Italian Renaissance Style Majolica Centerpiece Bowl
This spectacular majolica pottery centerpiece was wheel thrown and hand painted by internationally renowned ceramics artist Francesca Niccacci in Deruta, Italy. The impressively large bowl is decorated in her signature Renaissance style drawn from her research into books, museums and exhibitions. It is said that Signora Niccacci has reinvented Italian Renaissance ceramics.
Francesca became an art teacher after obtaining her degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Perugia. Realizing she did not have time to pursue her ceramic arts, she quit teaching to establish her studio on the outskirts of Deruta in 1975, encouraged by her husband Amilcare. Each of her museum quality pieces are one of a kind and are prized by collectors worldwide.
This gorgeous bowl has a floral theme in rust, forest green and white, painted on a background of vibrant golden yellow. The handle on each side is composed of coiled loops in the same golden yellow washed with pale rusty brown.
The underside of the bowl is coated with the classic white tin glaze of majolica. It's signed "F. Niccacci Deruta. Italy Dip. A. Mano {short for Dipinto a Mano, which means hand painted}." The dry foot reveals the terracotta clay which was used to make the bowl. The original price tag of $648.00 is still attached. Online, her larger pieces sell for as much as $3640.00.
The piece measures 20 inches long from handle to handle and 18 inches front to back. To the top of the handles, it measures 6 inches tall, while to the top of the rim it's 4 1/4 inches tall. It weighs an amazing ten pounds and is in excellent condition, with a tiny pinprick hole in one of the coils of one handle the only flaw we found. (It's glazed over and shown in one of our photos.)
Since Francesca Niccacci's ceramic artworks are unique, you can rest assured that no one else will own this wonderful centerpiece bowl.
✯✯Please Note: The white spots are a reflection of lighting on the glossy surface.
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