Ars Umbra - Rometti - Vase - Majolica

Raro Vaso Orcio Déco - Ars Umbra (Rometti) Umbertide - Anni '20/'30

Splendid and rare biansato majolica ovoid vase, a superb example of the early period of modernism and Italian Art Deco.
The piece bears under the base the prestigious and early hand-painted mark "Ars Umbra - Umbertide", topped by the monogram with the letter "R" inserted in a geometric figure. This specific signature identifies the very first and most sought-after production of the famous manufactory (later universally known as Ceramiche Rometti), founded in 1927 by Settimio and Aspromonte Rometti together with Dante Baldelli. The vase also carries the original factory inventory code 3-918 and the decorator's initials "A" in red pigment.
The body of the vase is entirely decorated with a dense diagonal lattice pattern in dark brown that encloses, within the rhombi, solitary or stylized flowers on a vivid bright ochre yellow background. An avant-garde geometric-floral aesthetic that testifies to the artistic influences of that golden trio of years for the Umbrian kiln.
The object presents itself in generally good historical condition, fully consistent with its age and the fragility of the material (nearly a century of life).
As highlighted in the detailed photographic documentation, there are some chips and localized glaze losses along the most exposed profiles.