Maiolica di Castelli Maestro ceramista Giovanni Simonetti...

The five centuries of Castelli’s ceramic art tradition are found again in the artisan workshop SIMONETTI, founded and directed by master ceramicist Giovanni Simonetti, who in 1967 took over an old workshop and began his activity using traditional systems such as the pedal-turned and the “breath-type” wood-fired kiln. The ceramic art of Castelli, in Abruzzo, has ancient origins, but it became famous in the Cinquecento (16th century). It was the fine craftsmanship of maioliche (maiolica), the lively decorations, but also the affordability of the products, due to innovative production systems, that made Castelli one of the most appreciated centers for this art, especially in the 17th century. Although Castelli is a small town in the province of Teramo, its role in the history of Italian maiolica is of the highest importance, especially in the period from the 16th to the 18th century. Ciro the Younger meets Lisandro, a work by Francesco Grue, Acerbo Collection of the Civic Museums of Loreto Aprutino The 16th-century church of San Donato in Castelli constitutes, together with the contemporary pharmaceutic ware called Orsini-Colonna, the ideal starting point for a later production that enjoyed enormous fame in Italy and abroad; so much so that one of the most important collections of Castelli ceramics is today housed at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. The Grue family was the one that stood out most among the workshops, becoming master and model to follow, with Carlo Antonio Grue as its most capable representative, along with his son Aurelio Anselmo. In the decorations initially only five colors were used, with all the various shades, with the absence of red, which was introduced at the end of the eighteenth century by Gesualdo Fuina of Loreto Aprutino. The museum was established in Castelli in 1984 to promote the culture and art of maiolica, to safeguard local history and traditions. The museum building is housed in the old convent of the Minorites of the Observants from the 16th century; the convent housed the friars until 1866, afterwards, after the suppression, it became a storage. In 1905 it housed the first headquarters of the State Institute of Art “Francesco Antonio Grue,” eventually becoming a museum. Divided into two floors, on the ground floor one can observe the Renaissance cloister surrounded by a cycle of frescoes from 1712, Baroque-inspired, with 21 lunettes depicting episodes from the life of Mary, Mother of Jesus; each lunette is interspersed with medallions portraying the faces of saints and blessed who have dedicated their lives to the religious work. The route proceeds through rooms where an ideal workshop of the 16th-17th centuries has been recreated to help visitors understand the manual work involved in producing each single piece by the Grue and Gentili families; it is possible to see old clay decanting vats, crushing, and the making of malleable clay, then the various shaping, glazing, and decorating techniques of the object, and finally the reproduction of the ancient kiln used for firing the artifact, called the “breath kiln.” Product deliveries are entrusted only to top carriers such as UPS, DHL, and BRT, with guaranteed delivery and insured. The price lists are publicly online. NOTE** Objects auctioned on Catawiki are subject to binding conditions for each bid. If a buyer does not make payment within three days of the auction closing (or immediately via 'Buy Now'), Catawiki may take action on their account. Specifically, it may suspend the ability to bid and purchase until due payments are settled. Additionally, non-payment may result in the cancellation of the sale; in some cases, the buyer may still have to pay the Buyer Protection fee. Until the buyer's account is suspended. Please note that if a buyer wins more than one lot, they will be required to pay the shipping for each lot separately to ensure the integrity of the material sent.

Estimation:€150

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