SCULPTURAL GROUPS

The famous sculptural groups of Domenico Bosello (1755-1822), the most talented modeler who worked in the Antonibon factory between the 18th and 19th centuries.

Each group consisted of a myriad of small molds, each of which was "trodden" by hand in the plaster piece giving only one detail, such as a hand, an arm, a leg, a tool, a garment, and more figures with other elements , each placed in its place, made up the group that had to be assembled before the pieces dried. It was a work process that required a lot of skill, attention and delicacy because the pieces had to be joined together, the minute parts remodeled, such as the eyes, ears, hair, flowers, etc. The first firing was then carried out and then the painting and the second firing to obtain the finished work.

These articulated works were no longer reproduced since the outbreak of the Second World War both for the high cost and for the difficulty of carrying them out: it was a precious piece of history that had been put aside and risked being lost. Could we allow this to happen? Certainly not!

Our mission, as you know, is also to keep alive the models that made our manufacture famous. The history of this factory is unique and we feel the duty to keep our tradition alive. It is for these values ​​that we wanted to rebuild the Bosello groups because they demonstrate how the Antonibon manufacture was able to rise and improve even with the beautiful porcelain figures, reaching an enviable quality and becoming the preferred manufacture of the most illustrious noble and royal families in Europe. They are definitely works that are worth telling and reviving.

Visiting the Victoria and Albert Museum in London you can see an Antonibon sculptural group modeled by Domenico Bosello in 1789 (date engraved on the basis of the piece) entitled "The Oriental Commerce". Many works attributed to Domenico Bosello are present in many museums, including those close to us, such as the Museum of the Liceo d'Arte di Nove which houses the group "La Serenissima", the Civic Museum of Bassano del Grappa and the Civic Museum of Ceramica di Nove, where there is the group "Abundance, Fortitude, Justice and Innocence", "Damina" and "Flute player".

A lot of news can be found on the volume written by Giuliana Ericani, Paola Marini, Nadir Stringa "La Ceramica degli Antonibon", 1990 by Electa, Milano