La Venatoria: Orcino Vase Amazon with Deer, Red Background by Gio Ponti for Richard Ginori
The La Venatoria decoration was designed by Giò Ponti to be applied specifically to majolica, even though he himself later arranged for it to be applied to porcelain, too, in gold etched with an agate tip.
The name Venatoria was given to this series because of the narrative theme involving deer-hunting scenes with Amazon warriors, accompanied by their packs of dogs, and it is this narrative theme that is the distinguishing element of the series: The scenes depicted on the plates have their own sequence, so first the prey is hunted down, and then it is carried off.
The topic, inspired by Classical scenes with Amazons intent on the hunt or in battle, but more frequently with the goddess Diana as protagonist, was particularly well-suited to Art Deco. It is not known when this decoration was first developed, but it was already in production by 1928, when Ponti suggests in a letter sent to the then artistic director of the factory in Doccia, Luigi Tazzini, that the color was too pale.
This version is done on porcelain, with an airbrushed background and retouched with a brush by the Pittoria master craftsmen to enliven the surface.
Porcelain Vase, 11.5"
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More from the Gio Ponti Museum Collection here.
The Richard Ginori Collections are available here.
Gio Ponti was one of the most important architect-designers of the twentieth century. Ponti was notable not only for the tremendous amount of his structures that were built, but also for the mere fact that his career bridged numerous design movements, from the 1925 Art Decoratifs in Paris through the beginnings of the Memphis movement. Ponti's experience arguably made him one of the most knowledgeable of industrial designers and architects- a feat that was further emphasized by his founding and involvement in both Domus and Stile magazines, the latter for over 50 years. Ponti was the subject of a major exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in 2018-2019.