Vase with "Beauty" in garden in flower

The decorations covering this vase date back to the first half of the Sixteenth century and can be ascribed to Guido Martini's workshop, which was active in Urbino under the patronage of the Della Rovere Dukes. Branch patterns, dolphins and plant festoons transform the ceramic's surface in a world of fine beauty. 

The vase was made by the Great Artisan Masters of Montelupo Fiorentino, as a limited edition of 99 specimens, numbered and certified, and is the faithful copy, both in form and decoration, of the original sixteenth century specimen held at Aboca Museum.

Aboca's project, aimed at exploring the deep connection between man and nature, includes the recovery and revival of ancient and skilled artisan techniques. For this reason, production of these objects is entrusted to expert workers, able to renew the secular tradition that has contributed to spreading the fame of Italy in the world.

Notes

The ceramics manufacturing process initially involves the preparation of a fine and reddish clay at the potter's wheel, and this is then dried. The majolica thus obtained is "ingobbata" (literally, "humped"), a process that entails covering it with semi-liquid clay, and is then destined to a first baking at 980°. The piece is then plunged into a glaze obtained from a mixture of colours similar to the one used in the laboratories of the Sixteenth century and made especially for Aboca.

Decorators trained at the Montelupo Fiorentino School then handcraft the decorations. Once the glaze is applied, a second baking at 920° is carried out, followed by the ageing process follows, which takes place in the absence of heat, by coating the vase with a varnish, diluted with turpentine and wax.

At the end of the manufacturing process, the specimen number and signature of the Master decorator is added to the base of the vase.