Ceramics in Tuscany
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
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Tuscany is one of the Italian regions famous for excellent craftsmanship. A place where tradition, creativity and aesthetic sense have given rise to objects of great beauty. Among these forms of craftsmanship we cannot fail to mention majolica, terracotta and porcelain, whose art is ancient and still today are a distinctive sign of the cultural tradition of this extraordinary region. Ceramics have in fact become one of the symbols of Tuscany in the world. Some cities, in particular, have a centuries-old tradition in working with clay; places where even today the raw material is shaped and decorated by skilled hands, producing objects of high quality and great aesthetic value.
Already in the Etruscan era, valuable ceramics were produced in Tuscany, a tradition that continued in Roman times. This legacy was resumed in the medieval and post-medieval age by the artisan shops and from here exported throughout the Mediterranean Sea. It was above all Florence and Siena that boasted a long and important tradition in this sector.
One of the Tuscan cities where it is still possible to see the craftsmen at work in the processing of clay and the production of beautiful ceramics and majolica is Asciano, which preserves a long tradition of craftsmanship. Some of the ancient ceramics made in this town are preserved in European museums.
One of the Tuscan cities where it is still possible to see the craftsmen at work in the processing of clay and the production of beautiful ceramics and majolica is Asciano, which preserves a long tradition of craftsmanship. Some of the ancient ceramics made in this town are preserved in European museums.
The town of Impruneta, a few kilometers from Florence. it is certainly among the most famous places for the production of ceramics and terracotta. Here for centuries, thanks to the presence of clay, dozens of furnaces have been working to give life to splendid ceramic objects. Clay in this area has particular characteristics: it is very rich in iron, very malleable and at the same time elastic and resistant. It was in Impruneta that Brunelleschi fired the bricks used in the construction of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.
Another town famous for ceramics is Montelupo Fiorentino, near Florence, which developed in the Middle Ages thanks to the processing of clay and which reached its maximum splendor in the fifteenth century. A visit to the local Museum of Ceramics allows you to take a journey into the artisan tradition of this place which, starting from the processing of clay, passes through the decoration and finally the firing in the furnaces. A walk in the historic centre of Montelupo Fiorentino and along the Ceramic Route offers the opportunity to visit some interesting workshops, where artisans work with great skill creating precious and high quality artifacts.
The Ceramic Route starts right from Montelupo Fiorentino and crosses a vast territory on the outskirts of Florence. This allows us to embark on a journey to discover the history of these places so strongly linked to the processing and trade of ceramics. The Montelupo Ceramic Route project also aims to be an opportunity to enhance the quality of the ceramic production in these places, as well as its protection. In fact, those who buy a product from companies adhering to the Ceramic Route are guaranteed to have an authentic product, handcrafted in Montelupo Fiorentino area.
Last but not least, Sesto Fiorentino, not far from Florence, is another important and renowned place for the production of ceramics and can boast a long tradition dating back to the time of Etruscans and Romans. Among the historical manufactories of Sesto Fiorentino we remember the Ginori Manufacture, founded around 1737, one of the oldest European porcelain manufactories. Currently there are about 90 companies operating in the area that continue an ancient tradition in their laboratories.
Last but not least, Sesto Fiorentino, not far from Florence, is another important and renowned place for the production of ceramics and can boast a long tradition dating back to the time of Etruscans and Romans. Among the historical manufactories of Sesto Fiorentino we remember the Ginori Manufacture, founded around 1737, one of the oldest European porcelain manufactories. Currently there are about 90 companies operating in the area that continue an ancient tradition in their laboratories.