Minghetti Ceramics | Sculptural Centrepiece

A large ceramic centrepiece produced by the Minghetti workshop in Bologna and dating from the 1950s–1960s. The piece has a free-form, elongated shape, set against an irregular, undulating profile. The rim is wavy and slightly thickened, with a continuous sculptural flow that lends the whole a strongly dynamic and sculptural character.The interior surface is treated with a lustre glaze featuring iridescent reflections, in brown and purplish tones with metallic iridescent effects, within which decorative elements with golden highlights emerge. The subtle ribbing and undulations of the form accompany the development of the decoration and contribute to the luminous quality of the surface, enhanced by the lustre effect and the chromatic variations of the glaze.

In terms of formal characteristics and treatment of the material, the object is part of the renewal of Minghetti’s production in the post-war period, when the historic Bolognese manufacturer embarked on a phase of experimentation aimed at expanding its traditional repertoire. During these years, ceramic production moved towards freer sculptural solutions, with increasing attention to research into glazes, surface effects and the use of metallic reflections, in keeping with modernist tastes and the trends in Italian ceramic design of the 1950s and 1960s.

The centrepiece, not least due to its substantial dimensions (70 × 35 cm; h 14 cm), stands out as a decorative object with a strong formal presence, conceived more as a sculptural and ornamental element for the table or sideboard than as a simple functional container. The combination of organic form, fluid decoration and a lustre finish highlights the desire to integrate ceramic tradition with contemporary research, a characteristic of Minghetti’s artistic production during the period of renewal in the second half of the 20th century.