Classic Trio of Vintage 1960s Italian Barbotine Majolica Vases Visceral Composition

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Beautifully detailed trio of vintage Italian Barbotine Italian Majolica vases, that are so realistic that they give the onlooker a … Read more Beautifully detailed trio of vintage Italian Barbotine Italian Majolica vases, that are so realistic that they give the onlooker a truly visceral feeling, that makes you want to pluck the fruit and eat it. Barbotine decoration was common in French majolica and influenced Italian workshops, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. While Italian artisans did not invent Majolica, they developed and perfected it into a major European decorative art form during the Renaissance. Barbotine decoration became especially popular in 19th-century French and Italian ceramics during the Art Nouveau period. Barbotine gave pieces a sculptural depth to flat pieces. It became a hybrid style, that enhanced pieces with raised slip elements. barbotine pieces often combine the vibrant tin-glaze colors with relief slip work, producing a striking contrast between flat, glossy areas and textured, tactile designs. Its roots are often compared to Trompe-l'oeil, from the Renaissance. Italian artisans used an ancient technique of low fire earthenware, which allows a depth of color in glazes that gave a detail of realism. The.use of thick slip decoration to add raised, sculptural elements to tin-glazed pottery, blending the bright, painted majolica style with a more three-dimensional, textured finish. These pieces are an excellent example of Barbotine creativity. These vases are in excellent, vintage condition. There is one tiny flea bite on back of a leaf. No crazing. The grapes, cherries, branches and leaves are as vibrant the real fruits. The large vase is 15" tall x 4.25" wide at top of vase. The two smaller vases are 7. 25" tall x 2.75" wide. This trio of vases is a supreme example of Italian potters creativity and ingenuity of using thick slip decoration to add raised, sculptural elements to tin-glazed pottery, blending the bright, painted majolica style with a more three-dimensional, textured style. See less