20th Century Majolica Ceramic Jug Vase with Robin, Scratched Decoration by Zulimo Aretini, Italy, 1920s

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Description

Large majolica ceramic jug, entirely hand-shaped on a lathe, decorated entirely by hand, and finished with a scratched finish using … Read more Large majolica ceramic jug, entirely hand-shaped on a lathe, decorated entirely by hand, and finished with a scratched finish using gouges. The decoration covering the jug features leaves, garlands of foliage, and flowers, with a wonderful central motif depicting a robin within a circular frame with two brown borders, decorated internally with alternating orange and yellow triangles. Signed "Aretini" under the base by the artist, "Italy," and bearing the catalog number, all hand-inked into the ceramic with a metal nib. Made by Zulimo Aretini around 1920-1940. The beautiful patina covering the entire piece is very evident, perfectly consistent with our dating. There are several glaze losses on the jug, which we believe were intentional by the artist to give the object a more antique look, given that it is a reproduction of a 16th-century jug. In fact, the remaining glaze adheres perfectly to the ceramic, so if the losses were due to deterioration of the glaze, the rest of the glaze would also be damaged, not adhering to the jug and unsafe. The beautiful banded handle is superbly decorated with large blue diamonds interspersed with yellow diamonds, a decoration also repeated on the band just below the jug's mouth.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
A descendant of a family of ceramists, Zulimo Aretini, born in 1884, served his apprenticeship at the family kiln in Borgo Fonte, where he learned the secrets of graffito, or sgraffito, decoration, typical of 16th-century Umbrian-Arezzo ceramics, which he interpreted in a thoroughly modern and original way. He collaborated with numerous important Italian manufacturers and artists, and founded two factories, the first in 1918, "Antica Bottega del Ceramista Aretini Zulimo," and in 1925 he opened the "Società Anonima Maioliche Zulimo Aretini." During the 1920s, he participated in numerous exhibitions (Pesaro, Turin, Livorno, and Florence), achieving public and critical acclaim. During his career as a ceramist, he participated in the Monza Biennial and several editions of the Milan Triennale. In 1961, Zulimo Aretini moved to Rome, where he died in 1965. In the last photo, we have provided additional information about the artist, including many of the brands used, including ours, for those who would like to learn more. 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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