On Sunday 27th April the Montelupo Fiorentino club was the scene of the final of the Diamond League which attracted players from all over Tuscany. Fabrizio Torrini won with 77 shots, preceding Rudy Massini by virtue of a better final and Alessandro Ducceschi with equal shots. Alessandro Ducceschi (36) 'consoled himself' by winning in the first category, in the second victory for Antonio Collazzo (40) while in the third victory went to Michelina Cassese (40).
Reaching 100 is an excuse to do whatever one pleases. For Bitossi, its centenary was a milestone marked by opening an archival museum. Montelupo Fiorentino, a town celebrated for ceramic excellence on the outskirts of Florence
is the birthplace of Bitossi and the site where a former ceramics factory has been transformed into an exhibition space
“I wanted the historical collection to remain right where it had actually been created,” says Ginevra Bocini
art director and fourth-generation member of the Bitossi family
The result is a museographic collection of 7,000 ceramic pieces grouped in colourways on purpose-built fir shelves
“This is a space reclaimed as industrial archaeology that becomes a story in and of itself
documenting the past and the present of a company celebrating its centenary,” she explains
The collection—a selection of plaster models and forms, ceramics, work tools, photographs, and paper documents—is organized chronologically with groupings underlining particular moments and design collaborations: Rimini Blu by Aldo Londi and Totems by Ettore Sottsass are standouts
the layout “allows you to discover both how techniques of ceramics have evolved
and how the taste of society has changed.”
“The search for what I like to call the masters of the future is one of the aspects I love most about my work,” Bocini says
“I like to welcome designers to Bitossi to help them discover our world and initiate collaborations that bring light to new collections.”
Ceramics is a world characterized by assiduous study and ongoing experimentation with materials
Bitossi ceramics are distinguished by brightly coloured glazes and irregular textures—works of art sought out by collectors around the world
Photography by Delfino Sisto Legnani and Agnese Bedini
One of the capitals of ceramics meets one of the most visionary and appreciated Italian designers of the new generation
Palazzo Podestarile in Montelupo Fio rentino (Florence) will host a solo exhibition by Matteo Cibic (1983)
whose career bears witness to a strong tangency with ceramics that has led him to create several collections of iconic
promoted by the Fondazione Museo Montelupo
with the contribution of the Region of Tuscany in the regional program Toscanaincontemporanea2019
presents a selection of ceramic works among Matteo Cibic’s most significant and innovative ones.“This exhibition,” says Silvana Annicchiarico
“wants to stimulate a short circuit between the great artisanal tradition of Montelupese ceramics and the dreamlike
fantastic and surreal imagery of a young designer with an intimately contemporary gaze as Matteo Cibic is
Intensifying the relations and relationships between different languages and traditions
between functional and playful: I believe this is the most fruitful way to promote innovation and research today in the culturally and economically fertile territory that lies at the crossroads of art
The exhibition itinerary is divided into several stages
which generated a different collection each time
The heart of the exhibition is the Montelupo section
a series of never-before-seen objects made especially for this appointment with the Laboratorio Ceramiche d’Arte Dolfi of Ivana Antonini
one of the best-known ceramists in the area
enhancing and innovating the great Montelupese tradition
populated by fantastic animals made of 24-karat gold-plated ceramics
a series of plants and organic forms in ceramics
preserved under glass bells capable of ideally preserving their appearance in order to transmit them to posterity
These are prototypes that embody an idea of what plants might look like in the future
A kind of utopia of the future in which flora and fauna will self-produce processed materials to meet the various needs of humans
The Vasonaso project leads Matteo Cibic to create a collection of 365 vases
his vases are united by somatic or color characteristics and can be grouped by genealogical strains
gives it a defined personality and becomes the instrument of relationship with other vases.”
This is a real journey into Matteo Cibic’s surreal and metaphysical dreams amplified by the scenographic set-up he designed
The Catalogue published by All’Insegna del Giglio brings together for the first time all of Matteo Cibic’s ceramic work through unpublished photographs and numerous drawings
Matteo Cibic is an Italian designer and creative director
He is known for creating objects that are characterized by their hybrid functions and anthropomorphic
He works both using industrial processes and alongside small artisans; his works are produced for luxury brands
He has exhibited in Italian and international museums such as the Musée Pompidou in Paris
the Mudac - Museum of Contemporary Design and Applied Arts in Lausanne
as well as in events such as the Saint Étienne Design Biennale
and in galleries such as Rossana Orlandi in Milan
For all information you can visit the official website of the Montelupo Museum Foundation
“The Paradise of Dreams” Collection
Bitossi Archive Museum Montelupo Fiorentino Photo Delfino Sisto Legnani Agnese Bedini
Bitossi is marking its centenary by setting up its own Archive Museum in Montelupo Fiorentino
The Australian digital magazine Yellowtrace reports on the project: an opportunity to retrace the history of Florentine ceramics and excellent design
which has always been highly regarded on the Florentine ceramic scene
is marking its centenary by opening the Bitossi Archive Museum at Montelupo Fiorentino
laying open the company’s vast industrial archive to the public
the space measures 1,500 m2 and preserves the original structure of the spaces
The museum contains some seven thousand pieces
all donated by professional and private people in a bid to create an educational
The items are displayed on open firwood shelving
and arranged in chronological and typological order
with dedicated areas for historic pieces such as the coloured Rimini collection by the famous creative director of Bitossi
along with the Totems by Ettore Sottsass and Mimmo Paladino’s Sleepers and Crocodile
describes the result as an immersive experience
The layout – which leads to the company showroom showcasing the latest collections in the catalogue – has also been conceived to change with time if need be
and so the last shelf of the exhibition space is empty
waiting to be filled with new collaborations
It is a unique opportunity to view the most important designs (in ceramic) of each era
Arik Levy and Fabio Novembre; right up to the latest generations
Read full article
Calia Italia’s is a family history closely bound up with the values of its region
The leading international furnishing and design industry event will be back at Fiera Milano Rho from 21st to 26th April next year
mute and earthen shades inspired by nature
imaginative variations on interlacing cords or fibers: these are the salient features of the outdoor offerings presented at the fair by companies in the sector
The leading authority for the Architecture & Design community
Recharge in a Restored Spanish Farmhouse in Menorca
courtesy of the Artists Rights Society (ARS)
produzione Galleria Marina Barovier e Galleria Bischofberger
You don't have permission to access the page you requested
What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed
An inspection by the president of the Region of Tuscany
was held yesterday afternoon at the Villa Medicea dell’Ambrogiana
in the municipality of Montelupo Fiorentino: the historic Medici mansion could in fact become one of the venues of the Uffizi diffusi project
which aims to bring works from the collection of the Florence museum to the territory
The sumptuous 16th-century villa is currently unused
later transformed into a judicial psychiatric hospital in the 1970s
and remained so until 2017 (for a time the most important rooms remained open to visitors by reservation).Currently the villa is in the availability of the State Property Agency
which precisely in 2017 signed a memorandum of understanding with the Municipality of Montelupo Fiorentino and the Region of Tuscany with the aim of enhancing the Medici complex
remarked on the need to envision a broader memorandum of understanding connected to the Uffizi Diffusi project
which could kick off a major recovery effort for the Ambrogiana
who reiterated how the idea of the Uffizi Diffusi comes from afar and mentioned the works that could find a home in Montelupo
“The idea of the Uffizi Diffusi,” he said
but that of Cosimo I de’ Medici and Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici
tied the Medici heritage to Tuscany and its capital
and this idea will allow us to give visibility to the many works preserved in our deposits
which will be able to return to their original places
Here at the Ambrogiana between 1600 and 1700 there were hundreds of works
and this is the right place to bring them back
Ours starts precisely from the rebirth of two symbolic places: the Villa dell’Ambrogiana and the Villa di Careggi
By enriching the collections with works that can tell the story of the place
with Ferdinand I and Cosimo III de’Medici
The idea of the Uffizi Diffusi is ancient and we can finally actualize it
I am not discouraged and I believe that the conditions are in place to achieve this important goal in a relatively short time
In these years something is moving and so we are committed to speeding up the timetable
aware that there are interventions to be made on the villa; for this reason we are already at work to prepare the projects and start the activity of finding financing.”
the Ambrogiana is “a beautiful Medici villa
the only one with direct access to the Arno
after having been for years the site of a judicial psychiatric hospital
to a more appropriate function: a place suited to host beauty
We fully share the idea proposed by Eike Schmidt of the Uffizi being no longer just the Gallery of Florence
has managed to turn the spotlight on this place and on the future of the Villa as one of the central locations of the Uffizi Diffusi
I must say that together with Schmidt we share the goal of realizing this project
which represents the most classic example of what the Uffizi Diffusi are
Among the many proposals for venues that will be able to house the Gallery’s unexhibited works
the Ambrogiana represents the most emblematic example
Today’s meeting is an important step on the path to arrive at a memorandum of understanding that will concretize this idea for which Eike Schmidt will go down in history
the Villa di Careggi and the Terme del Corallo in Livorno are three cornerstones of the project
Obviously the intervention that can start first is the one in Careggi
but I am also optimistic about Montelupo.”
According to the mayor of Montelupo Fiorentino
the Uffizi Diffusi project has the merit of revitalizing an entire territory
and the Ambrogiana can also be an attractor for all the municipalities in the area
“This is about changing the approach to culture
enhancing the entire Tuscan system and increasingly connecting the territories; Florence will continue to play its role as a major attractor and from this project all the territories will be able to benefit from it in a perspective of mutual collaboration
with a special eye to the tourist flows that sooner or later will return to move
this is an important cultural operation: to disseminate Tuscany with art and beauty
One of the focal points will be precisely Montelupo with its Ambrogiana
a place that for years represented detention
and Brenda Barnini mayor of Empoli and metropolitan deputy mayor gives even more body to this vision: we are used to cooperating and supporting strategic projects seamlessly
I believe this is the strength of our area
Indispensable presences are definitely the State Property Office that owns the property and the Superintendency a crucial interlocutor in this operation
I really thank Eugenio Giani for identifying the recovery of the Ambrogiana as the symbol of the Uffizi Diffusi
Of course I am grateful to Eike Schmidt for the idea he is developing and for the work he is doing day after day
I believe that all together we can really do great things.”
Photo: the Villa Medicea dell’Ambrogiana. Ph. Credit
The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden
it creates a series of connections that range from culture toeconomics
from history to the everyday life of an entire population; it becomes itself a testimony to a past that must be studied and deepened in order to know its roots and admire it with different eyes in the present
An example of this is one of the masterpieces
of a museum deeply linked to its territory
the Museum of Ceramics of Montelupo Fiorentino: we are talking about the Rosso di Montelupo
the sum work of the activity most settled in this place
traces of ceramics have been witnessed in the settlements of the Middle Valdarno Fiorentino area: this highlights how the entire area has always been inextricably linked to ceramics and inevitably
allows us to understand the various epochs
of pottery production and all the economic and commercial aspects that followed over time
Certainly the Montelupese economy was supported by neighboring Florence since
relying on the growing production of ceramics
it had relied on the Florentine mercantile system in order to get its goods outside its territory
Especially following Florence's conquest of Pisa
Montelupo had transformed its workshops into enterprises aimed at extra-regional exports: access to the sea was in this way favored by the Arno river route
through which Montelupese finished products reached the Pisan port and from there to Livorno
The overbearing Florentine determination had even crushed the intense production of Pisan majolica
had been forced to turn to a new production so as not to create impediments to Florence: that of engobed pottery
which was widespread on the banks of the Arno River
to wait for Montelupese potters and trading companies
which had begun to form among potters and merchants
to embark and transport goods at rather cheap costs to the Pisa and Livorno docks
From these latter ports Montelupo ceramics were again embarked on ships that sailed across the entire Tyrrhenian Sea to Sicily and even to the Mediterranean East
which occurred especially from the first half of the fifteenth century onward
A real turning point: from a simple "walled land," Montelupo Fiorentino had become a privileged center of production for the dominant Florence
Written records testify that in the second half of the 15th century Florentine capital was being employed in Montelupese ceramic enterprises
To gain a better understanding of what the proportions of the channels for the diffusion of Montelupese majolica were at the end of the 15th century
in a notarial deed of 1490 stipulated between Francesco Antinori and twenty-three master potters of Montelupo we read that Antinori was to undertake to purchase for a period of three years
at agreed prices for three different types
the entire ceramic production of those who had intervened in the deed and their relatives; in return the twenty-three potters were to work for these three years exclusively for Francesco Antinori
The expansion of Montelupese products is even attested at archaeological sites in London
the peak of Montelupese ceramic activity was reached between 1480 and 1510
a period in which we witness the birth of a new language
characterized by a strong pictorial realism and accentuated polychromy
From the strict monochromatic blue color scheme
with which diluted cobalt blue allows glimpses of white enamel in the backgrounds
typical of the Islamic-influenced decorative style
there is a shift to a gradually richer chromaticism: pale copper-green
coinciding with theemergence of the new language of the Renaissance
presumably obtained from the same raw material with which the potters of Ä°znik (ancient Nicaea
Turkey) made the samplings of a relief tone of red
The latter raw material arrived in small quantities at the Valdarno kilns from the same Florentine companies that by then traded Montelupese majolica and was used only in the case of repasses
where a considerable amount of this particular pigment can be seen
We can define these three phases of monochrome
cold palette and polychrome as the three major phases of both chronological and formal development of the so-called damask
considered the genre in which we witness in full terms the decorative influence of Islamic matrix in the production of painting and ceramics
the first two phases explicate the true development of the genre
from the depiction of sumptuously dressed horses and falconers
from the depiction of young men engaged in the exchange of sweet amorous effusions in gardens of delight and from the symbolism of virtue showing the affirmation of international Gothic
we come to an extreme realism with figures to which values and functions are attributed
coats of arms and symbols stand out in the center of the ceramics and are divided from the marginal parts often by a stylized garland
There is thus a development of the tendency to exalt the main subjects
and to seek an appropriate graphic frame as a contour to the central figures
with the belief that not only the main figure but also the surrounding space contributes to the expression of this desired realism
ovals and rhombuses are among the main outline motifs found on the ceramics
And it was during the first twenty years of the sixteenth century that Montelupese ceramists put themselves excellently to the test
depicting the large poppy flowers in monochrome blue from China and the oriental knots woven and luminized with the use of graffitura
and approaching the Ä°znik ceramics characterized by that bright
All this knowledge about the various stages of working techniques and the different types of decoration in Montelupo ceramics stems from an extraordinary discovery made in 1973
a year that marked a real turning point in terms of our knowledge of the history of Montelupese clay activity
During a simple urban redevelopment project in the area of the town known as "del castello," where the first settlement of considerable size had sprung up on the hill of Montelupo
a number of public wash houses had been discovered that were used in the past by the residents of that area
these were to be demolished in order to build a small square at that spot
which would begin a work of urban renewal and decorum
turned out to be a treasure: inside it was kept a huge quantity of fragments of majolica tiles of various types
Faced with such a discovery it was impossible to remain indifferent
to cover it up and not be aware of the richness of those fragments
evidence of the history of ceramic production in that area
the so-called "washing well," as the precious well found was called
was the subject for the duration of about two years of a real exploration of its interior by emptying it to a depth of about two meters
What for the residents of the past constituted a large furnace drain
in 1973 and the years immediately following
represented an extraordinary historical record to begin collecting
supported by a comprehensive knowledge of the pottery
was able to lead to an understanding of the fictile trade flows and the dating of the archaeological deposits
With the discovery of the "pozzo dei lavatoi," Montelupo Fiorentino was introduced to medieval archaeology
had been officially born in Italy with the publication of the two-volume work Storia della maiolica di Firenze e del Contado written by Galeazzo Cora: a wide audience of scholars and even readers had become interested in the history of Florentine majolica in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries
As a result of the wise decision to have the artifacts found remain in the Montelupo area and to consolidate that research and restoration activity that had been created around the majolica fragments of the washhouse well thanks also to the establishment of the "Archaeological Group of Montelupo," it had come to the inauguration in 1983 of the first Museum of Ceramics and the Territory
set up in the former mayor's palace of Montelupo
divided into only four rooms that housed a scarce collection of fragments
it had become necessary to move to the large building of the former elementary school in Montelupo
the new and present-day Museum of Ceramics is being unfolded
Today more than a thousand ceramics are on display here
but it could be said that the continuous research activity bears fruit almost daily
thus constantly enriching the collections already present
A de facto museum consisting mostly of archaeological artifacts from the recovery of materials taken from the discharges of local kilns in the historic center of Montelupo
Walking through the exhibition halls of the Museum of Ceramics is a journey of discovery of the oldest and most productive activity of the place
rooted in this territory for centuries and centuries
As a succession of all the collections preserved here
arranged in special showcases subdivided by chronology and by theme
you cannot help but be enraptured by so much beauty and craftsmanship
by the various designs and figures that with great skill have been imprinted on the shining majolica
and reflect on how much time has passed since their creation
almost impossible to believe because of the state of preservation in which they are found
They range from the earliest archaic majolica to sapphire
from engobe and graffito to metallic luster
adorning the most varied objects such as basins
it is fun during the visit to recognize the animals
mythological or scenes that refer to the everyday life of that time
It is a bit more complicated to recognize the coats of arms belonging to the different families
but it is sufficient to read the ever-present captions related to each object on display
A very valuable aid to the visit is provided by large explanatory panels that mark each sector of the museum and make the exploration of this museum site understandable to all visitors
However, the work that more than any other on display here provokes reactions of wonder and amazement whenever one encounters it and inevitably pauses to admire it in all its beauty is precisely the so-called Red of Montelupo, a work-symbol of the museum, to which almost an entire room is dedicated. It is a medium-brim flat basin, with a diameter of 38 centimeters, made in 1509 in the workshop of Lorenzo di Piero Sartori
one of the most significant and active Montelupese workshops
characterized by the initials "Lo" on its products
Its name is due to that red pigment-the color that immediately jumps out at the eye-mentioned earlier
which refers to the precious and stupendous Ä°znik majolica
which by the effect of fire becomes a blood red and lacquered
Local artisans used it in third firing in small quantities
but in the case of Montelupo Red one can see extensive use of such a pigment
a trait that makes it very vivid and pleasing to the eye
is a kind of cameo of blue color within which is depicted a small putto's head between two cornucopias
on which appears a basket of fruit on which rests a large bird
This is followed by a part on a red background decorated in a grotesque pattern depicting putti heads
called "ricasco," which is the area where the brim and bottom of the basin join
is decorated with a trophy band consisting of shields
and two plaques on which the inscription SPQR appears
Much more elaborate is the brim of the work
ornamented following two different compositions that alternate with each other
One consists of a pair of putti: both hold a string of pearls with one hand and with the other hand a kind of staff that has a dolphin's head on top
the space is divided horizontally into two parts: in the lower
a crab is depicted holding a plaque with its claws
referring the latter to the Florentine people; in the upper
a stylized vase stands from which the string of pearls held by the two putti departs
The other composition of the brim consists of a pearl-like head on a blue background that appears to be emitting a cry: under this appears a plaque on which is inscribed the date 1509
while in the upper section sampled in yellow are depicted trophies and ribbons
that the masterpiece completed in Sartori's kiln is an unparalleled combination of grotesque decoration
for the realization of which the most varied compositions and elements
blood red to which the work is named and whose composition still remains mysterious
Although it is thought to be arsenic-rich manganese oxide imported from Anatolia
The grotesque decoration on an orange background would create a connection with Sienese production of that period
as the Sienese were wont to use grotesques
but there is no doubt that the Rosso di Montelupo is a product of the Sartori kiln
one of the most illustrious and renowned Montelupese potters
not only because of the unmistakable initials "Lo" on the back
but also because of the discovery of fragments with grotesque decoration on yellow and orange backgrounds made by Sartori himself and found in the drain of his kiln
The shape of the basin itself was a novelty for the time: it was a new
even though Sartori had been inspired in part by the basins of aquarelle and metal used to collect the water that came down from the pitcher for washing hands
The famous basin was part of the collection of the Rothschilds of Paris
an important family of art and antiquities collectors and patrons for generations and generations; it belonged precisely to Gustave de Rothschild
the basin had later passed to another Parisian collector
from whom the City of Montelupo purchased it in 2002 with the specific intention of donating it to the museum
Now it can be contemplated in the Montelupo Museum of Ceramics: from Paris the precious work has proudly returned to its homeland
Admiring the Montelupo Red is an exaltation of sight and a tribute to the most productively and qualitatively rich and intense era in the history of Montelupo ceramics
as well as to one of the most prominent workshops of the time
Our newspaper has officially become media partner of the Museo Diffuso Empolese Valdelsa (MuDEV)
a museum system that brings together twenty-one museums in eleven municipalities in the heart of Tuscany: Capraia e Limite
Montelupo Fiorentino Montespertoli and Vinci
Finestre sull’Arte will therefore have an eye on what happens in the museums of this corner of Tuscany: the agreement
will last for a year.We have decided to become a media partner of MuDEV because we are convinced that the principles that inspire our project are in line with the goals that MuDEV sets for itself: as scientific director Cinzia Compalati reminded us at the time of her appointment
it is about involving the community in museum practices
weaving relationships and talking to different audiences
even those who do not frequent museums and cultural settings
MuDEV is a project about an area that relies on a valuable heritage that is almost intact and waiting to be explored by a steadily growing public
we will continue to do our “traditional” work: doing quality dissemination to let our audience discover the artistic excellence of the territory
we invite you to like the official Facebook page of the Museo Diffuso Empolese Valdelsa
and to become followers of the Instagram account: every day curiosities
news and images from the twenty-one museums that make up the MuDEV
Capraia and Limite: Shipbuilding and Rowing Exhibition Center Castelfiorentino: Museum of Santa Verdiana
BeGo Museum Benozzo Gozzoli Cerreto Guidi: MuMeLoc - Museum of Local Memory Certaldo: Casa di Boccaccio
Museo del Chiodo Empoli: Museo della Collegiata
MUVE - Museo del Vetro Fucecchio: Civic Museum Gambassi Terme: Permanent exhibition of glass Montaione: Jerusalem of San Vivaldo
Civic Museum Montelupo Fiorentino: Museum of Ceramics
Archaeological Museum Montespertoli: Museum of Sacred Art
Museum of Vine and Wine Vinci: Museo Leonardiano