April 5-19, 2009
Nove – Italy

Each year the Museum of Ceramics in Nove celebrates Easter with an exhibition of Ceramic Eggs made by Italian pottery artists.
There is no limit to the freedom of the artist in creating their egg-shaped works, and the results are often beyond expectations, as you can see from our short selection of pieces on display last year.

The exhibition will start next Sunday, in the Sala Fabris of the Museum and it’ll be open Sat/Sun and on holidays 10 am – 12.30 pm and 3.30 – 7.00 pm.

The egg is a worldwide symbol of the start of new life, rebirth and new beginnings.

The tradition of exchanging decorated eggs started with the ancient Persians, who painted them to celebrate the Spring Equinox. So did the Egyptians, the ancient Greeks and the Chinese. The Jewish have been using eggs to celebrate the Passover, a holy day – also falling in Spring – commemorating the exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt.

The legend says that the egg became a traditional Christian symbol with Mary Magdalene. Following the death and resurrection of Jesus, she left Jerusalem and set off to preach in pagan Rome. There she visited the Emperor Tiberius. She told him the story of Jesus’ life, of his miracles and of his execution. Then she held a plain egg in her hand and exclaimed: “Christ is risen!”. Tiberius laughed and said that
no one could rise from the dead, anymore than the egg she held could turn red. Miraculously, the egg immediately began to turn red as a testimony to her words.

Ever since a decorated egg has been the symbol of the Resurrection of Christ, life after death, celebrated in Italy under the name of Pasqua, from the Jewish word pasch meaning Passover.
At first, in addition to real eggs, wooden and bone eggs were also used to decorate the house and make precious gifts. Later on glass, ivory, textiles, metals and gemstones became commonly used materials. In the 18th century, the first porcelain eggs were made together with ceramic eggs.

In Italy, we celebrate Easter mostly with chocolate eggs.
Any kind of them: colorful foil-wrapped eggs or finely chiseled hand-made eggs, dark or milk chocolate, with or without a surprise hidden inside …

They are a must on every Easter table for the joy of children and adults together with the Colomba, an excellent cake in the shape of a dove, the symbol of peace.