Antique Grottaglie Bowl 1800s

Sizeφ26.5 × h9 cm
CountryItaly
Estimated age1800's
No.AN-23834
DETAILS

1800s south A milky white, generous bowl from Grottaglie, Puglia, Italy.

Perfect size for serving pasta and salad for several people.

Robba Bianca

"Robba bianca," meaning "white things" in Italian, is a significant category in the ceramic history of Grottaglie, Puglia, in Southern Italy. It symbolizes the technological maturity and refinement of lifestyle culture since the late 16th century.

Its foundation lies in a production system connected to the Majolica technique, which involves applying an opaque white glaze containing tin oxide (tin-glaze) and completing the piece through two firings. However, unlike the ornate Majolica known for its painted decorations, Robba Bianca suppresses decorativeness, positioning itself as a regional and practical evolution that finds value in the form of the vessel itself and the texture of the white glaze.

The beauty of this style lies in the contrast between the strong red earth (terra rossa) nurtured by the Puglia land and the soft white glaze that embraces it. The warmth of the clay faintly perceived beneath the glaze layer, or the reddish-brown clay body that peeks through the rim and foot after years of use, quietly tells the story of this land's unique expression of white.

About Robba Bianca
LOCATIONGrottaglie, Puglia / Italy

Grottaglie, Puglia

Pottery

The small town of Grottaglie in the Puglia region has long been known as the "Town of Ceramics." While pottery centers across Italy moved toward ornate Majolica ware, this town continued to produce honest, everyday pottery rooted in daily life, without following trends. Among these, the "Robba Bianca" vessels coated with white glaze and jars for storing grain and oil are iconic symbols of Grottaglie. Within their simple, understated appearance lies the inevitable beauty born from function and the strength of the earth. These forms, passed down through generations, blend seamlessly into modern spaces, supporting daily life with their quiet presence.

Antique Grottaglie Bowl 1800s

Antique Grottaglie Bowl 1800s

Sizeφ26.5 × h9 cm
CountryItaly
Estimated age1800's
No.AN-23834