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