Renaissance grotesques in Assisi

The Domus Propertius in Assisi,
a wonderful example of
Roman Art. 

By visiting the Roman homes you may be aware of where artists of all time took their inspiration for their patterns. In the long alley that takes to the "Viridarium" (tr. pleasure garden", see photo of a detail) of the Propertius' home in Assisi, it is possible to admire small frescoes in the shape of framed paintings as if it were a picture gallery. It is so modern that you may think of your home!

On the contrary to admire the original grotesques the place to go is the "Domus Aurea Neronis", the golden home of Nero in Rome. The story says that Renaissance artists like Raphael went to the home of Nero to get inspiration from its grotesques. Indeed the current ceramics pattern known as "Raffaellesco" comes from Raphael and the grotesques that he painted in the Vatican Rooms, specifically grotesques with dragons.

Grotesques in the Nero Home, where Raphael took
inspiration for his Renaissance grotesques. 

Currently in Rome there is an Exhibition about The Emperor Nero (from April 12th to September 18th 2011). The exhibition takes place in different places of the city including the Colisseum and where Nero actually lived. Funny enough I am thinking of the play on word of the famous computer program called "Nero burning". This is exactly what the exhitibion wants to do: rehabilitate the image of Nero, who was subject to a propaganda by the artistocracy of his time which has left an indelible mark about this emperor until today.

See also the official web site of the  Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities  and the official website of the Italian Archaeological Heritage which has organized the event along with the publisher Electa. Famous Italian scholars have contributed to the event. Worth the visit! 

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- Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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A blast of flowers in Eleonora's Rooms

Eleonora da Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici, Duchess of Florence
1522-1562. Portrait by artist Bronzino. 

The new Valentino's collections are a celebration of flowers and buds, a true spring blast.

They make me think of the beautiful hand-painted walls of the apartments of Eleonora da Toledo, wife of Cosimo I de' Medici.

The personal room of the Duchess was painted in green with wonderful details of birds, vines, flowers, and jewelry. 

Detail of the apartments of Eleonora da Toledo in Palazzo Vecchio

The theme of vines, flowers, and birds is not new to the Italian history of art. Indeed in a Roman home in Assisi called "Domus Propertius" it is possible to admire the so-called "Viridarium" (tr. pleasure garden). The Viridarium is part of a covered porch known as a crypto-porch. It is a recessed area framed in red and painted with vines, red flowers, and more than 90 different birds,  half the way of a long wall, and was meant to be a place for relaxation.

The "Viridarium" in the house of Propertius in Assisi

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Palazzo Vecchio is closed on Thursday afternoon and the "Domus Propertius" in Assisi is accessible four days a year under the celebrations of the week of Italian Heritage (weekends of 9-17 April 2011 this year ). At the Domus Propertius it is not possible to take photos. Accessible through a guided tour only. Archaeological site. 

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Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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Filiera Corta = Short chain for ceramics

The sign of a historical ceramics shop in Assisi, dated 1925. The original shop closed a few years ago. 

In the past 90 years foreign customers have been visiting Deruta to purchase their ceramics directly from the producers according to the endorsements of retail stores, located especially in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

As of the 1920s Deruta was mainly the furnace of important shops in Perugia and Assisi serving tourists visiting our region.We do not know what the number of visitors coming to Deruta was and preferring the short chain at that time. The ceramics tradition had been restored only at the end of the 19th century - after a long recession due to the Industrial Revolution - and the 1920s were very important years for Deruta. 

Nowadays of the original store in Assisi there is only the sign left. A few years ago the store was rented out to a fast food company. The store was located on the way to the Basilica and it had a special flavor. The windows were made of wrought iron in the liberty style. It was part of the history of Deruta. The ceramics store sign was made at the famous Ubaldo Grazia ceramics factory in Deruta by excellent painters. 

In recent years globalization has affected the quality of the the production of ceramics very badly. The shortest cuts took producers to other countries of production such as Rumania, Burgaria and China and to a lot of "do-it-yourself" producers. By visiting Assisi I notice Deruta style ceramics painted in Rumenia or China, decals, transferwares and lots of productions made by hobbyists, sometimes by the store owners themselves. This latter - they declare  - helps them survive. 

Doodle of Google dedicated to Italy: for a week open museums!

Under permission of Mibac -  www.facebook.com/MiBAC

Today in Italy the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities opened the 13th week of Italian heritage. National museums will be free until Sunday April 17th. 

A good opportunity for visitors and for Italians to experience beautiful memories of our famous past and wonderful works of art.

If you do not speak Italian, you may still visit the list of museums on line by clicking this link : on your right select the region of Italy you would like to visit. At the end of the article that will appear,  you will read the list of free national museums. 

Additionally on the day of your birthday you will have a free entrance to museums no matter if the week of Italian Heritage applies. 

Enjoy your time in Italy! I hope this information will be of help! Free information offices available in most cities in Italy. 

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April 9th - April 17th Week of Italian Heritage - Free national museums in Italy. 
(for future years the week may vary. Visit: www.beniculturali.it )

The hands of a special artist from Deruta

My mother Elena Niccacci was born and raised in Deruta. She started her career when she was only 11 years old by finding a paint brush in the streets of Deruta. She got interested in the art and fell in love with ceramics while climbing to the windows of the closest workshop near her home, where she would spend everlasting minutes watching the artists at work.

Elena has learned the art from another lady artist from Deruta. At that time pupils went to the houses of their teachers located downtown Deruta. Her teacher, Mrs.Giulia Furesco, who worked for the Grazia Factory, was like a mother for her. 

At the age of 14 she applied to be an apprentice at the "Ars Artigiana"  factory, a well known workshop which has stopped the production around the year 2000 and located on the way to downtown Deruta. She is very proud that she was always among the painters selected to make the samples for the fair in Milan.

When she got married to my father, Elena left "Ars Artigiana" to join "Cama Deruta"  early 1960s. At Cama she has made all the samples and the tracing papers that you have been admiring in the past 30 years in the United States without copying any other workshop. She has created her own style.

Elena is specialized in traditional Deruta patterns. At first glance it is hard to detect why her work is so beautiful. But with the passing of time, the comparison with other similar interpretations, you may notice the difference.

Her work  together with the help of her assistants has a consistency which is difficult for other workshops to achieve. Elena is a hard worker besides being creative and her hands talk for her. She is passionate about her art!

Congratulations for all the work you have done so far. We look forward to enjoying your art for more years to come.

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Elena Niccacci, owner of Cama since 1971. Photos of her hands. In 2009 she celebrated 60 years of work in the ceramics art. See her creations at www.camaderuta.com (photos will be completed asap).

Ars Artigiana Deruta: Ars stands for "Art" in English from the Latin Ars, Artis.
Cama is the acronym for Cooperativa Artigiana Maioliche Artistiche.

The Ghirlandaio Family: Renaissance Painters in Florence and Scandicci

On the left the plant of the "Rue",
in Latin "Ruta Graveolens".

Four weeks left before the end of a wonderful exhibition about the Ghirlandaio Family. So far I have visited the "Hospital of the Innocents" in Florence and I still want to go to Scandicci and follow a couple of guided tours included in the card that I purchased.

With only 5 euros you get to see several places in the city of Florence and in Scandicci.

The magnificent "Adoration of the Magi" by Domenico Ghirlandaio shown in the "Hospital of the Innocents" is particularly important to me because for the first time I have seen my lucky plant in a painting! An in what painting. It is gorgeous by dimensions and by beauty.

Why the "Rue"? Because the plant of the "Ruta" - which is the original name in Latin - inspires my company "Borgo de-Ruta" and its creations.

Gucci (my favorite Italian designer, although I do not own one piece of his collections) and Estra (my energy supplier) are among the sponsors of this art event.


"The Ghirlandaio Family Renaissance Painters in Florence and Scandicci" until May 1st, 2011 (closed on April 24th). The sites are not open every day. See more details on the website www.ghirlandaio.it.

The town of Deruta in the Renaissance

The ceramics table you may find at the entrance of the
Ceramics Museum of Deruta. 

An interesting article about the town of Deruta was written by Franco Cocchi some time ago for a local internet page.  He is one of the two ceramics experts we have in Deruta. The other expert is Giulio Busti. Cocchi describes very well how Deruta in the Renaissance was rich in furnaces, churches and banks. Derutese people liked the entrepreneurial risk,  the economy was very vivid and indeed towards the middle of the 1400s  the town of Deruta attracted  three Jewish banks with a population of one thousand people only: Jewish bankers could lend money with interests which was not allowed to the Christians. 

Pinturicchio, one of my favorite artists of the Renaissance.
The artist of the details. Visit the Cathedral of Siena to see
one of his masterpieces: Libreria Piccolomini. 

Deruta was the home of merchants, artists and powerful people, starting from the Baglioni family from Perugia who owned the castle of Deruta, Caterina Sforza and Cesare Borgia, artists like Pinturicchio, Perugino and other artists of their circle. 

A detail of the table above: Perugino as an major
inspiring artist for Deruta. He was born in Città della Pieve (PG). 

Ceramicists took part to the political and civilian life of the town, for them education and science were in high consideration and they had a strong personality and could take important decisions for the benefit of Deruta.




Link to the original article in Italian by Franco Cocchi