Vintage Italian Wood and Ceramic Coat Rack by Artist Alvaro Cartei

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We kindly invite you to read the entire description, as we aim to provide you with detailed technical and historical … Read more We kindly invite you to read the entire description, as we aim to provide you with detailed technical and historical information to ensure the authenticity of our items.
This original and unusual coat rack consists of a rectangular network of interlocking wooden slats. On this simple base are three ceramic plaques depicting the fresh and delicate faces of young girls from the 1960s. The plaques, irregular in shape, are molded into hooks for hanging clothes. The plaques have been probably created by the Tuscan painter and ceramist Alvaro Cartei (1911-1995) between 1960 and 1964 in the Montelupo area, the heart of Italian ceramic art, by Ditta Pugi of Ponte a Signa or Ditta Bagni of Lastra a Signa, the only two companies with which Alvaro Cartei collaborated. Se remind that there are no signs in it but the art work is that of the artist. These companies held the "signature deposit" that authorized the export of his creations as "works of art.". Alvaro Cartei was an excellent draftsman and, like many artists, his art began with practical work as a ceramist and then evolved beautifully. Cartei was a “true” artist who did not pursue art for commercial purposes but to give voice to his emotions, creating intense and high-level works. He always expressed his creativity freely without being influenced by market demands. In that complete freedom, he developed his artistic research through the influences of his time. Cartei, like many artists of his generation, was influenced by Picasso's painting and European Expressionism, Modigliani's message (which we can see in the faces on the plaques), and the realist painting of his contemporary Guttuso. Among his public works, we remember some tabernacles in Signa, the large figure of San Miniato in the church of the same name, and the triptych created for the 50th anniversary of the Liberation for the Town Hall of Lastra a Signa (where there were already some drawings made in the 1960s for the Municipal Library). In the Museum of Local Artists of Lastra, there are other graphic works donated by his heirs. Regarding his ceramic work, we must mention the bas-relief "La trecciaiola," created for the Cassa Rurale ed Artigiana di Signa. The artist was frequently present at collective exhibitions in Italy and abroad, where he won various awards. In the 1960s, one of his works was exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Alvaro Cartei's drawings and objects are often characterized by clean lines, high-quality materials, and an aesthetic that reflects the taste and style of the 1960s. His coat racks were designed not only for practical purposes but also to be decorative elements that added aesthetic value to domestic and workspaces. The coat rack is in good condition. Dimensions: width 75 cm, height 25 cm, depth 8 cm. Plaque dimensions: height 20 cm, width 11 cm. For all our shipments, we use special packing materials (wooden crates, polystyrene, etc.) to ensure the maximum protection and safety of the items. See less