Domenico Matteucci - Figurine - Testa di putto - Ceramic
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Domenico Matteucci’s Testa di putto in monochrome ceramic from the 1960s is in very good condition, measuring 25 by 19 cm (putto head 11 by 10 cm) and presented as a wall panel with a dark wood frame and velvet lining.
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Description from the seller
Domenico Matteucci – Putto Head
Elegant relief in monochrome ceramic depicting the head of a young putto, by the Faenza potter and sculptor Domenico Matteucci (1914-1991).
The face, with half-closed eyes and an absorbed expression, is modeled with soft and idealized features. Particular care is given to the rendering of the hair, gathered in a rich hairstyle of moving and undulating locks that frame the face. On the right side there is also a small decorative element that helps to make the composition more dynamic.
The ceramic presents a surface white with a slightly pinkish hue, with delicate chromatic variations that accentuate the reliefs and the cavities of the modeling. The result is a small decorative sculpture, in which the three-dimensionality of the matter constitutes the main expressive element.
The relief is set into a contemporaneous wooden panel, covered in black velvet and framed by a dark wooden frame with an inner gilded profile. The display helps to valorize the whiteness of the ceramic and gives the whole the appearance of a true wall work.
Domenico Matteucci was born in Faenza in 1914 and trained at the Faenza Art High School and subsequently at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, where he studied under Giovanni Romagnoli. He began working in the Faenza ceramic milieu by frequenting Emilio Casadio’s workshop and later collaborating with Mario Morelli. After a period spent in Milan, in the postwar years he returned to Faenza and opened his own kiln, inviting important artists such as Mario Morelli and Pietro Melandri to collaborate.
His research is very personal and ranges from decorative ceramics to sculpture. His production in the 1950s and 1960s is particularly interesting, characterized by figures, faces, putti, animals and fantastical subjects, often treated through a strongly plastic modeling and monochrome surfaces or enriched by lustres and glazes. His participation in the Faenza Ceramics Competition was ongoing: in 1952 he won the second prize from Monte di Credito su Pegno and in 1955 some of his works were purchased for the museum’s modern collection.
Also significant is his relationship with Wanda Berasi, nicknamed Muky, who from the mid-1950s worked in Matteucci’s workshop and later became his partner.
Total measurements: 25x19 cm, putto 11x10 cm
Seller's Story
My name is Riccardo, I recently graduated in Art History from the University of Florence and I am passionate about porcelain. From tableware to artist vases, from figurines to tea and coffee sets, I am fascinated by the mastery and the ability of great artisans and designers who shape this so fragile material, turning a raw mass into masterpieces with a story to tell. During my years at university I became interested in the history of 19th- and 20th-century tableware art; today, every day, I work with prestigious porcelain pieces that always have something to say to me and to those who purchase them. Of my work I love that I can discover more about the objects I find as I travel around Italy, always learning something new. I always strive to convey to my clients this passion I have for the objects I sell, certain that each one of them has a story to tell: the story of who created it, the story of who preserved it, and the story of who will give it a new life.
Translated by Google TranslateDomenico Matteucci – Putto Head
Elegant relief in monochrome ceramic depicting the head of a young putto, by the Faenza potter and sculptor Domenico Matteucci (1914-1991).
The face, with half-closed eyes and an absorbed expression, is modeled with soft and idealized features. Particular care is given to the rendering of the hair, gathered in a rich hairstyle of moving and undulating locks that frame the face. On the right side there is also a small decorative element that helps to make the composition more dynamic.
The ceramic presents a surface white with a slightly pinkish hue, with delicate chromatic variations that accentuate the reliefs and the cavities of the modeling. The result is a small decorative sculpture, in which the three-dimensionality of the matter constitutes the main expressive element.
The relief is set into a contemporaneous wooden panel, covered in black velvet and framed by a dark wooden frame with an inner gilded profile. The display helps to valorize the whiteness of the ceramic and gives the whole the appearance of a true wall work.
Domenico Matteucci was born in Faenza in 1914 and trained at the Faenza Art High School and subsequently at the Academy of Fine Arts of Bologna, where he studied under Giovanni Romagnoli. He began working in the Faenza ceramic milieu by frequenting Emilio Casadio’s workshop and later collaborating with Mario Morelli. After a period spent in Milan, in the postwar years he returned to Faenza and opened his own kiln, inviting important artists such as Mario Morelli and Pietro Melandri to collaborate.
His research is very personal and ranges from decorative ceramics to sculpture. His production in the 1950s and 1960s is particularly interesting, characterized by figures, faces, putti, animals and fantastical subjects, often treated through a strongly plastic modeling and monochrome surfaces or enriched by lustres and glazes. His participation in the Faenza Ceramics Competition was ongoing: in 1952 he won the second prize from Monte di Credito su Pegno and in 1955 some of his works were purchased for the museum’s modern collection.
Also significant is his relationship with Wanda Berasi, nicknamed Muky, who from the mid-1950s worked in Matteucci’s workshop and later became his partner.
Total measurements: 25x19 cm, putto 11x10 cm
Seller's Story
My name is Riccardo, I recently graduated in Art History from the University of Florence and I am passionate about porcelain. From tableware to artist vases, from figurines to tea and coffee sets, I am fascinated by the mastery and the ability of great artisans and designers who shape this so fragile material, turning a raw mass into masterpieces with a story to tell. During my years at university I became interested in the history of 19th- and 20th-century tableware art; today, every day, I work with prestigious porcelain pieces that always have something to say to me and to those who purchase them. Of my work I love that I can discover more about the objects I find as I travel around Italy, always learning something new. I always strive to convey to my clients this passion I have for the objects I sell, certain that each one of them has a story to tell: the story of who created it, the story of who preserved it, and the story of who will give it a new life.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Era
1900-2000
Manufacturer/brand
Domenico Matteucci
Number of objects
1
Title
Testa di putto
Country of origin
Italy
Material
Ceramic
Condition
Excellent condition: barely used with minimal signs of wear
Height
25 cm
Width
19 cm
Depth
7 cm
Estimated period
1960-1970
