Marcello Fantoni, Polychrome Ceramic Bowl Signed “fantoni Italy,” Model 920/7

Marcello Fantoni (1915–2011)

Polychrome ceramic
Florence, Italy, circa 1960

Dimensions: Diameter approx. 23 cm (9 in); height approx. 8.5 cm (3.3 in).

Signed underneath “Fantoni Italy” and bearing model number 920/7.

A finely balanced polychrome ceramic bowl with a simple, sculptural form, decorated with broad fields of black, ochre and brick red. Its porous, textured surface is a distinctive feature of the piece, enhancing both the material quality of the ceramic and its strong decorative presence.

This bowl belongs to Marcello Fantoni’s mature production, when he established himself as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century Italian artistic ceramics. During the 1950s and 1960s he developed a highly personal style in which colour, texture and form were treated with equal importance, creating works that stand between functional design and sculpture.

After studying at the Porta Romana Art Institute in Florence, Fantoni opened his own workshop in 1936. His innovative ceramics gained international recognition and are now represented in major public collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the International Museum of Ceramics in Faenza.

Condition: Overall in good condition. Small chip to the rim and minor wear consistent with age and use.