbria

Grazia
Deruta - Umbria

L'Antica Deruta
Deruta - Umbria

Know more about Deruta

Situated in the Umbria region, on a hill overlooking the Tevere river valley, Deruta was probably built upon Roman foundations. It’s name signifies the “ruin” of this strategic site caused by the 6th-century Gothic War.

The excellent quality of the local clay encouraged the production of Deruta pottery in the early Middle Age, but the artistic peak is to be found in the 15th and early 16th century. The experience of long lasting peace corresponded with the highest splendor in Deruta majolica production and with its commercial expansion. Favorable geographical and political conditions concentrated in Deruta a wide variety of technical and artistic experiences which combined into masterpieces of unique creative and quality level.

Worth mentioning are the figurative decorations on Deruta ceramics, the usage of new colors (blue, yellow and orange), and the lusterware, rich in golden, iridescent effects thanks to special glazes and a third firing. In the same period the shapes also evolved, losing their functional qualities to become purely ornamental. Ceramics and painting were considered equivalent in term of artistic and decorative standing and “piatti da pompa” (celebration plates), “coppe amatorie” (love standing bowls) and apothecary jars were common gifts at noble wedding and political meetings and their collection was a very sought for symbols of richness and power.
At the time fifty-two kilns were working inside the town walls and Deruta potters had already set up their own corporation and wrote their own statute, in order to safeguard the local product.

Deruta ceramics enjoyed 300 years of undisputed fame, always offering original contributions to the evolution of artistic tastes.
At the beginning of the XXth century a huge work of research and training has encouraged the revival of the Deruta pottery artistic tradition. Since then a lot of artists have found the right conditions to express their creativity and originality.

Nowadays Deruta is a charming little town, rich in ancient churches and buildings. It owns an Internationally renowned Museum of Ceramics, the ideal place to learn the evolution of Deruta ceramics shapes, patterns and techniques.
The production of pottery is still the main economic activity, with more than 200 laboratories and factories.

The large variety of designs having differing quality made our selection of Deruta pottery quite challenging. Our purpose was to represent its rich heritage without ever compromising quality.
Our Italian taste and our passion for quality ceramics were the criteria we used to select almost 700 pieces of pottery made in Deruta.

Below some highlights from our choice of Deruta ceramics:
  

Raffaellesco dinnerware by Fima	Deruta serveware by D&G
Geometric Deruta pottery	Renaissance style Deruta majolicas
Deruta tableware by Grazia	Deruta pottery by L’Antica Deruta