Centrepiece - Ceramic

Large ceramic centerpiece depicting a bouquet of lilacs (Syringa vulgaris).

Material and technique: Hand-shaped ceramic and kiln-fired glaze in tones of violet, ivory white, green, and glossy manganese brown.

Structure: Parallelepiped base with a rectangular profile and shaped plinth; the upper portion richly modeled in the round with dense clusters of lilacs (Syringa) and lush, contoured, and veined foliage.

Marks and signatures: An embossed monogram logo ('X') on the lateral shoulder of the base, accompanied by a similarly crafted letter F. A rectangular mark is impressed into the material on the bottom of the base.

In terms of technical rendering, structural complexity, and glaze quality, the piece can be attributed to the finest Veneto ceramic ateliers (Bassano del Grappa or Nove area), renowned in the twentieth century for producing high-end maiolica floral compositions intended for grand interiors.

It presents a single small chip on the back as visible in the last photograph.