Large Italian Aretini Pottery Vase, Red & Gold Enamel Relief Decoration, Arezzo

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Large Italian Aretini Pottery Vase, Hand-Painted Red & Gold Relief Décor, Arezzo, Mid-20th Century

A striking hand-thrown and hand-painted Italian … Read more Large Italian Aretini Pottery Vase, Hand-Painted Red & Gold Relief Décor, Arezzo, Mid-20th Century

A striking hand-thrown and hand-painted Italian Aretini pottery vase from Arezzo, Tuscany, featuring richly burnished gilt grounds overlaid with raised red scrollwork and stylized floral medallions. The surface has a basket-weave impression beneath layers of applied pigment and gilding, creating exceptional dimensional depth and movement across the body. Twin sculpted, scrolling handles integrate into the relief pattern, further enhancing the vessel’s sculptural presence and its unmistakable studio-crafted character.

This dramatic form reflects mid-century Tuscan ceramics that revived Renaissance surface traditions while embracing modern color saturation. The Aretini mark confirms the vase’s origin in the historic Arezzo ceramics district, renowned since antiquity for terracotta and maiolica production. Warm patina and minor surface irregularities enrich its artisanal appeal.


The underside is impressed and incised with “D118 / ITALY / ARETINI / E / CC,” confirming production in Arezzo, Tuscany, a region known for artisanal terracotta and decorative ceramics since the Renaissance. The form—broad-shouldered with a well-defined foot and twin loop handles—recalls traditional Italian storage amphorae, while the palette and gold leaf–style finish signal post-war studio craft influence, dating to the 1950s

The vase is large in scale and visually commanding, making it ideal for use as a floor vase, sculptural object, or decorative urn. The layered red and gold finish reads like lacquer at a distance, with intentional surface irregularities, brushwork, and craquelure consistent with hand-applied decoration.

A distinctive example of mid-century Tuscan decorative pottery with strong sculptural impact and regional identity—rare to find at this size and level of surface work.

Dimensions:
12" high overall.
11" wide across handles.
9.5" body diameter.
Raised on a 5.75" diameter base.
5.5" diameter mouth opening.

A bold and highly decorative statement vase—ideal for entry consoles, dramatic floral work, or as a standalone sculptural object. See less