The tradition of working clay in Albisola goes back
thousands of years. We can say that it has
followed the growth of civilization down
the centuries. Good quality clay for pottery
was produced in Albisola during Roman times,
and the decline of the pottery tradition coincided
with the decline of Roman civilization, only to revive
slowly in the Middle Ages up to the 16th century.
In the 17th century Albisola could boast some of
the best majolica production in Europe, the most widely
made decorative pottery being the
calligraphic-naturalistic
Antique Savona, or blue and white style. The 18th century witnessed
the development of the Levantino and Valente styles,
together with the
Boselli and other decorative styles
which continued into the 19th century and led to
Art Déco
and
Futurism. So the history of pottery
in Albisola moves on through the centuries. There is
disagreement among experts as regards the
timing of its rise to national fame.
Some, like Antonio Aragon, believe it spreads from Sicily from the 11th
century onwards, covering the whole of Italy in the space
of a few hundred years and reaching Albisola around the
12th century. But according to the English archaeologist
David Whitehouse the origins of early Sicilian or
southern pottery are different from those of ancient
northern pottery and date back to the 12th century,
stemming from north Africa and reaching Albisola
and Savona in due course. It's possible that this
production is reflected in the "Bacini" mounted on Ligurian bell
towers and church façades and recorded in the inventories
of pottery ware belonging to Ligurian nobles. According to 8th
century documents Benedictine monks brought pottery to
Albisola, usually glazed earthenware or slips. The rebirth of
ceramics production in Albisola is documented in the 15th
century: ancient majolica, slips, semi majolica, glass panels, lustres.
But the real triumph of majolica in Albisola came about
in the 16th century and in the 17th century it
made the town famous throughout Europe. Many other
documents and products testify to the flowering of
Albisola ceramics in the 16th century. These products
were sought after by nobles, not only in Genoa and
Liguria. In this period families of ceramics artists
were born in Savona and Albisola, who flourished and
became famous well into the 17th and 18th centuries.
The Bianchino and Ghirardi families produced other
ceramics artists who spanned the centuries. In the 16th
century came the first statutes regulating the profession,
and many artists from Albisola and Savona adhered to these
corporations or statutes: Conradi, Piccone, Salomone and
Ghirardi, Grosso, Peluffo, Sciaccarama, Seirullo, Saettone
or Seitone, and other masters wrote the history of pottery
in Albisola and Savona. The 17th century is perhaps the
period of its greatest splendour.
Thanks to the work of the painter Giovanni Antonio Guidobono
the famous "Antique Savona" decoration gained popularity,
putting Albisola and Savona at the forefront of Italian
production, and the famous turquoise colouring was in demand
throughout Italy and Europe.
These towns achieved fame for
their fine white glazing as well as for decorative style.
In this period, the rivalry between workshops led to family
names and marks being used on vases to identify the majolica
of Albisola and Savona. But there were highs and lows in their
production, caused by the wars and epidemics that afflicted
Europe in that period. The Folco, Chiodo Bianchino and many
other families were active in Albisola and Savona at the time.
After 1720 porcelain started to spread and
terzo fuoco
decoration, manufactured by a process of triple firing,
came in 1748. Glazed earthenware arrived from England in
1752, then from the whole of Europe, and together with
porcelain it quickly replaced Italian majolica and that
of Albisola in particular, causing its rapid decline.
Famous ceramics artists like Folco, Levantino, Giacomo Boselli,
Ratti, and so on, were working in Albisola and Savona in the
18th century, but in the 19th century the artisan workshops
were replaced by European factories which produced porcelain
and earthenware with applied decoration. Thus much of the
local majolica production was abandoned in favour of earthenware,
in spite of the fact that there was no lack of famous
artists like Tambuscio and Brilla.
Towards the end of the 19th century it was Nicolo' Poggi who
contributed to the rebirth of majolica, first in Savona
and then in Albisola. His work encouraged other artists to
revert to tradition; between the end of the 19th and beginning
of the 20th century Liberty was the most popular decoration,
then came Futurism, which brought fame to Albisola. The most
famous 18th century style in this part of Italy was the
calligraphic naturalistic, which was an imitation of the
Turkish decorations of Iznik or of Chinese porcelain.
It can be decorated in arabesque, leaf or country "quarters".
The Albisola artists superimposed Asian motifs such as hares,
deer, birds or leaves on Western ones such as churches,
castles or houses, all painted in turquoise or multicoloured.
The better known "Antique Savona" decoration was in turquoise
on a white background, more rarely multicoloured, and usually
depicted religious or mythological motifs, or landscapes.
The Levantino style was widely used in Albisola in
the 19th century, as were the Valente "birds and parsley"
and the Boselli. In the 20th century Art Déco and Futurism
were in vogue. In Albisola beyond to the ceramics you can
find one beautiful beach, many restaurants. In Albisola
there are also many beautiful churches. In Albisola Superiore
finds that one dedicated to Saint Nicolò. In Albisola Capo Saint Peter
and Stella Maris. In Albissola Marina that one dedicated to “Ours Mrs. of the Concord”.
In the locality Peace in Albisola Superiore the Madonna of the Peace.