Vintage Italian Majolica Centerpiece

Details

Description

This is a vintage Italian majolica ceramic fruit centerpiece.

Design
• A sculptural arrangement of two split pomegranates resting on … Read more This is a vintage Italian majolica ceramic fruit centerpiece.

Design
• A sculptural arrangement of two split pomegranates resting on leaves
• The fruit is richly hand-painted with warm red, ochre, and golden tones
• Inside the open pomegranate you can see raised seed details
• Surrounded by textured green foliage and moss-like forms for a naturalistic garden effect

Material & Technique
• Glazed earthenware (majolica) with a glossy, hand-painted finish
• The underside is painted dark, typical of Italian decorative export pottery from the mid-20th century
• Highly dimensional modeling — meant to look almost like real fruit rather than a simple bowl

Style & Use
This type of piece was made as a table centerpiece or console decoration, especially popular in 1950s–1970s Italian décor. It falls into the classic Italian trompe-l’oe See less