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Antique Grottaglie Bowl

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Bol ancien de Grottaglie, acheté sur un marché d’antiquités du sud de l’Italie.

Son argile épaisse et son émail simple évoquent un objet utilitaire lié à la vie quotidienne.

Il peut être utilisé comme petite pièce de table ou comme objet décoratif.

Size
φ21.5 cm
Country
Italy
No.
AN-8087

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

LOCATION

Grottaglie, Puglia / Italy

Grottaglie, Puglia

Origin

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.

ANTIQUES COLLECTION

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Scalloped rim detail of a 19th-century Grottaglie robba bianca plate19th-century Grottaglie robba bianca plate with scalloped rim and ivory-white tin glazeAssiette ancienne de Grottaglie Robba Bianca AN-8093Pot ancien de Calabre AN-8097Antique Calabrian Pot AN-8099, Antique - product image 2Bol ancien émaillé du sud de l’Italie AN-8051Assiette ancienne de Calvello, XIXe siècle AN-8091Antique Grottaglie Confit Pot AN-8061, ,- ambiantAntique Grottaglie Confit Pot AN-8060, ,- ambiantAntique Grottaglie Confit Pot AN-8055, ,- ambiantAntique Grottaglie Pot AN-8089, ,- ambiantAntique Grottaglie Pot AN-8088, ,- ambiantAntique Grottaglie Pot AN-8096, ,- ambiantAntique Italian Wine Flask "Borraccia" AN-8115, ,- ambiantAntique Italian Ricotta Cheese Strainer  AN-8065, Antique,- ambiantGrande assiette ancienne de Grottaglie AN-4175Petit objet ancien en céramique des Pouilles AN-4089Cruche à huile française ancienne AN-4059Bouteille ancienne en grès de La Borne AN-3414Poêle ancienne en cuivre et fer forgé AN-4021Jarre ancienne à quatre anses AN-5051Antique Three-Handled Storage Jar 1800s AN-4150, Antique - product image 1Pot ancien de Grottaglie Robba Bianca AN-5220Albarello ancien des Pouilles AN-5224Pot ancien de Grottaglie Robba Bianca AN-5209Antique Grottaglie Jug "Brocca"   AN-5219Antique Grottaglie Bowl AN-5071Antique Southern Italian Bowl AN-5031, Antique,- ambiant