From the beginnings to the present day of Lustro majolica in the Mastrogiorgesca tradition
On May 6, 2023, a symposium titled “150 Years of Rubboli” was held at the Sala Panorama dell’Universo Flea in Gualdo Tadino, focusing on the early days of the factory and its ancient Lustro tradition. An aperitif was offered by Birrificio Flea, featuring craft beer and delicacies from Caseificio Trinei, followed by the opening of the exhibition “Rubboli 1873–1884: The Making of a Style (Unpublished Works),” curated by Marinella Caputo, at the Rubboli Museum (housed in the historic 19th-century premises of the factory) at 3:30 p.m.
The 150th anniversary of the workshop was celebrated with the aim of conducting a study on the early stages of production of lustre majolica in the Mastrogiorgesca tradition and retracing the key milestones in this rich history of Umbrian excellence. This unique technique was in fact introduced in Gualdo Tadino by Paolo Rubboli (Fiorenzuola di Focara 1838 – Gualdo Tadino 1890) in the second half of the 19th century, subsequently becoming a hallmark of Umbrian majolica.
The presentations were as follows:
- Massimiliano Presciutti (Mayor of Gualdo Tadino) – Greetings
- Linda Panfili – The Visual Arts in Gualdo Tadino in the 19th Century
- Maria Carmela Frate – Urban Gardens and the Rubboli Factory
- Marinella Caputo – Rubboli 1873–1884: The Development of a Style
- Giulio Busti and Clarissa Sirci – Renaissance influences from Deruta in the majolica of Paolo and Daria Rubboli
- Franco Cocchi – The Revival of Antiquity in Nineteenth-Century Majolica
- Luca Pesante – Cipriano Piccolpasso’s Influence on Rubboli’s Debut
- Coordinated by Maurizio Tittarelli Rubboli.
The event was made possible thanks to the support of Birra Flea, the official sponsor, as well as the founders of the Flea project, Matteo Minelli and Maria Cristina Cocchi, the latter being a descendant of the founder, Paolo Rubboli.
The event will be made possible thanks to the support of the Municipality of Gualdo Tadino, the Perugia Foundation, the Italian Association of Ceramic Cities, the Rubboli Cultural Association, the City of Gualdo Tadino Museum Complex, and the recently established Umbrian Ceramics Route.
To stay up to date on all the latest news from the Flea Universe, follow us onFacebookandInstagram!
