Mid 20th Century Giovanni De Simone Mid-Century Double Handled Amphora Vase

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A beautifully vibrant Giovanni De Simone mid-century vase. Featuring a lady painted on each side, one with orange hair and … Read more A beautifully vibrant Giovanni De Simone mid-century vase. Featuring a lady painted on each side, one with orange hair and the other with red, and adorned with colorful abstract designs throughout. Signed "De Simone Italy" on the bottom.

Giovanni De Simone was a mid-century ceramicist who created colorful vessels, platters and wall art, decorated with festive figures, flowers and fauna in a style that reveals an appreciation for Cubism and folk art. Said to have apprenticed under Picasso, the influence is unmistakable.

De Simone was born in Palermo, Sicily, in 1930. His parents were aristocrats, and as a young child, he traveled to Somalia. It was here that he grew fond of African artistic traditions. After World War II, De Simone moved to the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. He attended the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica and discovered a passion for pottery. Upon graduation, De Simone moved back to Palermo and fell in love with Eliana, who became his wife.

De Simone opened his famous ceramics studio in the 1960s, producing dinnerware, serveware and decorative tiles. As the studio grew in success and popularity, De Simone hired more artists to help with the work. In its heyday, the studio had as many as six ceramicists producing work. While each creator had a unique style, De Simone set a standard for the colors and themes to be used.

De Simone died in 1991, passing his workshop down to his daughters Margherita and Susanna. Today, the company still operates in Palermo under the name La Fabbrica della Ceramica, producing ceramic pieces inspired by De Simone's original designs. See less