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Deruta, Italy the Star of Italian Pottery
Deruta is a hill town on the Tiber River, near Perugia, Italy. Deruta is know for earthenware better known as Majolica which was first produced during the 15th century. A visit to Deruta today will take you back in time.
Located about 19 kilometers (12 miles) south of Perugia in the region of Umbria, Deruta would be just another hill town boasting a handful of master artworks were it not for its reputation as ceramics central.
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| Maiolica (also known as majolica;), the name given to the style of tin-glazed, decorated pottery that reached an apex in Renaissance Italy, still is produced in many Italian towns, including Faenza, Orvieto, Castelli, and Sicily's Caltagirone. But true maiolica devotees ultimately seek out Deruta, a town in Central Italy where 250 factories still produce the colorful wares.Ceramic-making traditions from the Middle East migrated to Moorish Spain by the end of the 11th century. The tradition found its way to Italy through pottery that was shipped there from Majorca, the Spanish Island that maiolica takes its name from. Deruta's first documentation of the art form showed up as barter in the late 1200s, with items used in daily life such asjugs,bowls and basins. By the 1500s,Deruta'shighly decorated maiolica came renowned for its beauty and dispersed throughout Europe. |
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skills. Deruta is famous around the world for producing beautiful high-quality, hand painted, colorful ceramics in the categories of Italian dinnerware, kitchenware, tableware, clocks, decorative wall plates, and much more
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Taking a stroll through the streets, ceramic lovers can discover how handmade Deruta ceramics take shape; visitors can also stroll the area's medieval streets in search of architectural gems. Nature highlights include guided walks and hikes through surrounding forests and pastures. |
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If the ceramic art is one of the oldest in the world, then Italy without doubt represents one of the most distinguished birthplaces of this human activity. In countless villages and kilns, new techniques have been created and tested, new clays experimented with, new shapes designed new enamels and new glazes tested, new colors used and new decorations designed and painted.
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Against this backdrop, in a position of the utmost importance and distinction, lies Deruta, without question one of the most noble and ancient centers of ceramic production, whose name is in fact celebrated not only by scholars and enthusiasts but is now known worldwide.
For centuries its kilns have been turning out outstanding masterpieces, housed in museums, in private collections and antique galleries in all five continents, and today more than ever before, tourists flock in their thousands to visit its factories, the museum and the artisan workshops lying at the foot of the old village, as undeniable proof that, despite the passing of time; Deruta has managed to preserve unchanged those characteristic traits which have made its name acclaimed throughout the world.
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