Vinovo And Its Porcelain

Vinovo and its Porcelain

MONOGRAPHS OF DECORATIVE ART

The first series:

N* J* A. SAUTIER* Italian Peasant Rugs.

2. ALDO RAVA: Venice Porcelains.

3. VDETOLDOt The Italian Art of Bookbinding.

4* L.DE -MAURI (E. Sarasko); Vinovo and Us Porcelains.

t, 5* Proi LORENZETTI : ItaUan Pewters.

6* L*DE MAURI: Majolicas of Dervta.

n 7. Proi G* FOGOLARIt Venetian Jrames of the Renaissance.

8. Ptoi G. CAPTT6j 2%e 5fcfltan "Carretto".

EdHions of every voltime in Italian
English and French.

PUBLISHERS IN MILAN - VIA DEL SENATO 8A

ITALY

MONOGRAPHS OF DECORATIVE ART

Vinovo and its Porcelain

(A PAGE OF THE HISTORY OF ART IN PIEDMONT)

The ancient noble seat * The Chemist Victor Amedevs Gioa-
netti * The Manufactory * The different periods and various
events * The artist * The products * The forms * The
decorations * The special characteristics * The potters*
marki * Bibliography * XXXIV Illustrative plates

L* De-Mattft (E.Sarasmo)

4

PUBLISHERS PIANTANIDA VALCARENGHI

1923

Copyright by " Oli Editorf Piaxitaxxid* Valcarezxgfci

ftef-

TO THE TURINESE

BARON CARLO F* DE MARGHERITA

COLONEL IN THE ROYAL ARMY
CHEVALIER OF THE ORDER OF SS* MAURICE AND LAZARUS

AND OF THE CROWN OF ITALY
OF VAST AND VARIED CULTURE

AN ELEGANT LITTERATEUR
A WITTY NARRATOR AND ACCURATE INVESTIGATOR OF THE MATTERS OF HIS COUNTRY

THIS VOLUME

AS A TOKEN OF OLD AND FIRM FRIENDSHIP
THE AUTHOR DEDICATES

The Ancient Noble Site of the Manufactory.

Hail, O Piedmont, Haill Unto thee from afar,
Descend the rivers with sad music resounding,
Like the epic chants of thy gallant people.
The rivers descend, swollen, vigorous, rapid,

Like thy hundred battalions, and rushing to the valley,
Seek the wakeful cities, seek the wakeful hamlets,
To speak to them of glory*

G. CARDUCCI "Piedmont,,.

T T wove is a pleasant village of about three thousand inhabit-
\/ ants, six miles from Turin, on the way to Stupinigi, the
V hunting-ground of the royal family of Savoy. Near it,
flows the stream Chisola, a tributary of the Po, whose limpid
waters glide over clear, white gravel. At the entrance of the
village, rises a majestic, ancient castle (of real importance in the
history of Ptedmontese architecture) the property of the two bro-
thers Guy and Hugh Rei, who preserve it with their well-known
intelligence and love of art.

This is one of the many edifices which rose in Piedmont in the
XIV century as dwellings for the Lords of the manors, their solid-
ity being insured by all those works of defence which the art
of war then suggested*

The long period of existence of this manor-house, and the differ-
ent uses to which it was put, caused the many variations under-
gone by the primitive architecture of the building*

Among such successive changes, specially important from an
artistic point of view, are the court-yard with its rich decoration
in Renascence terre-cotte, and the stucco ornamentation of some
rooms on the ground floor, in the style which is barbarously
named from the kings Louis XIV and XV* Lately, the largest
of these rooms was adorned with fine frescoes by the painters
Rudolph and Lewis Morgari,

The castle was a square foundation, with a tower at each of the
four corners and a court-yard in the middle* This construction,
fke that of other Piedmontese castles of the time, was much
altered about the seventeenth century, when a story was added to
all the building and the towers on the east were truncated, so
that the primitive proportion of the edifice was changed, and it
partly lost that which gave it its character of defence* The towers
at the west were remade, and the facade, which united them, was
completely transformed through the addition of a series of grand
flights of steps leading to the garden, once a delightful park As
in afl the restorations of this period, the ditch, defending the pri-
mitive castle was filled up.

Fortunately, the architects of the time respected the artistic deco-
ration of the court-yard and the present owners drew to the light
interesting paintings, a fresco, on the parapet of the first floor
which, as usual, had been whitewashed, during the sojourn in
the castle, of the Gesuits of the Coflege of Turin, certainly in
order to conceal the nude figures of the Sirens which, as already
said, reappeared, thanks to the painters Morgari,
The raising of the building somewhat varies the proportions of
this court-yard, which however, is always noteworthy, because
of fts harmonious architectonic composition, and its superh, deco-
ration in Renascence terra-cotta, very rare in Piedmont*
This decoration consists of oak-branches, leaves, and acorns* In
the centre of the small capitals, which are above the fascia, stands
out the coat-of-arms of the Defla Rovere - an uprooted oak with

JO

golden acorns, and with the branches twisted into the double
cross of St Andrew; a coat-of-arms to which Cardinal Delia
Rovere afterwards added his personal motto " SOLI DEO which
is always to be found on the works ordered by him in Turin,
in Rome, in the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, and on the
illuminated books, which he collected, or had carried out on his
own account Each of the above-mentioned small capitals is flanked
by two medallions of Roman Emperors, taken from coins, medals,
and ancient marbles, and modelled by the vigorous hand of an able
artist, as may be seen from the illustrations at the end of this volume,
On the whole, the decoration of this court-yard induces us to
believe that these works must have been directed by one of those
artificers engaged by Cardinal Delia Rovere in the decoration of
the cathedral of Turin, which he had had constructed entirely at
his own expense, between J492 and J499, and the design of
which, like that of Santa Maria del Popolo in Rome, first attri-
buted to Baccio PonteUi, was later recognized as being of Meo
del Caprino, an architect of Settignano (near Florence, J430-J50J),
And it is well to remember that in Santa Maria del Popolo, in the
first chapel on the right, are enclosed the mortal remains of Cardinal
Christopher Delia Rovere, who died in the eighth year of the pontifi-
cate of Sktus IV, as well as those of Cardinal Domenico DeflaRovere*
The magnificent work of sculpture consists of statues and decoration.
Of the same period and, perhaps, by the same artist who gave
us the terre-cotte, is the beautiful marble slab inserted into the
steeple of the parish church* It, too, is a rare specimen in Pied-
mont At the top, we find the coat-of-arms of the Delia Rovere,
and the letters of the inscription are very elegant

The origin of the family Defla Rovere of Piedmont, extinct in
1692, on the death of Charles, the last descendant, is lost in the
darkness of the year JOOO and may be called dynastic, it being,
along with the Romagnoni, the Vagnoni, the Cavoretto, and the

Manfredi, who were also lords of the place, among the oldest in
Piedmont From the mention of the Delia Rovere in most im-
portant acts, we may deduce that, from the twelfth century on,
they enjoyed very great authority, Turin, seeing a prince rising
menacingly from Savoy, who was fated through virtue and for-
tune to further the destiny of his family, thought of strengthening
her independence by means of various leagues, confederating in
1222, with the Marquis of Saluzzo, and shortly after, with the
new Lombard League; then in J228 with the Andrew Dauphin
of Vienna, the two princes swore to the citizenship of Turin, and
witness of this was one James Delta Robere. In 1262, Turin was
subjected to Charles of Anjou, Count of Provence and King of Si-
cily, and was therefore Guelph; shortly after she became again
Ghibeffine, under William VII, Marquis of Monferrat from whom she
was taken by Thomas HI of Savoy in 1280* And, in those times,
a Pier o Delia Rovere followed Charles of Anjou, who went back to
Provence, composed verses as a troubadour and married a lady of
the Neapolitan family CaraccioK who had also retired to that court
From the a;bove details, ft will be clear to my intelligent readers that
I mean to make a clear DISTINCTION BETWEEN THIS PIEDMONTESE
FAMILY DELLA ROVERE AND ALL THE OTHERS OF THE SAME NAME.
That of Savona gave us the two popes, Sixtus TV and Julius IT
who proclaimed the first holy war "Out with the Barbarians,,
and who later made peace with the Emperor Maximilian of Au-
stria and Ludovic XII of France, in order to uphold the rights of
the patrimony of St Peter over the Marches against the invasions
of the Venetians in terra firma; and this peace was called. The
peace of Chateau Cambresis* Having chased the Bentivogfio from
Bologna, he obtained the dominion of that town. His statue in
bronze was fused and erected by Michelangelo on the attic of
S* Petrovio, but was thrown down and destroyed by the Bolo-
gnese, when they chased out the pontifical party and restored the
family Bentivoglio, by making prince the last descendant of that

12

family, belonging to the town* With the fragments of the statue, AI-
phonse I of Este formed a bombard which was christened "La GiuUa*
fftom Rome, the nephews of Pope Julius I, passed to URBINO,
where they obtained the signiory of the town* In (his court of
the Delia Rovere we find art and literature flourishing in aU their
splendour* The famous captain, Guy da Montefeltro called to it
artists and men of letters* There, Castigtione placed the scene of
his dialogue in the Cortigiano. Torquato Tasso, before taking refuge
in Mount OUveto at Rome, passed through Urbino and there
composed one of his most impassioned and serious lyrics* But
there is no foundation for the belief that those families were noble*
Sixtus IV, e simple Franciscan friar, made, in Chieri, the acquain-
tance of Christopher, one of the Delia Rovere of Vttiobot and, as
soon as he was raised to the Papacy, he began to think of how
he could manage to make his nephews and himself noble* With
such an aim, he called around him members of the Vinovese and
Turinese family, the first to be invited being Christopher and
Dominic, whom he pretended were his cousins, declaring this in
solemn occasions, endowing them with riches, cardhals'hats and
wealthy livings, and adopting as his coat-of-arms that of the
Counts of Vinovo; namely, the uprooted oak faith gold acorns in
an azure field, To this, his nephews added the Aragonese arms
granted them in 1472 by the Aragonese Kings of Naples* And
Julius II did likewise* The historians, poets and flatterers of the
time did the rest, completely confusing the two families - one (that
of the popes) plebeian; the other (that of Vinovo) most noble - and
this confusion prevailed as long as Spanish pride prevailed in Italy*
After Cardinal Dominic Defla Rovere, we find another* conspicuous
for merits and virtue, namely, Cardinal Jerome Defla Rovere,
Archbishop of Turin, an illustrious Latin poet and a friend erf

(1) HlERONYMI RUVEREI, C&rmtna; Papfae, aqmd Jo+ Maria. Sbnond* Crmonen., 1540*
Reprinted at Ratisbooa, Sumptibus JoL Contadi Hctnmrichs, Bti&op. Typte Dabistcmerfanis,
A, MDCLXXXHL

13

many men of letters whom he protected, and especially of Bernard
Tasso, the father of Torquato, with whom he studied at the Uni-
versity of Padua, and whom he met later at Paris, when he was
acting as ambassador of the Duke of Savoy $ He took part in
those tumultuous conclaves where the cardinals exchanged high
words and Hows, and in which were elected popes, the Roman
Castagna (Urban VH, J5* Sept. 1590), who died thirteen days
later, suspected of having been poisoned, and then the Milanese
Sfondrato (Gregory XIV, 5 th Dec. 1590). Defla Rovere himself
died then in Rome, and the historians of the times believe that
he would have been elected pope but for the intrigues of the
cardinals Madruzzi, Montalto, and Altaemps, notoriously vile*
Li J5J5, Julian De Medici, the youngest son of Lorenzo il Ma-
gnifico, and brother of Pope Leo X, arrived in Turin with an
immense train of soldiers, servants, and dependants, in order to
marry PhiEberta of Savoy* Not only the halls of the castle of
Turin, but also those of that of Vinovo, were opened to welcome
that splendid company, in which was to be found also Plero Vk-
leriano da, Bettuno> a very elegant Latin poet, who in fine verses
(Amorum IM V, Venice, Gab* Giolito, J549, doc* 62, 63, 64),
celebrates the event and the place with great pleasure W.
This family, as we have said, having become extinct, on the
death of one Charles in 1692, the castle of Vinovo became part
of the patrimony of the house of Savoy* And Charles Ema-
nuel II granted it, with the inherent title of Marquis of Vinovo
to Charles Francis Augustin Defle Lanze* This youth, who was
later the father of Cardinal Victor Amedeus Delle Lanze, was a
natural son of Duke Charles Emanuel n himself, his mother

(J) VBSWB ALBS&ANDRO, Torqvato Ttsso e & Piemonte, historical notes* Turin, Stamperfa
Real* #87, in-8, 88 pages with an engraving.

(2) See my study, Nwoo conirifato *tl* vtt& & Piero ValerUno di Bdltmo, a humanist
of the first half of the XVI century, of one of whose Love Odes I have also given a trans-
lation. Milan, m. Printed Aflegretti (For a Vedding).

J4

being Madam Gabriefle De Mesme de Marofles, married on Dec*
2 nd , 1668, to the obliging Charles Delle Lanze, Count of Sales*
Nor need we marvel at such gifts, dallyings, festivities hunting-parties,
banquets and balls, when even Duchess Jane, the wife of Charles
Emanuel I made no fuss about them, accustomed as she was, to the
scenes of jealousy of Madam De Marolles and the Marchioness of
Cavour, with whom the Duke kept up an intimate correspondence*
On the death of Cardinal Defle Lanze, Jan, 25*, 1784, in the
Abbey of St* Benignus, of which he was a Commander^ this family
too, became extinct But, in J732, the castle had already returned
to the Royal patrimony; and, in 1752, Charles Emanuel ffl, by
royal patents of July 14 th , had united it to the Magistral Com-
mand of Stupinigi, by which it was granted through royal patents
of Sept* 24 th , J776, along with part of its enclosed and annexed
territory to John Victor Brodel, of Turin, " in order to carry out
experiments for the production of a good quality of pottery,,* But
only four years later, by royal patents of April 28*, J780, the
use of the castle was granted to Dr+ Victor Amedeus Gioanetti, "the
real inventor of Vinovo Porcelain,,, as we shall hereafter show*
The ceramic industry having ended in Piedmont on the death of
Gioanetti, on May 24% 1824, the castle was let, by the Society
of Holy Religion, to one/oAn Stopping who attempted to revive this
art but in vain, as a year later we find he was obliged to leave the
building, it being sold, on April 20% 1825, to the University of Tu-
rin, which made of it a summer residence for the students of the
College of St Francesco da Paok, directed by the Jesuit Fathers*
On Feb* 6*, J836, the University sold it to the city of Turin, by
which, in J839, it was granted to the Poor-House, which however
could only make use of it for a year owing to its distance from the
city, there not being then convenient means of communication with
the capital* On sale again, in 1843, it was purchased by Messrs
James and Louis Rei, the father and the uncle of its present own-
ers, who founded there a manufactory of carpets.

The Chemist Victor Amedeus GioanettL

THE fame of Dr* Victor Amedeus Gioanettt is founded prin-
cipally on his btavttfvl porcelain.
But, before preceding to speak of that, it will be advisable
to make the acquaintance of the man, who traversed the field of
Chemical science in all its amplitude when there was no chair of
Chemistry in the university of Turin, and he could neither hope
for help elsewhere, nor dispose of those means in which modern
laboratories are rich-when indeed Chemistry was a science held
in some suspicions.

This man was reafly self-taught, a self-made man, in the true
sense of the word; and yet he seems not of those times but of
ours* Among other documents of mine, lent by me formerly to the
iflustrious Professor Piero Giacosa of the University of Turin, I
find one, which, in my turn, helps me now to give some special
indications; namely, a fine "Note,, of his which he himself pre-
sented to

(J) See "Btbttoffrzphynt at the end of tie volume tu 8*

J7

Gioanetti was born in Turin on Oct 3J", J729, His father,
John Peter was at the head of the general tobacco agency, and
was a decurion of the city* He began to study medicine in the
Royal University of Turin, in J747, taking his degree in J75J,
Six years later, he was aggregated to the college of Medicine there*
On that occasion, he discussed the following theses, only the titles
of which have been preserved; 4f De luce et cotoribvs,, - "2fe
vistt,, - "De sale ammontaco,, - De myopta et presbyopia.,,
- "De strabtsmo,,.

The only laboratories, in which it was possible, then, to carry out
chemical experiments, were those of the pharmaceutical chemists, or
those in the factories of chemical industries. At first, Gioanetti, who
was very keen on such investigations, seems to have availed himself
of some pharmaceutical works: but, later, he got possession of
one himself, which he transformed into a chemical laboratory
where he spent all the spare time left him by his practice in studies
and researcu work. We only partly know what was the nature
of his investigations, very few publications of his remaining to us,
but his principal work in which he is entirely revealed to us, is
his "Analysis of the Minerals waters of the Vat d'Aosta,, ,
completed by him in J779 ( J ) by request of Count Charles Francis
Baldassar Perrone de San Martino, who was then at the head of
foreign affairs. This Count was a man of wide culture, who, in
his palace in Ivrea, had gathered together a fine collection of Ro-
man inscriptions and antiquities, and who took delight in the study
of botany. He represented the Sardinian government at London
about the middle of the XVffl century, and, from there, he sent
important letters to Turin, in order to arouse an interest in the
novelties in English literature, and break the bonds of the narrow
and stagnant society which that of Turin then was.
By this work, the attention of scientists was drawn to Gioanetti,

V) St* " BWography,, , a. <).

18

and the best chemists Foucroy, Guiton de Morveau, and others
paid him tributes of praise* In fact in it is revealed the mind of
a chemist, wefl trained to solve the most difficult problems of the
science which he cultivated, and one able to excogitate new and
original methods*

The book contains, besides, wise and moderate medical observa-
tions on the use of the water* On the whole, on being read,
even now it leaves the impression of being the work of a lucid
and orderly mind, which proposes to itself clear problems and
solves them rightly* It is not to be wondered at, if it was wel-
comed with applause by the author's contemporaries* And the
greatest praise which can be tributed to him, as, an analyst, is, that
the results, obtained by him, are but little discordant with those
obtained through the surer methods of modern analysis*
The investigations which he carried out on behalf of private
persons, and the business hi the pharmaceutical works, bore good
fruits* When he, in 1780, abandoned afl his occupations in
order to settle at Vinovo and dedicate htmsetf entirety to the
manufactory of porcelain (according to the assertion of BoninoW
who drew this informations from an autograph memorial, no
longer extant), from the laboratory he drew over three thousand
lire every year, which, in those times, was a conspicuous sum*
The fame of Gioanetti, as a chemist, had thus been, little by little
acquiring solidity, and naturally, had made for him friends and
enemies, brought him honours and calumny* In his laboratory,
he gave private lessons (as he himself remarks in the note on
page 52 of the volume, "Analyse des eavx de St. Vincent, etc*),
and youths from the best families of the city took advantage of
them* Besides, Perrone di San Martino, Saluzzo, and others
belonging to the noble and governing class, were interested in
his studies, and that group of distinguished men which Turin

(J) See " BWiograpky , n. 2.

19

then boasted of, and who were united in a Scientific Society,
which, in J783 became P ' Acc&demia. dette Sdenze, proposed to
King Victor Amadeus HI that a chair of Chemistry should be
founded, and Gioanetti appointed to it. But that daring: plan found
adversaries, who represented chemistry as a dark science, to be
feared as an associate of magic and alchemy, and therefore, no-
thing was done*

The fact was, the good doctor had made enemies, partly because
of his somewhat rustic manners, partly because of his ingenuous
ignorance of human intrigues, and his neglect of the respect owing
to afl the petty ambitions, common in the aulic Turinese sur-
roundings. However, his- rare qualities of intellect and character
as wefl as his learning assured him of friends and protectors in
that part of the same society, in which new ideas, new plans were
discussed, welcomed and favoured, and in which was prepared
that rising for redemption which made Piedmont the herald of
Italian liberty.

The disappointments of life did not however trouble the man of
science* For some time, Gioanetti had been busying himself with
fossil days and especially with those which serve to make por-
celain* He had studied the Piedmontese minerals suitable for such
a manufactury, and later, he gave an amply detailed list of them.
He also cherished the idea of being able to avail himself of his
knowledge to found an industry.

At first, he limited himself to gres, and, in J774, he obtained per-
mission to manufacture vases of this substance - that is, clay semi-
petrified internally and externally, in the form of ordinary porce-
lain ("which besides their cleanness and cheap price, have the
"quality of standing fire, of being impenetrable to any liquid, and
"of giving no bad quality to food,,). He then began his work.
Later, he gave up this privilege, obtaining in compensation for it,
a pension of 600 Ore a year, granted him in October J J*, J-776.
Afterwards, seeing the failure of the attempts made by others, as we

20

shafl relate further on, to found a manufactory of artistic porce-
lain, he, invited by the king, took over the management of this
industry in the castle of Vinovo, and dedicated himself to it with
constant and continual enthusiasm and fervour, sacrificing himself,
his time, his substance* And though the undertaking was a finan-
cial disaster, it yet constituted a glorious period for Ttedmontese
Ceramic Art, the importance of which is recognized by all the
historians of the subject The rich collection in the Museo Or
vko of Turin, (ancient department) in Via Gaudenzio Ferrari, is
the worthiest monument to the memory of Gioanetti*
This Collection comes mostly from a bequest of Marquis Robert
Azegfio, who was one of the wealthiest and most intelligent col-
lectors in Piedmont W+

Several of the products of Vinovo are incomparable for fineness
of decoration, elegance of modelling, beauty of form, so that sever-
al manufactories abroad have been induced to imitate them. Such
imitations however, are always easily recognized*

(t) I am pleased here to pay a debt of gr atitude* I sincerely thank the illustrious Dott. Lo-
renzo JR&oeref who with so much zeal and ability, directs the above-mentioned Museo Civico,
for the friendly kindness shown to me. He placed at my disposal, the objects chosen by
me to form the illustrations of this volume, which are now for the first time photogra-
phed* Open to the widest modern ideas, he considers Museums as means of instruction
and education, therefore, heedless of trouble or inconvenience, he is always ready at any
moment to give help to those engaged in studies. How many of the directors in Italy
ire ftt-g him?

21

The Manufactory*

IT is, first of all, necessary to state that, for the manufacture of
the ceramic products, Vinovo only provided the premises, the
substratum of the soil in that region, entirely a plain, in the
vafley of the Po, not possessing materials suitable for such a pro-
duction, but only days for bricks, used in building* Also, for the
sake of clearness and order, we must divide the production of
the porcelain into two distinct periods*

The first period extends from October 26*, J776, to January \ 780,
and, in it, we have the work of John Victor Brodel of Turin,
and of Peter Anthony Hannong of Strasburg,

The second period, which includes the work of 2)r* Victor Ame-
deus Gioanetttt begins in April, 1780, and (calculating the inter-
val of suspension caused by the French occupation between 1796
and September, 1814) ends on the death of Gioanetti in the castle
of Vinovo itself, on November 30% J815,

23

One John Lomello, employed in the manufactory, took it into
his head to try and carry on the production; but the results or
this attempt were quite negative*

By now, Tamietti is dead and around him remain John Cassardi,
a turner, Michael Carasso, an architect and painter, John Forneris,
Michael Barberis and Chiriotti, all, except Carasso, as insignificant
as artists, as their productions were*

FIRST PERIOD:

John Victor Brodel of Turin, and the Marquis Laurence Birago
San Martino, count of Vische formed in 1765 a society, in order
to found a manufactory of porcelain* The castle of Vische^ belong-
ing to Birago, was the site chosen; and the King, by Royal
Patents of August 2 nd 1765, granted them a monopoly for twenty
years, along with exemption from every kind -of tax* But fortune
did not smile on the undertaking, and Brodel separated from Bi-
rago, resolving however, to carry on the enterprise, elsewhere, on
his own account* The productions of Vische are known to us only
through a few rare specimens; they seem, however to be without
importance*

* * *

Brodel called to his assistance Peter Anthony Hannong, the son
of that Charles Francis Hannong, who, in 1709, founded one ce-
lebrated manufactory of majolica at Strasburg and another at
Hagenay, both in Alsatia; and the brother of that Paul Anthony
who, at Strasburg, initiated the manufacture of hard porcelain, into
the decoration of which he introduced the purple of Cassius, and
who, in J744 discovered the means of applying gold to his most
elegant enamels*

Peter Hannong, therfore, came from a first-class laboratory, the fame
of which had already spread through the principal states of Europe,

24

and he gave Brodel good hopes of succeeding in his new tinder taking*
Brodel, having obtained permission from the king to carry out his
experiments in the castle of Vinovo, and both he and Hannong
being pleased with the results of those, they, together, requested the
king for a renewal of the privileges already conceded for Vische,
along with others greater* for a period of 20 years, and this was
granted them by Royal Patents on Sept 24% 1776* The patron-
age of the king was, then, granted to the manufactory which
was allowed to place the Royal Arms on the entrance, and to
dress the porter in the dress and bandolier of the royal livery* Be-
sides, "His Majesty ^wishes that to all the pieces of porcelain
there be applied the letter V and a cross of a blue colour along
with a NUMBER, in order to distinguish the different qualities of
the said pieces*, ,

44 This manufactory is for porcelain of every kind whether painted
or not} gilt or not gilt, mixed or in relief, sculptured or flowered,,*
Among minor privileges, others greater are granted, as for exam-
ple: exemption from afl taxes of egress, transit and transport by
water, for the products of the works, and from afl duty and cu-
stoms or gabeHe, on the colours, utensils and clays, coming from
the various places and provinces of the Royal States, and necessary
to the manufacture of the porcelain, as well as the right to have
the necessary clays and coal searched for and excavated in the
lands of anyone whomsoever, on paying an adequate compensation*
The workmen were obliged, before the President of the Consulate,
to swear to keep secret afl the operations concerning the said ma-
nufacture, and those, who were admitted to the various compositions
and secrets, were forbidden to abandon their service without the
permission of the king while afl the others had to give three
months' warning, if meaning to leave the place* The products
were satisfactory, the public favoured them, and therefore, the two
manufacturers concluded a legal act of partnership on October 26*,
1776, fufl of hope in the result of their undertaking*

25

The names of the artistic workers which we find, are:

MODELLERS: John Maurice Mrbelto and Charles Tamietti, the
latter being an artist of great worth, being also a very able
copper-engraver and designer*

TURNERS: Coquard, Michael Farinel, Habisrevtinger, Ignatius
Icardi, PoUcardi, and G* B, Rena*

DECORATORS: Joseph Barbapiccola, John Odetlo, James Piscia,
and Laurence Vattaneo.

PAINTERS: George Batbo, Michael Carasso, (who sometimes
signed simply CA)> an architect, Charles Fuerer, Hocseanch, George
Hornung, L Cfu Bosco (who sometimes signed L.Ch.B. or L
Cft.Bo., or simply Charles), and Barberis, for the majolica.

REPAIRERS: Louis Mia, Charles Richer.

As the reader sees from this list of the principal artificers, no fewer
than seven of them were foreigners, whom Hannong had certainly
brought with him, at the total expense of Brodel, who had formerly
borne the greatest weight of the Vische undertaking* We must,
therefore, admire the latter for his spirit of abnegation, his con-
stancy in following out his ideal, and his firm faith in the future
of the porcelain industry*

THE PRODUCTS of Brodel and Hannong consisted in pieces to be
used as ornaments in dwelling-houses, and in table-services* We
find indications about those products, from a fascicle, which has
already furnished us with useful information, and which was saved
from the fire that, on the night between the 23 rd and 24* January
J8J7, almost completely destroyed the archives of the Commune
of Vinovo, and is now in possession of the mvseo Cfoico of Turin*
They consisted in:
Inkstands both white and gilt
Perforated table-baskets, painted yellow.

Single figures and Groups ', with and without varnish, both white
and coloured, representing Minerva, on a pedestal, other mytho-
logical figures, the four seasons, saints, busts, oval medallions re-
presenting Roman Emperors, Pius VI (Papa Braschi), pastoral
groups, deer, chained dogs, etc*
Knife-handles*
Barrel-formed mustard-pots*

Complete ( Dinner-seroices f plates, soup-plates, tureens, etc*
Tea-and coffee-sets*

Bowls of various dimensions, with and without lids or plates, white
and painted*

Cups of different sizes and forms, round and square, with and
without lids, with relative sugar-bowl, coffee-pot, milk-jug, deco-
rated with bunches of roses, with golden spots and other ornaments,
and grecques in gold, landscapes in purple with gold outlines, blue
waving ribbons and garlands of flowers with small golden key-
patterns of a violet colour, and garlands of grey flowers outlined in
gold* Others have birds with gilt outlines and series of ornaments
of fish-scales, in purple with a double, gilt edge*
Vases in Biscuit* varnished and painted with flowers; with medal-
lions, gilt edges, goats' heads, etc* having a pedestal, either fixed or
movable* And they represent the rarest specimens of this se-
cond period*

The decoration of violet-coloured roses, graceful and flowing, like
those of Strasburg, belong to this period of Hannong* This rose
must not be confused with Dr* Gioanettf's, which are of natural
colours; an able chemist, as he was, having no need to substitute
the real colours of the flower with others unreal*

As we have seen, this Society was formed on October 26 th 1776,
but it only tasted three years and a half; dissension having arisen
from the very beginning, between the two partners, vtth the rela-

27

tive consequences; cessation of harmony of ideas, less care in the
work, less production, decrease of proceeds, debts and, at kst the
dissolution of the Society* Hannong took over all the business,
undertaking to pay all the debts contracted in partnership, and to
pay back to Brodel Iftle by Me, his share in the concern* He,
however, had failed to calculate his resources correctly and did
not realize what a burden he was thus taking upon his shoulders*
The fact is, he had always shown himself to be eccentric, irre-
sponsible* inconstant, ever since his father Paul Anthony's death,
in 1760, when the manufactory of Frankenthal had passed into
the hands of his elder brother, Joseph Adam, while, unfortunately,
those of Hagunau and Strasburg fell into his, Peter Antony's who
was the younger brother*

His great talent was not compensation enough for the many faults
Ox his character* A born artist, he was an enemy of all calculations
and industrial speculations* A sufficient proof of this is, that he
sold the secret of his porcelain to Sevres, without ascertaining
what might be the effects of his bargain, thus being deceived and
obliged to give up his works and wander about, in attempts to
draw profit from his knowledge, in order to gain a living*
Hannong was in such conditions when he accepted the offer of
Brodel* and came to Vinovo, bringing with him his principal de-
fects which were to exceed his good qualities* The manufactory,
therefore, left completely in his hands, could not but come to an
unsatisfactory end*

In fact, in January, 1780, the King ordered that it should be
closed, and all the furniture and the goods in the place were sold
by auction*

This Manufactory, as we learn from a note in manuscript by
Donaudo defle Mottere, had already cost the king the sum of
three hundred thousand

xu 5.

28

SECOND PERIOD:

But four months had not passed before the Manufactory of Vinovo
re-opened its doors to new productions of real worth and greater
fame, under the auspices of the chemist, Victor Amedevs Gioa-
netti, of whom we have already given ample information.
This scientist, in an ample "Report,, to the King, gave an ac-
count of the studies he had carried out on the lands in H*M/s
states, and of the results he had obtained for the manufacture of
a good hard porcelain, and requested that he might avail himself
of the castle of Vinovo, to effect such a manufacture* And the
King, with Royal Patents, dated April 28% 1780, granted him
fufl powers for this, along with the use of the wafied garden,
annexed to the castle, and of the water-canal which surrounds
two sides of it, and was suitable as motive power for the millstones,
used for pulverizing the raw materials* He also renefoed in fas
favour all the privileges formerly granted to Brodel and Hannong*
We have no information concerning the agreement come to, be-
tween Dr* Gioanetti and Hannong or Brodel, the creditor of the
latter, or with the mass of creditors, about the taking-over of the
utensils, machines, models, etc* Very probably Gioanetti took into
his employment the workmen and the artists who had been in
the service of Brodel and Hannong*. We know, however, that
the afore-mentioned Tamietti, a learned, and exquisite modeller,
and a perfect artist, was with him, and remained in Gioanettf s
employment till his death in J796* With him, too, was the excellent
painter Carpano, one of whose pieces we reproduce in Plate X*
In the meanwhile, Gioanetti fixed his abode in Vinovo, where he
transported his chemical laboratory, and dedicated himself, body
and soul, to the development of his ideals*
Carena, speaking of Gioanetti* s work, says as follows; "This
' illustrious chemist had two singular advantages over those who had
preceded him; the first being, that he had found the best clays for

29

the manufacture of porcelain in the *Rpyat States themselves; the
second, that being a most expert chemist, he was able with greater
ease and in a shorter time, to attain to those results in the ma-
nipulation of the clays, on which the success of the porcelain
mostly depends,,*

44 la fact, in a very short time, beautiful pieces of this porcelain
were to be seen in the royal halls and in the houses of the great
and, in general, there was a great demand for it, because, owing
to its intrinsic qualities, Gioanetifs porcelain had, perhaps, nothing
superior to it in Europe. Suffice it to say that, besides bearing,
without breaking, the greatest and the most rapid alternations of cold
and heat, # is so difficult to melt, that a cup of this manufacture
can be used as a crucible for most of the porcelain in Europe *
Another quality in it is also noteworthy; namely, that the exter-
nal layer, even after long use, shows no sign of those cracks and
flaws, which are never seen in real China ware, but which are
very common in Europan porcelains* The having taken away
this defect, means having found for the kyer such material as
possesses a certain grade of fusibility, included in very narrow li-
mits and therefore not easily found- a material, which becomes one
with the porcelain; and that both, though more or less heterogen-
eous with each other, have yet a uniformity of expansion and con-
traction, under the various degrees of heat
According to Carena, "Gioanetti was reluctant to communicate his
secrets and jealous of his rare knowledge and useful discoveries*
With severe constancy, he always refused to give the result of
his studies to the public,,* Carena gives us the description of
twenty-one kinds of clay and earth in Piedmont, in a list obtained
from Gioanetti himself, who, however, had refused to communicate
to him the proportion of those, used in his porcelain*
During the French dominion, however, the manufactory of Gioanetti,
stiE carrying on its work, attracted the attention of the French Go-
vernment, which, perhaps fearing a competition with Sevres,

30

demanded from Gioanetti a fist of the materials used for his por-
celain* And, in 1807* Brogniart received from the chemist the
formula of his composition* which he inserted into his Tratte des
arts ceramiques*

It is as follows:

Magnesite ou silicate de Magnesie de Baldissero (Piemonte);
Argile de Barge (Piemonte^ province de Ctraeo) qt*i est ten

Kaolin tres talqoeax;
Fetdspath de Frossasco (Piemonte);
Ta/ic Mane fibrevx (abandonnc pat la suite);
Qpars de Cvmiana (Piemonte)*

Sur 100 parties:

Magnlsite de Baldissero ****** 28

Argile de *Barge ******** 9

Fetdspath de Frossasco. .**** 7

Attars (fe Cvmiana ...... 28

Tessons de porcetaxne ctttte ne tefermant que J0% de

tnagnesie ******** 2o

"

We do not find, however* that either Brogniart or anyone else
tried the experiment with these data; and, besides* the same ele-
ments in the hands of one chemist may give results very different
from what they would give in the hands of another* Besides* as
a curiosity* I may relate what was told me in my youth by two
old men of the village; namely* that Gioanetti had white stones
gathered from the clean gravel of the torrent Chisola* which flows
quite near the village* and that those stones* first calcined and
then ground, became one of the elements of the porcelain paste*
being perhaps a very good substitute* and cheaper than one of the
elements in the above formula*

The ever-increasing financial difficulties against which Gioanetti
had a daily struggle and in which he consumed his substance* in
a period in which the king was hindered by political events from
keeping his promises* little by Me* brought his entreprise to an end*

He had recourse to credit, and in June 1784, pubMed a Pro-
spectus on the establishing of shares in favour of the Royal Ma-
nufactory of Vinolto Porcelain, the shares being two thousand, at
24 lire each* The exact result of this speculation is not known*
The worth of each share was to be given back in six years,
that is one sixth every year, along with the interest of J 2 per
cent, either in money or in porcelain according to the desire of the
shareholders* and at market prices* From memorials in the Royal
Archives of the State, we learn that a considerable number of the
shares were taken over* From the Registers of the Reale Acca-
demia delle Science we see that this institute took twelve of them*
But the critical conditions of the State, which, shortly after, was
to fall under the dominion of the French Republic, the deprecia-
tion of. money, the necessity of paying high prices to able work-
men, partly foreigners, the special circumstances which made it
diffiult in such times of poverty and trouble to find a sale for the
products which were chiefly articles of luxury, were all elements
which contributed to the failure of the magnificent enterprise*
Gioanetti, whose mind was tempered to the difficulties both of
science and life, struggled on with all his strength but without
illusions* This is proved by the inscription, written by his own
hand, under a vase, which he presented to his friend, Count Ghi-
fiossi di Lemie, who was to be one of his biographers* The in-
scription runs as Mows:

"Proh! dolor! - Puelta mihi carissima - Patris adinstar - Dotis
defedu- Sine liberis - Morieris - "Ah I Woe! Maid - very dear to me
as to a father - for want of a dowry - thou without children-shalt die,,*
Thus he prophesied the death of his dreams, of his high ideals*
On the return of the House of Savoy to Piedmont, Gioanetti was
stifl earnestly intent on his manufactory at Vinovo, and the king
paid him a visit in J815, ordering from him some vases for the
Royal palaces* But, bowed down with years and moral and phys-
ical fatigue, on Nov. 30* of that same year, he abandoned this

32

fife, to the sincere regret of afl those who had drawn near him
and known him*

GIOANETTPS PRODUCTS of (hard} Porcelain are many and varied*
Busts of philosophers, men of science, Roman emperors and em-
presses, famous personages, in biscuit, or with white varnish*
Round and oval medattions in biscuit or varnished in white*
Statues and Groups af mythological figures, in the style of Capo-
dimonte, or representing Roman emperors on horseback, in biscuit,
or varnished white*

Small statues like those of Dresda but wih a special, very clear
character of their own, in biscuit or varnished white*
Tiny statues which reproduce Piedmontese customs^ as the Chim-
ney-sweeper, the Hurdy-Gurdy Player, etc* all full of sentiment, -
with white varnish, coloured, and also in biscuit*
Candlesticks and bases of fine form* decorated in gold and with
flowers*

Dinner-Sertnces (now rarely complete) in white, decorated in gold,
with rural or hunting subjects, monochrome ; with garlands of tiny
flowers, executed with the greatest care; now in various colours,
now in one, now in gold; with medallions of mythological sub-
jects, painted in colours* Coffee - and Tea-sets (also rarely com-
plete now) adorned with the arms of nobles, or with medallions -
portraits of princes and important personages, executed very finely
and with great taste*

THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS of this production are, therefore:
first of all, a perfect report of expansion and contraction between
the paste and the varnish with makes this porcelain tetragon to
the rapid transitions from the highest to the lowest temperature*
Paste and varnish clearer, purer, whiter than in the preceding period*
Very fluid varnishes, the purest of colours, fluid, not felt on being
touched by the fingers and perfectly applied; shining or opaque

33

gold, applied with equal perfection; cobalt blue of a surprising pur-
ity, never attained by any other chemist, which we find in certain
coffee-sets of a very simple form, decorated with simple corn-
flowers ; a quite special monochrome decoration (subjects or medal-
lions) in the most delicate of colours pale-rose, brick-red, violet,
rusty sepia, or black : the very fine execution of the miniature on
certain cups, as we have already indicated, the constant sobriety
and elegance of the form, in which every pompous style is avoided,
the perfect classical modelling of the busts, statuettes, and groups,
the fine taste in each object* And, by the way, let us observe
that the violet-coloured rose belongs to the period of Hannong,
while Gioanetti's roses are of a natural colour, as we have
already mentioned on page 27*

From this, it appears that though the chemical branch was under
the direction of Gtoanettt, the artistic part was carried on under
Tatnietti. The genius of science and the genius of art had joined
hands to tread together the same way - a rough way, indeed, but
that of the highest ideals*

THE POTTERS* MARKS: those continue to be the marks which Bro-
del and Hannong were ordered to use by the Royal patents of
Sept 24 th , 1776, and which were renewed for Dr*Gioanetti: namely,

v.V.V (initals signifyng Dr. Gioanettf), V, accompanied by the

O.Q

artist 9 s name. The V indicates ^Dinovo, and the sign -|- stands
for the cross of Saboy* Those marks are blue under varntsb, or
<whtte f engraved in the paste ; gold is used when the pieces are
de luxe f or for the Royal House, etc*

At the end of the volume we give four PLATES OF POTTERS' MARKS,
all copied from the originals, which will be an excellent guide for
the reader in making comparisons*

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

ANNUARIO of the R* University of Turin.

BONINO. Biografia medica piemonfese. Turin J828* (Ex meo Archivio).

BRONGNIART* I r aite des arts ceramiqves.

CARENA GIAONTO, Stogie del doff. Gfoaneffi. ("Atti" of the R. Academy of Turk,
meeting 9* June I8J6, Tom* 23)* (Ex meo Archivio).

DONAUDI DELLE MOLLERE. Al&o**o di m piano in cot si disaminano alcmi mexzi
per isfabilire an fisso e regolare commerdo fra la. Sardegna e gti aUti Stati di terra
ferma di 5. M, (Manuscript of the Archive of Prof. Federico Patetta of the R* Uni-
versity of Turin)*

GHILIOSSI DI LEMIE Count GIUS. 1GNAZKX Elogio del prof, di Medidna Vttforio Am.
Gioanetti, appto<oaio datta ^ Societa Agraria netla. advnanza /3 aprtte IBIS*
Turin> Gius. Favale. In 8. 34 pag* (Ex meo Archivio)*

GIACOSA PIETRO, Svtte acqve mineraU di Courmayeur. Apptmti storici ed anattsi
chimica batteriologica. R* Academy of Turin*, Jan 20* #99, (VoL V, Year 62, fasc* I).

GIACOSA PffiTRO. Vfttorio Amedeo Gioanetti; ConMbdo atia Storia detta chfmica, in
Piemonte* [Separatabdrucfc au* ^Diergart. Beifcrige aus der ges:hichte der chemie*]*
Extract of J2 pages* in 8', J909, (Ex meo Archivio).

GIOANETTI VTTTORIO AMEDEO* Analyse des eavx minerales de S. Vincent ef de
Covrmayettr dans te Dvche d'Aoste, avec une appendice $vr le$ eavx de Saxe, de
Pre 5* Didier et de Fontane-more. Et contenant pfosieurs procedes chmyqaes nov-
veaux, vtites pour t'anatyse des eattx minerales en general, ef pour les sets. Turin,
ches Jean-Michel Briolo, J779* In-8, VIII420 pag, (A rare book. Ex meo Archfofo).

GRASSI J* Apercv svr le commerce, rindvstrie, les arts ef les manifadttres dv Piemont
JOURNAL DES SAVANTS, J780, page J86 and following*

35

PAROLETTI MODESTO* Vite e rttrsttl di sessanta. piemontesi UlustrL Turin, Festa

publisher, J824, In fol* (Ex meo ArcMvio).

RUFFINI FR* UUniversttai di Torino. <Proftto stor. Turin, Stamperia Reale, WOO*
SARASINO ERNESTO [DE-MAURI]* UAmakore di m&iotiehe e porceltane. La Milan,

Ulrico Hocpli publisher* In J6, pages 858*
* SARASINO ERNESTO. SiorU dttte otigini di Vinovo, dd suoi Signori, dd sooi Sta-

fati, del Letter&H e persomggi che ivi Ws^ero, tec. (Ex meo Archivfo).

SORBERO* Memori*. suite TorceUane di C 0ino f bo f read at the R* Academy of Turin

Febf* JO^, S867* (^Atti^ of the Academy* Vot n, J866-67, page 221 and following)*

(Ex meo Archivio).
VIGNOLA A* G* DeUe Maiotiche e Porcefcne del Wemonte. (Curiosities and researches

of Subalpinc History, published by a Society of students of memories of thdr nathre land).

Turin, Bocca, J874-83, Numbers XI and XIL (Ex meo ArchMo).

ILLUSTRATIONS TO THE VOLUME

A) THE CASTLE OF VINOVO, the seat of the Ceramic Manufactory, seen from the
north side

B) COURT-YARD OF THE CASTLE, with terre-cotte*
Q DETAILS of the entablature and arches of the court-yard

D) PORTRAIT of the chemist VICTOR AHEDEUS GIOANKTTI (Ffom the vol. of MODESTO
PAROLETTI, "Lives and Portraits of 60 Illustrious Piedniontese"}*

PLATE L Contains six specimens of the corn flower decoration, scattered or with their
relative green leaves, characteristic of this manufactory*

PLATE IL n, 1823* Cup and saucer decorated with the ruins of a castle and landscape,
in black; n* 1821* Cup and saucer with violet roses and green leaves; n* 1840* Specimen, of
decoration of corn-flowers and green leaves; n* 1858* A bowl for an invalid with elegant
barocco handles* decorated with corn-flowers and green leaves*

PLATE JJL n* 1807, A two - handled cup and saucer* decorated with a violet rose, a
yellow marguerite, and green leaves; n* 1814* Cup and saucer decorated with roses and green
leaves; n* 1232* Plate decorated with ornamental designs* round a Cupid in the centre - coloured.
PLATE IV* n* 1808* Cup and saucer with a violet decoration; n* 1803* Cup and saucer*
decorated with roses and other flowers in natural colours; n* 1862* Cup and saucer with
ornamental designs on the edges* along with *fnaft mfcMTfo"* in violet* the body being
adorned with a blue gold-flecked net A piece de luxe.

PLATE V* n* 1863* Cup and saucer with an elegant* Raphaelesque decoration in violet;
n. 1797* Cup and saucer with decoration of birds in their natural colours; n* 1860* Cup with
Raphaelesque ornaments* in different colours, - At the side: An elegant plate decorated with
a gold net divided into six parts by blue stripes and with a rosette in the centre*
PLATE VL n* 1838* Hate with small flowers in natural colours and blue and gold bot-
dert; n* 1798* Sugar-bowl* with violet* coloured landscape; n, 1736* Oval salt-dish, with de*

37

corations of ribands, knots, and garlands of flowers In natural colours; n* J839* Plate with
decorations of blue and gold ribbons and garlands with violet-coloured roses in the centre?
n* 1735* Vase for perfumes decorated with a violet-coloured rose, other flowers and green leaves*
PLATE VH* n* J726* Plate with indented edges with a violet-coloured rose, scattered
flowers and green leaves? n* 1969* A cup or mug with saucer, decoration in gold with black
medallions* (Part of a set, still complete)? n* 1698* Two-handled cup, decorated with roses
and gold; n* 1727* An oblong plate, modelled, and curved at the corners, with scattered flowers
of different colours? n* J847* Inkstand, decorated with a violet -coloured rose*
PLATE VHL n. J575* A two-handled cup with a characteristic deep saucer. Decoration,
garlands of coloured flowers? n* 1783, Two-handled cup and saucer? decoration of birds in
natural colours? n* 2(28* An invalid's bowl, with gilt handles decorated with flowers and rib-
bons, and landscapes on the lid, painted in a reddish sepia colour in camafea ? n* 1865* Inva-
lid's bowl, with lid and plate, decorated with coloured ribbons and roses*
PLATE DC* n* J869* Salt-cellar, in the form of a ship, with green and gold ornaments?
n* 2062* Salt-cellar, decorated with bunches of roses (a. very good imitation of 5ewes)?
n* 1868* Double salt-cellar, grooved with decoration of various colours*
PLATE X* Patterns of sets made on purpose for the House of Savoy i n* J962* Bowl
from King Victor Amadeus's Lunch-Service* Coffee cup, saucer with the Royal Arms, De-
coration in gold, and, also in gold, Gioanettfo trade- mark; n* 1836, Egg-shaped milk-jug,
with the portrait of the afore-mentioned king. Decoration de luxe* Signed CARPANO F*?
n* 1964. Cup with a rich golden edge and coat-of-arms in colours* cdbovet A toilet jar
decorated with a trophy of arms*

PLATE XL n* J78J* A round soup-tureen with lid, barocco handles* elegant, and deco-
rated with bunches of roses and flowers and leaves of a natural colours? n* 1707* A plate,
moulded, decorated with a rose, other flowers, cherries and a butterfly in natural colours*
PLATE XIL n* 1744* A Soup tureen with barocco modelling? decoration, bunches of roses,
flowers and leaves in natural colours? n* 1722. Plate and vase in form of a beaker, decorated
with a violet-coloured Strasburg rose, yellow, blue, and red flowers and green leaves*
PLATE XIIL n* 1475* Plate with barocco edge (waved and indented) imitation Chinese
decoration graceful style, in colours with signature, CAR* (Carasso, or rather, Carpano**)?
n* (828? Flower -pot with handles, decorated with bunches of roses and other coloured flowers*
PLATE XIV* n* J866* A very elegant barocco tureen with platet the handles of the
tureen are two knots of ribbon, the decoration, garlands of flowers and scattered blossoms in
their real colours* *

PLATE XV* n* 1831* Jug with decoration of ribbons, and garlands of flowers, in various
colours* and in gold? n* 1374. Jug, decorated with ornaments, representing golden lace, blue
ribbons and roses in natural colours* very elegant Two candlesticks, one larger thon the
other* Style Louis XVL

PLATE XVL n* 1963* Vase with handles representing lionslieads in opaque gold, the
neck and foot having ornamental designs in green? wreaths of golden flowers, a medallion in
cobalt blue, de i&re? n* 1843* Vase with handles representing lions' heads in opaque gold and
garlands of rotes and other flowers in their real colours? n* 1852* Vase with maacherons of
goatf heads, in a life-like grey, and a medallion with a Cupid sustained by ribbons of a violet
colour; n* 198J* A vase marbled in a most natural way with a lid and mascherons repre-
senting goate'heads (There is a pair of these and they are two very rare pieces),
PLATE XVE* - Nine medallions in "biscuit" representing personages of the HOUSE OF

38

SAVOY, except the central one in the first row* where we have the portrait of Marquis CHAR-
LES GlNORI, a Florentine Senator and the founder of the Porcelain Manufactory of Docda*
PLATES XVm and XDL Ten busts in "biscuit" of Roman Emperofi and personages
of ancient times* (They form part of a rich series* marvellously executed)*
PLATE XX* Three small statuettes in "biscuit" of splendid workmanship resemblig
those, known as "Tana.gr a? a helmeted Minerva, Italy bearing a tower on her head - A Muse,
PLATE XXI* Four groups of exquisite workmanship: n* 1282* Prometheus having stolen
fire from the sun, chained by the gods to Caucasus, a vulture continually gnawing his heart,
in "biscuit"} n* J4JO* Venus risen from the waves, in "biscuit") n* J9J7. The Emperor
Marck Aurelius, on horseback, a piece In white with very fluid varnish*
PLATE XXIL There statuettes: n* 2045* Vulcan forging arms for the gods, in "biscuit"*,
n* J884* Minerva on an elegant pedestal; a very fln piece in coloured varnish; n* 1830.
Marius, begging among the ruins of Carthage, " biscuit"*

PLATE XXIIL n* 2047* Group, Astronomy; n* J909* Group, Sculpture, both in "biscuit*;
forming part of a series "The Arts and Sciences"; (920* Maiden with flowers in coloured
varnish; n* J573, Girl, with a basket of fruit in coloured varnish*

PLATE XXIV* Four groups: n* J88J* Woman selling birds, a piece in white with fluid
varnish; n* 1888; a woman selling melons, a piece in white with fluid varnish; n* 1902 A
barrel-organ player, in "biscuit" (representative of a series of costumes, executed in "bi-
scuit " and also in coloured varnish)* A group of three figures: Si Joseph and St Anna
teaching the Virgin Mary to read, in "biscuit"*

PLATE XXV* Four Statues in colours* with varnish; n* J962* The artisans; n* J949*
Child holding a vase (Saxony type); xu 1445 Chimney-sweep (representative of a series of
costumes also carried out in btsctttf),
PLATE XXVI - n* 1974* Mary Magd&en, in "biscuit".

PLATES XXVn-XXVm-XXDt-XXX (the last)* Patters' marks, generally of a cobatt-
btue colour, to indicate place and decorators; and, in gold, on special pieces of greater
importance; the modellers and retouchers, instead, engraved their sign in the paste as was
done also to indicate the class and series of the piece* The marks* reproduced have all a
manuscript number at the bottom, corresponding to the numbering of the pieces in the "Mu-
seo Civico in Turin,, (Department "cAncient cArt" in Gaudenzio Ferrari Street)* Those
marks *re in alphabetical order AND ARE ALL COPIED FROM THE ORIGINALS*

PLATES

B.

a

L

IL

III.

VL

vni.

IX.

X.

XL

XIL

xnL

XIV*

XV.

XVI.

xvn

xvm

XIX,

XX.

XXI.

xxn.

xxnL

XXIV.

XXV.

XXVI.

xxvn

XXVUL

XXK.

XXX.