Gorgeous antique 19th century Cantagalli Italian maiolica pottery bowl in gold lustre with a Renaissance or even Islamic inspired design. The lustre has a wonderful iridescence of bright yellow, cobalt blue and gold with white.
The bowl has a wonderful fluted rim, and delicate, spiral twisted, decorative handles either side highlighted in yellow/gold.
The famous Cantagalli cockerel symbol is hand-painted on base in blue.
Cantagalli Ceramics:
The Cantagalli kiln, founded in the 15th century by Antonio Cantagalli in Florence, Italy, produced beautiful ceramics.
In the 19th century the Cantagalli family began to reproduce 14th, 15th, and 16th century maiolica. Those prized pieces themselves became collectors items.
Cantagalli ceramics can be found in the Bargello museum in Florence, the Louvre in Paris, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Maiolica is Italian terracotta, a fired red clay, decorated and coated with an opaque glaze. Its origins are Arabic, and it was imported to Tuscany in the 12th century. As a hand-made craft, pieces show anomalies in shape, colour, and surface texture.
This beautiful bowl is in good condition with tiny incisions consistent with the making and original firing. There are a few very old, minor, chips around edge of bowl but really hardly noticeable.
The pattern reminds me of William De Morgan designed ceramics, 19th century Arts & Crafts designer and great friend of William Morris. This might be because Ulisse Cantagalli was a great friend of De Morgan.
In fact, the event that more than any other contributed to the International success of Cantagalli was his celebrated friendship with William de Morgan, Britain’s most talented and most admired pottery and tile designer of his period and still highly collectible today.
About Ulisse Cantagalli:
Ulisse Cantagalli was a superb artist and an even better businessman.
Not much of him is known before 1878 when he took over the family factory in Florence and started to produce highly decorative Italian ceramics in the Renaissance style. At the time the taste for this kind of pottery was a very hot trend in English speaking countries.
He devoted his artistic energy to the understanding of the techniques and the designs of the old masters from Gubbio, Deruta, Urbino and other important ceramic centres.
His ability to master the ruby and golden luster techniques of Mastro Giorgio Andreoli brought the factory to fame, particularly in Britain.
The passion for Italian pottery and its role in the success of Cantagalli’s factory is described in an article published in the New York Times in 1879, titled “The Making of Majolica: A Florence Pottery Factory”.
De Morgan crucially introduced him to influential collectors in England and US and encouraged him to participate in International exhibitions. In a short time, Cantagalli works were highly regarded around the world where they remain popular with collectors today.
Cantagalli died in 1901. His wife and daughter continued to operate the factory in Florence.
In 1934 they sold it together with the Cantagalli’s trademark to Amerigo Menegatti, former artistic director of the factory.
The economic turmoil following World War II forced Menegatti to a step change in production. He began to offer more utilitarian items, which still bore the famous cockerel that collectors find so appealing. The pottery is no longer in production.
Measurements:
H 6cm
Diameter 20cm
This is a wonderful, decorative bowl. I cannot find another of this design and colours.
Overall both in good condition. A fabulous display piece with a rich and important history.
Please check out my shop for an equally beautiful Cantagalli cup and saucer set.
It will be carefully packaged.