The pottery of the Contini Bonacossi Collection
Video in Italian | Discovering some lesser-known yet gorgeous pieces of art
In the Uffizi rooms that host the Contini Bonacossi Collection, on the first floor, there is a selection of pottery of particular interest and value.
The metal lustre artifacts of Hispano-Moorish tradition coming from Spain, and characterized by a shiny and metallic patina are amazing.
They derive from an ancient Islamic technique dating back to the 10th century and later introduced in the Iberian Peninsula.
Count Alessandro Contini had collected this type of pottery during his stay in Spain: the taste for ceramics was in vogue in the antiques market of the twentieth century.
Besides, the pieces here on display are also an opportunity to study majolica from the Italian Renaissance workshops: Montelupo, Faenza, Urbino.
Right from the Duchy of Montefeltro come the "Belle", or betrothal cups offered as a wedding gift to the girls about to marry, such as the new brides Giulia and Ippolita.
Due to the heavy concentration of works of art in our museums, these rooms sometimes risk to escape the attention of regular visitors while on the contrary they are particularly worth visiting.
