Italian Majolica Pitcher

This old Italian Majolica pitcher displays the influence of Art Nouveau design, and it could be from that era or slightly later, but it is distressed and lovely. The shape is a classical form, and the colors are rich and gorgeous: cobalt blue, antimony yellow, iron red, copper green, and manganese purple. The pitcher is made in the recognizable style of the famed Mancinelli family, which has operated a pottery workshop since the 1800s and is considered one of the most important and innovative ceramic studios in the Deruta region. Majolica tin-glazed earthenware technology was introduced by the Moorish Spain viathe island of Majorca and was integrated in the Italian ceramics workshops starting at the 14th century. Majolica, sometimes called maiolica, is an Italian tin-glazed pottery technology dating from the Renaissance and characterized by bright colors decoration on a white background. The surface is punctuated with "sgraffito," which means the design is "scratched" or etched into the piece, a method that has been practiced for centuries. The item is signed on the bottom. Measures about 6-1/2" in diameter but close to 8" across the handle and is about 7" tall. Weighs just under two pounds unpacked. Several flakes in the glaze. From the Old World to your home.