Ceramic Sculpture Depicting a Wild Boar from Bottega Gatti Faenza, Italy, 20th Century

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Item description:
futurist sculpture in majolica terracotta, entirely hand-modeled, glazed with thick dark bronze-colored glazes, depicting a wild boar with … Read more Item description:
futurist sculpture in majolica terracotta, entirely hand-modeled, glazed with thick dark bronze-colored glazes, depicting a wild boar with a crest. Signed under the base with the incised mark "bottega gatti faenza." this sculpture is particularly rare, as it is difficult to find animal sculptures of this manufacture with bronze glazing, very reminiscent of the works of important modern designers and sculptors. In fact, as you can read in the historical notes, after 1986 many sculptors and artists such as arnoldo pomodoro, ugo la pietra, aldo mondino, and many others were invited to collaborate with bottega gatti, so it is very likely that this sculpture is the work of one of these important sculptors. This is also because the artistic quality and originality of the work are beyond question. Note the beauty of the shape of the boar, modeled entirely by hand, making it a unique piece, the classy touch of the fluting on the belly, and the highly original perforated crest on the animal's back, in full futurist style.

useful information for evaluating the item:
a quick search on the web shows that riccardo gatti's ceramic vases are offered for sale at prices ranging from a minimum of €300-400 to over €2,000, depending on size, workmanship, glazing, lustre, gilding, etc. Among other things, this artist also boasts many impressive auction results, with sculptures sold for between €1,000-1,200 and over €3,000.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer:
riccardo gatti, born in 1886, originally from florence but adopted by faenza, began his career as a ceramist alongside ercole drei, giovanni guerrini, francesco nonni, sculptor giuseppe ugonia, and other young talents in domenico baccarini's circle. He attended the school of arts and crafts in the romagna city as a pupil of virginio minardi, at whose ceramics factory, "minardi ceramiche," he began working, producing art deco-style pieces. Between 1909 and 1911, he studied at the academy of fine arts in florence, and in 1913, he moved to rome. In 1919, he returned to faenza and worked at the farina factory. In 1924, he moved to faventia ars, owned by francesco castellini and luigi masini, who had taken over minardi, and in 1927, he opened a workshop, bottega faentina, in partnership with luigi montabilini, at via bologna piccola 2 in faenza. In 1928, he was one of the first, at the suggestion of writer giuseppe fabbri, a great promoter of futurist thought, to begin producing ceramics decorated with designs based on cartoons by giacomo balla, mario guido dal monte, and benedetta cappa marinetti. He exhibited some of his works at the milan exhibition "trentatre futuristi" in september 1928 and received the appreciation of tullio d'albisola. In october of the same year, other works were presented at the "mostra futurista" exhibition held in the halls of the "g. Sarti" music society in faenza, inaugurated by filippo tommaso marinetti. In 1930, luigi montalbini left the factory, which remained the property of riccardo gatti. During the 1930s, his production consisted mainly of large vases and large terracotta figures with metallic lustres. His works won numerous gold medals: in 1932 at the bologna exhibition and in 1933 at the regional craft exhibition in parma. In 1933, with the collaboration of giovanni morelli for the design and domenico pini for the construction, the factory acquired an electric kiln. Around 1935, it produced several futurist art ceramics designed by giacomo balla and benedetta marinetti. It exhibited several works at the vii mostra dell'artigianato di firenze (7th florence craft exhibition) in 1937 and at the mostra internazionale dell'artigianato di berlino (berlin international craft exhibition) in 1938. After the war, marcello morandini, ico parisi, oreste quattrini, alberto burri, and sebastian matta collaborated with the "bottega gatti". In 1950, he was invited to exhibit some ceramics at the faenza prize, outside of the competition.
his ceramics, some of which are now on display at the faenza ceramics museum, are generally marked with a graphic symbol depicting a stylized cat and the inscription r. Gatti faenza. Riccardo gatti, still active in his workshop at the age of 86, died suddenly in venice in 1972. In faenza, in the old factory now run by his grandson dante servadei, the "museo della bottega ceramica gatti" (gatti ceramic workshop museum) has been set up.


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