The
Castelli majolica
An historycal and artistic synthesis
This production continued to the beginning of the
19th century with Gesualdo Fuina who specialized in decorations which were very like
miniatures. Today, in the most important museums in the world, it is possible to admire
the works of art made for European noble families in four centuries of Castellian
history:
from the hermitage in St. Petersburg to the Louvre in Paris and from the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Or, one can visit the Castelli ceramic museum situated
in the cloisters of an ancient convent just outside the town where display boards show the
working methods and fragments discovered during archeological
research. One kilometre from
the town stands the ancient icona (as small churches were once
called), of San Donato
whose modest appearance is deceptive as, on entering the church, one cannot help admiring
the trussed ceiling entirely decorated with sixteenth century polychrome bricks with
coats-of-arms, arabesques, human figures and animals painted on ceramic. For enthusiasts
there is a splendid book available and the catalogue of an international exhibition held a
few years ago which summarize the studies and multi-disciplinary research which has been
carried out for years on the Renaissance production of this centre.
Furthermore, soon the
famous Acerbo Collection will also be at the Castelli museum. This
Collection, based at
Loreto Aprutino, is one of the largest private collections of majolica and
will, at last,
be open to the public-again.
the
19th century with Gesualdo Fuina who specialized in decorations which were very like
miniatures. Today, in the most important museums in the world, it is possible to admire
the works of art made for European noble families in four centuries of Castellian
history:
from the hermitage in St. Petersburg to the Louvre in Paris and from the Victoria and
Albert Museum in London to the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
Or, one can visit the Castelli ceramic museum situated
in the cloisters of an ancient convent just outside the town where display boards show the
working methods and fragments discovered during archeological
research. One kilometre from
the town stands the ancient icona (as small churches were once
called), of San Donato
whose modest appearance is deceptive as, on entering the church, one cannot help admiring
the trussed ceiling entirely decorated with sixteenth century polychrome bricks with
coats-of-arms, arabesques, human figures and animals painted on ceramic. For enthusiasts
there is a splendid book available and the catalogue of an international exhibition held a
few years ago which summarize the studies and multi-disciplinary research which has been
carried out for years on the Renaissance production of this centre.
Furthermore, soon the
famous Acerbo Collection will also be at the Castelli museum. This
Collection, based at
Loreto Aprutino, is one of the largest private collections of majolica and
will, at last,
be open to the public-again.