Art Deco Ceramic Majolica Jug Vase by Ugo Zaccagnini, Italy, 1920s

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Description of the item
a marvelous majolica pitcher featuring a beautiful milky-white glaze with a slightly satin-finished orange-peel texture, while … Read more Description of the item
a marvelous majolica pitcher featuring a beautiful milky-white glaze with a slightly satin-finished orange-peel texture, while the interior has a smooth, vitrified turquoise glaze—the same finish as the handle, which consists of a double tubular ceramic band encircling the pitcher’s neck, entirely handcrafted and applied by hand. The piece dates to around 1920 and bears a beautiful patina consistent with our dating. It is signed in full in gold as “zaccagnini” on the underside of the base and is numbered. Created by ugo zaccagnini in full art deco style, it is reminiscent of works by rometti, galvani, or pucci. The piece is highly distinctive and exceptionally beautiful, crafted using various complex finishing techniques; these elements, along with the full name signed in gold, lead us to believe that the piece was created directly by the master himself—not by his workshop based on his design or even under his supervision—but by him personally. Ugo zaccagnini is one of the most important italian ceramic artists active in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

information about the artist and/or workshop
the zaccagnini ceramics workshop was founded in 1905 in sesto fiorentino by ugo zaccagnini, a former employee of richard-ginori. Its early production focused on majolica and earthenware in a historicist style, often inspired by the renaissance models of the della robbia family. The founder’s five children—urbano, pietro, prisco, adele, and enrichetta—were involved in the business. In 1912, the company moved to florence, where it increased its production volumes and participated in numerous editions of the triennale and the milan trade fair, as well as the florence craft exhibitions. In the 1930s, the manufacturer collaborated with sculptor l. Contini, majolica painter u. Ciardella, and sculptor fosco martini, who, around the middle of the decade, created highly regarded ceramics depicting animals. In 1936, following the founder’s death, the company became “società anonima ceramiche zaccagnini,” headquartered in piazza pier vettori in florence, under the leadership of his eldest son, urbano, who assumed the roles of ceo and artistic director. That same year, thanks to funding from industrialist aristide loria, the company was incorporated as a joint-stock company (s.p.a.) and invested in modernizing its facilities. By 1937, it already had over 120 employees and began exporting to the united states. In the second half of the 1930s, artists such as mario bandini, ottorino palloni, maurizio tempestini, gino pozzi, and leopold anzengruber worked there. At the end of the decade, walt disney commissioned the company to produce ceramic versions of its cartoon characters. In 1950, some of its works—including a series of plates—were exhibited at the brooklyn museum in new york as part of an exhibition dedicated to italian craftsmanship. In the 1950s, the product line was expanded to include the “swedish” artistic line, inspired by abstract art. In 1958, urbano zaccagnini left the family business to found “urbano zaccagnini ceramiche artistiche,” which operated until the mid-1960s, while s.p.a. Zaccagnini continued its operations until 2000. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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