Highlights

by

Vetralla’s Last Potter

Sometimes, when I have some leisure time – not very often I’m afraid – I like to explore the neighborhood of Viterbo where I have been living for the past 5 years. I must admit that I still need to learn a lot about this rich area known as Etruria. Italian pottery artist Chello LalloIt is an untouched and charming area half way between Rome and Tuscany, where Etruscan and Roman heritage continue to live.

Well, as I said, I was driving on the Via Cassia when I decided to stop in Vetralla. My friend Mary Jane had told me about an old potter working there and I decided to pay him a visit. I’ll never thank her enough.

I had to stop a couple of times and ask for directions. I could not believe my eyes: the place I was looking for is a dark grotto on the hillside where the only light is from the doorway and a bare light bulb. Felice, the last “pilaro” (pot maker) in Vetralla, works there, just as his ancestors used to do.
Continue reading →

by

Italian Ceramics from Castelli – State Hermitage Museum Collection

February 5 – May 11, 2008
St Petersburg – Russia

Italian ceramic large albarello vase - Castelli 1735 - Private collectionThe awesome Italian majolicas from Castelli belonging to the Hermitage Fund have just returned to St Petersburg after a very successful tour in Italy.
The State Hermitage Museum will feature them in the Blue Bedroom of the Winter Palace until May 11th, 2008.

The Hermitage collection includes 77 works that were purchased in Italy by Russian art merchants on behalf of the Russian Tsars and other wealthy families between the 16th and the 17th century.
They had excellent taste: they bought pieces painted by the most talented masters in Castelli, such as Carmine Gentile, Carlo Antonio Grue, Pompeo de Bernamonte, Orazio Pompei, Francesco Antonio Grue, Nicola Cappelletti.

Continue reading →

by

Luigi Ontani –MAMbo: Museo d’Arte Moderna di Bologna

January 23 – May 4, 2008
Bologna – Italy

Bonaventurarte, 1998 - Ceramic - Collezione GropelloOne of the foremost Italian artists working today, Luigi Ontani (Italian, born in 1943) has redefined the image of the contemporary artist through his works. His installations, ceramic sculptures and tableaux vivants (living paintings) are a landmark in the history of performance art and photography.

Ontani describes his art as “the adventure I live as a person of art”.
As a matter of fact, he uses his own body as the medium for communication and by means of costumes and masks he assumes the fictional identities of his favorite heroes from mythology, fairytales, history and art history. He said: “I live this ambiguity with irony and aspiring to harmony. My art is the adventure I live on myself.”
As the subject of his art, Ontani can live art, create art, and express his love for art.

Continue reading →

by

Hey! That’s us!!! Look what they say about our Italian ceramics site.

We were just running an exciting tour over the Internet to find out how fast our popularity is improving when we stumbled upon this comment, posted here on Delicious.

eBay’s real competition — its customers

I have bought a few pieces of Italian ceramics on eBay from a seller named Tiziana. She just launched the phenomenal new website behind this link. If two moms in rural Italy can produce a site of this quality, eBay gets the first sale only. Big trouble.
Posted on Oct 02 2007

Continue reading →