Vintage Italian Hand-Painted Ceramic Bowl by Guido Gambone (circa 1950s)

Vintage Italian hand-painted ceramic bowl by Guido Gambone (circa 1950s). Eye-catching, fern-like leaves sweep around the bowl, inside and out, their shapes dotted with small circles and set against a rich ground of aubergine-brown manganese, brushed on so it bleeds softly at the edges. The rim of the bowl is marked with green dashes, and a fine crackle runs through the creamy glaze. The decoration is spontaneous and painterly, typical of Gambone’s work, which bridged the folk traditions of southern Italian pottery and the abstract art of his day. The palette of earthy brown against cool greens is characteristic of his post-war production. The bowl is in good overall condition taking note of a small loss of glaze at the base (see photos). Marked on the underside with Gambone’s donkey mark and “Gambone Italy.” Upon request a video will be provided.

Dimensions:

H 14 cm / 5.5"

Dia 27 cm / 10.6"

About the Artist: Guido Gambone (1909–1969) is one of the most prominent Italian ceramicists of the 20^th century. He defined a unique style in which he fused traditional ceramic methods with amorphous forms that echoed equally the art of the past and of his modern day. His dynamic objects, in which he often experimented with glazes and patterns, garnered great popularity and today are treasured holdings in private and museums collections such as the Brooklyn Museum in New York. Born in Montella in the southern Italian region of Campania, Gambone received his earliest training in the art of ceramics at the Manifattura Artistica Ceramica Salernitana in nearby Vietri sul Mare. He continued his studies at the Industria Ceramica Salernitana (I.C.S.) and eventually took over as director of the facility in 1935. The following year, he moved northward to Florence with fellow ceramicists Vincenzo Procida and Francesco Solimene to assist in the production of the Cantagalli ceramics company, which derived its name from founder Ulisse Cantagalli (1839–1901) and specialised in reviving the rich colours and patterns of the Maiolica tradition. 1950 marked the showcase of one of Gambone’s collaborative works at a group exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum in New York, and the following year Gambone enjoyed his first solo showing at the Galleria Il Milione in Milan. By the end of the decade, Gambone had achieved international acclaim for his pieces. The artist died at the age of 60. 

For information, Guido's work was more exuberant and colourful than that of his son, Bruno. Bruno returned to Florence in 1969 to keep the ceramic studio running after his father died, became intent on expressing his own very different artistic vision. For the most part, his work was influenced by '60s and '70s minimalist art. The forms are more rectilinear, the decoration very simple and the tones muted. This gallery holds many pieces by both Guido and Bruno which can be seen on this platform. Bruno Gambone (1936-2021), passed away in December of 2021 in Florence.