The history of Deruta and its artistic influences in Assisi and Rome

Store ceramic sign in Assisi dated 1923. 

The history of Deruta is much related both to Assisi and Rome for different reasons.

First of all the latest discovery about the Deruta ceramic tradition is a document stating that the first ceramics delivery was to a convent in Assisi in 1282 (water and wine pitchers).

Secondly, Assisi has always been one of the best shop windows for Deruta ceramics. Stores in Assisi have been floridly filled with Deruta ceramics for decades, setting the trend for souvenir shopping.

Rome was more inspiring to Deruta from the point of view of the art itself. When we think of Rome and Deruta ceramics, we think of the Vatican rooms painted by Raphael with classical grotesques and of the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo. The ceramic art tradition of Deruta reached its best expression in the Renaissance period because it was inspired by great Renaissance artists.

Milan and Perugia were other Deruta shopping towns. In the 1920s major Deruta workshops opened here their own stores there. Indeed the 1920s were a second Renaissance period for arts & crafts in Europe. They were a moment of glory especially for Deruta, whose path towards a ceramic art revival had started at the end of the 1800s. 

Within this time frame, we would like to remember the guest artist David Zipirovic (Kherson, Ukraine 1885- Moscau, Russia 1946), who worked in Deruta between 1923 and 1927. He accepted the invitation of the factory "Società Anonima Maioliche Deruta" and greatly contributed to bringing back the Renaissance ceramic tradition in Deruta. David Zipirovic was specialized in the ceramic reproduction of works of art of the most important Renaissance artists such as Michelangelo, Raffaello, Pinturicchio, Perugino. David Zipirovic had learned the Renaissance painting techniques as a student at the Academy of Beaux-Arts in Paris and as an art grant holder in Rome.

David Zipirovic widely encouraged the tradition of the so-called "tracing paper" on ceramics,  a technique that was in use in the Renaissance period to transfer the works of art from paper to the walls. As a curiosity, upon restoration of the Sistine Chapel in the years 1980-1994 close-ups of the frescoes showed the use of nails to trace the outline of the scenes upon application of cardboards. In Deruta nails were replaced by needles and cardboards were replaced by tissue papers. 

example of a tracing paper from Deruta, Italy - dots allow the charcoal to leave a trace on the
ceramic surface by using a pouch. The best painters will do the outline with the finest brushes. Charcoal is not fire-resistant, this is why it is necessary to outline the dot lines by the use of water paints. Michelangelo used this technique in Rome in the Sistine Chapel.

Mr. David Zipirovic was very well welcomed in Deruta and had many followers. One of his best pupils born in Deruta was Mr. Cesare Teobaldo Pimpinelli (Deruta, Italy 1909 - Gualdo Tadino, Italy 1991). Cama Deruta was proud to have Mr. Cesare Teobaldo Pimpinelli as a guest artist early 1970s. He painted beautiful Renaissance collection plates - such as the herewith following example - which are now part of the private collection of the Renato and Elena Niccacci family, owners of Cama Deruta.

Reproduction of the Prophet Zachary from the Sistine Chapel, original by Michelangelo Buonarroti. By Cesare Teobaldo Pimpinelli, citizen of Deruta and pupil of David Zipirovic.

In 2000 a beautiful art book about David Zipirovic was published by Giulio Busti and Franco Cocchi: "David Zipirovic a Deruta. Maioliche 1923-1927" (tr."David Zipirovic in Deruta. Ceramic pieces from 1923 to 1927") published by  CENTRO DI della Edifini s.r.l. Florence. Also catalogue of the exhibition held in the same year at the one-time factory premises of the "Società Anonima Maioliche Deruta",  popularly known as "Fabbrica Grande" (tr. "the big factory"), which is nowadays the seat of Deruta middle school.

Cover of the book "David Zipirovic a Deruta. Maioliche 1923-1927" 

I did this research upon request of a Cama customer, Theresa J.,  who expressed the wish to know more about this subject.

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Original Posts by Roberta Niccacci -

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