Lot Essay
Only two other examples of this design are known. One is included in the Carraro collection, Ca' Pesaro, Venice, and the other is found in the collection of the Museo di Doccia, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence.
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THE COLLECTION OF FRANCESCO AND CHIARA CARRARO, VENICE
GIO PONTI (1891-1979)
'LA CONVERSAZIONE CLASSICA', A VASE WITH COVER, 1929
Details
GIO PONTI (1891-1979)
'LA CONVERSAZIONE CLASSICA', A VASE WITH COVER, 1929
executed by Richard Ginori, polychrome porcelain
22 3/8 in. (57 cm.) high
enameled La Conversazione Classica, Richard Ginori, 29=1, Richard-Ginori, Pittori di Doccia, Gio Ponti, Made in Italy, with partial paper label
'LA CONVERSAZIONE CLASSICA', A VASE WITH COVER, 1929
executed by Richard Ginori, polychrome porcelain
22 3/8 in. (57 cm.) high
enameled La Conversazione Classica, Richard Ginori, 29=1, Richard-Ginori, Pittori di Doccia, Gio Ponti, Made in Italy, with partial paper label
Provenance
Franco Deboni, Milan;
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.
Literature
P. Portoghesi, A. Pansera, Gio Ponti alla Manifattura di Doccia, Milan, 1982, p. 47, for illustrations of this model from different points of view;
G. Cosi, R. Fiorini, F. Rapini, S. Vannini, Gio Ponti. Ceramiche 1923-1930, 1983, p. 93, cat. 57-58 for a similar example;
U. La Pietra, Gio Ponti: l’Arte si Innamora dell’Industria, Milan, 1988, p. 28 for this model illustrated;
L. Licitra Ponti, Gio Ponti - L’Opera, Milan, 1990, p. 27 for this model illustrated;
L. Manna, Gio Ponti Le Maioliche, Milan, 2000, p. 101, pl. 51 for another vase of this model;
L. Frescobaldi Malenchini; M. T. Giovannini; O. Rucellai, Gio Ponti. La Collezione del Museo Richard Ginori della Manifattura di Doccia, Falcinao, 2015, p. 182 for a similar example.
G. Cosi, R. Fiorini, F. Rapini, S. Vannini, Gio Ponti. Ceramiche 1923-1930, 1983, p. 93, cat. 57-58 for a similar example;
U. La Pietra, Gio Ponti: l’Arte si Innamora dell’Industria, Milan, 1988, p. 28 for this model illustrated;
L. Licitra Ponti, Gio Ponti - L’Opera, Milan, 1990, p. 27 for this model illustrated;
L. Manna, Gio Ponti Le Maioliche, Milan, 2000, p. 101, pl. 51 for another vase of this model;
L. Frescobaldi Malenchini; M. T. Giovannini; O. Rucellai, Gio Ponti. La Collezione del Museo Richard Ginori della Manifattura di Doccia, Falcinao, 2015, p. 182 for a similar example.
Further details
`La Conversazione Classica’ was first presented in 1925 at the Exposition Universelle des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, where Richard Ginori won the most prestigious award, the Grand Prix. This vase is one of the most accomplished and important examples of Gio Ponti’s innovative production at Richard Ginori. Here, Ponti elaborated on some of the characters presented in an earlier vase with cover, `La Passeggiata Archeologica’ (lot 19), creating a much more complex work.
The composition of the `Conversazione Classica’ is highly detailed for the number of single characters, architectural elements and objects specifically designed for it. The decoration is inspired by Neoclassicism and the form is typical for Etruscan pottery. `La Conversazione Classica’ is a testament to Gio Ponti's superior ability to elevate a purely decorative object, inspired by ancient forms and manufactured with the help of highly skilled craftsmen, into a magnificent work of art.
The composition of the `Conversazione Classica’ is highly detailed for the number of single characters, architectural elements and objects specifically designed for it. The decoration is inspired by Neoclassicism and the form is typical for Etruscan pottery. `La Conversazione Classica’ is a testament to Gio Ponti's superior ability to elevate a purely decorative object, inspired by ancient forms and manufactured with the help of highly skilled craftsmen, into a magnificent work of art.