Antique Puglia Small Plate

The decoration of repeatedly stamping blue rosettes (small flowers, or patterns that can also be seen as stars) using stamps made by cutting sponges into flower shapes is one of the iconic designs symbolizing the folk pottery of the Puglia region.

Since the mid-19th century, these rosette motifs have been produced in countless variations and have come to be known in Grottaglie as "righe e stelle" (lines and stars).

While the molds and arrangements became somewhat standardized within each workshop, the varying pressure of the stamp and the amount of pigment used create subtle differences in each impression, giving every single piece its own unique character.

Even today, this pattern continues to be used, remaining beloved in people's daily lives both then and now, as one of the decorative symbols of Southern Italy.