Pinecone Table Lamp With Pastel Stripes Attrib. Ivo De Santis for Gli Etruschi

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A substantial, hand-built, pinecone table lamp in the Etruscan tradition, attributed to Ivo de Santis for GLI ETRUSCHI. Decorated with … Read more A substantial, hand-built, pinecone table lamp in the Etruscan tradition, attributed to Ivo de Santis for GLI ETRUSCHI. Decorated with pale pastel stripes of blue and yellow encircling its base, the lamp has been paired with a vintage blue shade.

Ceramic pine cones are often seen in Sicily on balconies, walls, or next to gates. The pine stands for health and vitality and, as an evergreen, constant renewal and immortality. With its hundreds of seeds, its cone represents fertility and, in turn, prosperity.

IVO DE SANTIS opened his Tuscan pottery studio in Florence in the early 1950s. Very little is known about his biography—or indeed about the history of the workshop, which, presumably in a nod to his heritage, he named GLI ETRUSCHI (the Etruscans). It seems fairly certain that the bulk of its output was exported, as it is unusual to find GLI ETRUSCHI items in Italy. The work of de Santis became very popular in the US in the 1960s and was widely distributed by the American importers Raymor and Rosenthal-Netter. His artistry quickly became well-known for its bold and quirky creativity.

The products of GLI ETRUSCHI were exclusively hand-built and generally fell into three main categories: small figurines, animal and human; slab-built and wheel-thrown vessels (often altered or combined); and whimsical objets d’art, sometimes decorated with implanted metal wires and dripping in acid-colored glazes (often in striking combinations) or muted pastels. The pieces were rarely signed and were mostly labeled with foil stickers, few of which survived. Happily, de Santis’s creations are readily recognizable by their distinctly original style.

De Santis was a friend of Marcello Fantoni (1915-2011), and his pottery compares favorably with that of his fellow Florentine master as well as with that of their Italian contemporary, Guido Gambone (1909-1969). Equally inspired by ancient Etruscan forms and mid-20th century art styles—particularly abstract expressionism, pop, and color field painting—it was de Santis’ genius to combine these influences, producing ceramic artworks that were all his own. See less