Orazio Fontana
Orazio Fontana (1510–1571), was an Italian potter and maiolica painter, who introduced istoriato maiolica in Urbino. Orazio Fontana developed a new type of maiolica decoration inspired by Raphael’s frescoed rooms in the Vatican, which in turn were inspired by ancient Roman wall paintings. Known as grotesque motifs, these elegant and fantastic embellishments began to cover increasingly large areas of his work
Orazio Fontana came from an established family of potters in Urbino. He was born in Castel Durante as the son of Guido Durantino, who was also known as Guido Fontana. When he moved to Urbino from his native Castel Durante, he took the Fontana family name. Along with his father, the master potter Guido Durantino, and his brothers Camillo and Nicola, Orazio helped to shift the dominant area for maiolica production and innovation from Faenza to Urbino and nearby Castel Durante by introducing istoriatodecoration there. Along with his father and his brothers Camillo and Nicola, he ran a workshop for several decades.
Guido lived in Casteldurante in the paternal home in the district of Ponte Vecchio, a home stocked with a workshop and three furnaces with direct fire and reverberation. Benedetto Bemardi’s presence in Siena since 1462 had favored the creation of a local school where the figure of Giovan Maria da Casteldurante prevailed. From the luggage of Giovan Maria and from the Durantin school at the end of the fifteenth century, the durantini types that Guido, capobottega, and his workers, including Orazio, Nicola and Camillo, will develop from masters and move to a different climate.
By a notarial act of 9 May 1516 concerning Antonia, wife of his uncle Simone, and hired in the house of this, bordering on Guido’s property, acting as a head, it turns out that Guido lived in Urbino. Here, around 1520, he married Giovanna, daughter of Bernardino Vici, who had 100 florins: the act of the spouses, which took place in the presence of illustrious witnesses on 11 June 1519 in the Duke’s chapel in St. Francis. On 24 Apr. 1522 bought a house with the furnace and warehouse in the village of San Paolo.
In March 1523, Guido received the commission by Duke Francesco Maria Della Rovere to provide for the Imperial Villa of Pesaro thousands of enamelled bricks, part in white and part bleu, intended for chessboard floors that were executed in Same year. From May 21, 1523, and until 1560, Guido appears to be enrolled in the Brotherhood of St. John the Baptist Taken off, or of Death, for which in 1528 he signed the work of St. John the Baptist preaching in front of Herod; From 1540 to 1546 he also covered the prior charge of this association.
On 5 Dec. 1527, “Master Guido del fu Nicolò from Durante potter and citizen of Urbino” sold a house to that Nicola of Gabriele Sbraghe, who with Nicola Malle is one of the two ceramists of Urbino who today tends to assign the previously attributed To Niccolò, Guido’s father. The 7th ag. 1530 Guido promoted controversy, together with the prominent Federico of Giannantonio, Guido Merlini, Nicola di Gabriele and Giovan Maria di Mariano, against majolica employees, including Francesco Xanto Avelli from Rovigo, who had paid wages. On 4 Feb. 1544 took part as a witness at the birth of a hammer company created in Urbino between Mastro Vincenzo Andreoli and Antonio Gianpietro, better known as Pietro Mazzolini of Ravenna.
Created by now a fame, he took the surname of Fontana, appearing for the first time in a document of 1553, but also in the direction of two dishes that must be dated beforehand. On Nov. 8 1565, when his son Nicholas had already died, for disagreements with his other son, Horace, he decided to divide him.
The act of emancipation and division inventory the shop credits and what is contained in the factory. In Guido there remained the house and the ironworks, the white work, the “compendiari”, and the venetian, the cooked and baking works, the rena, the scum and the clay, two large paintings and two small ones To which one, better known, Raphael’s Magdalene. The obligation to keep with him for three years, the grandchildren Domitilla and Flaminio, the children of the late Nicola, instead owed Horace, who bought a house near his father.
On 29 Dec. 1570 Guido made a will and the 16th of October. 1576, the year of death, dictated his last will, naming his son Camillo, his nephews Virginia and Flaminio, sons of Orazio and Nicola respectively, and a fourth son, also named Nicola, who had had By Elisabetta da Cagli, his second wife (Passeri, 1857).
On his production of artist and capovasaio he gave a thorough clarification to Mallet (1987). The Ballardini (1938) assigns to Guido the eight pieces of the service of the convertible Anne de Montrnorency and the plate of Cardinal Duprat at the Musée de la Céramique of Sèvres, all countersigned “In Botega de M ° Guido durantino, in Urbino 1535”. It is also attributable to him by the two salters depicting Diana and Atteone and Diana iraconda to bind to the hall of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and to the plate of Monaco with the goddess Latona, all holding in the direction of the memento moti, which Guido dovette Having taken from the 1540s, when he became a priore of the Brotherhood of the Death of Urbino (Leonardi, 1982, 64vs, 1988).
Mallet (1987) divides pieces from 1528 to 1542 into groups, recognizing the hands of the Maiolari painters who worked in Guido’s ironworks or its dependencies. In addition to Guido’s hand, he identifies those of at least six painters: those of the first group of Nicola di Gabriele, author of the plate of S. Cecilia (Florence, Bargello); Various hands for the second group, including Montmorency and Duprat, influenced by Nicola di Gabriele; In the third group the hand of the “Milan Marsyas Painter” of the circle of Nicolò da Urbino, and that of Guido himself, who signed the plate of the Vivenel Museum in Compiègne with Monte Parnaso, taken by M. Raimondi’s engraving; The hand, and in some cases the nickname, of his son Horace in the fourth group (1541-1544); In the fifth group, which includes the plate with Le Muse and the Fitzwilliam Reridi. Cambridge Museum of Cambridge, the hand of Camillo Gatti, son of Guido’s sister, Ludovica, student of B. Franco and friend of P. Aretino (T. Clifford – JVG Mallet, B. Franco as designer for Italian Maiolica, in The Burlington Magazine, CXVIII [1976], pp. 399); The sixth group belonged to two original pieces, both made in Urbino in Botega de M ‘Guido Vasaro fountain “, one at the Civic Museum of Modena, Le Muse and the Meridi, given by Liverani (1971) in Orazio and the other at Metropolitan Museurn of New York (Lehman Collection), The Siege of Rome of 1527, denied to Orazio da Mallet (1987).
The first work of a sure attribution of Orazio, which does not know the year of birth, are the seven pieces, published by Liverani in 1957, which, between 1541 and 1544, left the shop of his father Guido with his son’s monogram ; To them is added the plate of 1545 with the encounter between Alexander and Diogene (Sotheby’s auction, Florence, Oct. 17, 1969) signed “O.F.”. Other pieces, carried out between 1561 and 1571 (London, British Museum), however, show the exact indication that they were made in the workshop of Orazio. In his factory, the works reached “the highest level of virtuosity and thematic perfection” (Bernardi, 1980), a judgment cooled by Mallet (1987, pp. 291st.), Which, in the workshop of Horace, shines hands higher than his. However, from his factory, students and associates came out to bring the unmistakable sign of urbined art everywhere, and went to visit and protect the Duke Guidobaldo II of the Oak, impressed by the artistic personality of Orazio. From the ducal protection came several commissions that offered the right to the young Horace to reveal all his expertise at home and abroad: he worked at the court of Turin, Florence and Venice (Papagni, 1981, p. 89).
In 1562 he painted all the vessels, on cartons by T. Zuccari and other Roman painters, who composed the mausoleum cabinet sent by Guidobaldo II, by R. Ciarla, gifted to Philip II King of Spain (Pungileoni, 1879, P. 110).
According to a tradition referenced by the Crown (1879), Horace would have painted two more beliefs for Vittoria Farnese, consort of Guidobaldo II. Orazio’s tableware on B. Franco’s sketches, consisting of hundreds of pieces of plates, pots, jugs, refreshments, cups, amphoraees, was sent by Guidobaldo II to Carlo V. A further service to “salient” and ” Raffaellesche “, commissioned by the Duke for the Urbine court in the years 1560-1570, is nowadays retained in part at the National Museum of Florence, having passed to the Medici who had inherited it with other treasures from the urbined dukes, in part emigrated to London, Victoria and Albert Museum, while a large dish is located at the Diocesan Museum of Urbania. Add the specialty that the Duke of Urbino, Guidobaldo III or Francesco Maria II Della Rovere (but the tradition does not have archival recordings: Grimaldi, 1979) donated to the S. Casa di Loreto, which preserves it.
The collaboration of Orazio in his father’s shop was interrupted in 1563 when Duke Emanuele Filiberto called him to Turin to plant the ceramic industry in Piedmont. In January 1564, in Nice, together with master A. Nani, his native, Orazio presented to the Duke of Piedmont a quantity of 600 lire paid vases; The 20th ag. 1564 “Master of Urbino boss master of the hammer of S. Alt.” 800 shields were paid by Archbishop of Turin Gerolamo della Rovere, “on account of the two beliefs of the earth” (Campori, 1879, p. 67). It is deduced that the maiolicaro urbinate enjoyed the protection of the famous archbishop, Of Urbino and often their host, and was presented to him by Emanuele Filiberto.
In 1565 Orazio returned to Urbino and left the paternal shop. The first consequence of the Separation Act (November 8) was the purchase of a home and a verner located in the village of Sao Paulo, near the paternal home, which Rackham (1922) supposes has been reproduced by Orazio in the dish with The Knights Race of 1541 (London, Victoria and Albert Museum) depicting the St. John’s stake that ran in Urbino.
Nowadays independent, but always in good relationship with his father who remembers him well in his 1570 testament, Horace began a new kind of painting with grotesque woods, in which reinforcing the white of the fund managed to give greater contrast to the fantasies of the drawing . He used much to collaborate with his nephew Flaminio, but his intense activity ended prematurely.
He died in Urbino in 1571. In the will of August 3, he assigned his wife, Venetian Agnesina Franchetti, 1400 shields she received from her, giving her a choice of “whether or not to remain in the factory of the pots with his nephew Flaminio, A condition that satisfied the shop workers, everything would have to be kept intact for the benefit of his only daughter Virginia “(Pungileoni, 1879, p. 109).
There is no modern ceramologist who does not add to the well-known and published works of Orazio, new pieces preserved and discovered in the most diverse museums in the world. In the Renaissance “Raccolta Domenico Mazza” (Pesaro, Civic Museum) there are specimen vessels that have undoubtedly affinity in color, in the conduct of the masses and in the contours.
Elegant and slim, though sometimes calligraphic, but almost always inventive, Horace also excels in the landscapes of his sisterhood, where reality is fantastically transformed with insistence on vaporous blue harmonies, pervasive of almost archaic content, contrasted with areas from the stretch orange. The complexions are modular and sensitive. Amber and well-tuned tones; The rocks with pictorial variety and soberly stylized, the fronds of trees quite generic, but of a green that harmonizes stupendously with the complexion, ocher orchards of rocks and soils. In the production of Orazio the decorative elements derive from the antique motifs elaborated by Raffello and his followers, while for the iconographic themes he applied to the Bible of Frankfurt, illustrated by H.S. Beham, Luca di Leida, on the engravings of M. Raimondi and M. Dente, as evidenced by the works preserved in the pharmacy of Loreto (Bemini, 1979).
Orazio’s brother, Camillo, who was confused with Camillo Gatti da Casteldurante, was born in Urbino around 1525 and in November 1549 married Margherita of Antonio Spelli (Pungileoni, 1879, p. 110). He lived and worked in the paternal home in the village of Sao Paulo, becoming a family business continuer since the middle of the eighth decade, following the death of Orazio and Guido and the transfer to his nephew Flaminio in Florence. The last document relating to Camillo dates back to January 1589 (ibid., P.106, No. 40). After this date you have no more news. No further information can come from his production since no work is certainly attributable to his hand. His reputation, however, is witnessed by C. Piccolpasso (1565), who attributes the merit to “Camillo et Oratio” to be at the forefront of the “flowering of the potter’s art”.
Rackhani (1940) attributes to Camillo the plate with Le Muse and the Meridi of Fitzwilliam Museuin of Cambridge, to which he links a fragment in the Wallace collection in London, and also in London, a hexagonal jar in the Victoria and Albert Museum, in addition to A small jar in the British Museum recently recognized as porcelain. But Mallet (1987, p. 292) disputes these attributes, preferring to think of Camillo Gatti. Perhaps Camillo, who works in Guido’s workshop, can be assigned many pieces of landscaping service that carries the Salviati or Avogadro coat of arms at the County Museum in Los Angeles because the author stands out from the style of Horace and Cats , And is particularly admirable as a landscaping artist, with a light touch and an excellent sense of color. Dubiously Bernardi (1980) attributes to Camillo the mural plaque with a Via Crucis Station, circa 1565 (Rome, Palazzo Venezia Museum). The ceramic tradition of the F. family was carried by Flaminio, son of that Nicola, He ceramic (of whose work there is no evidence) that Guido had from his first wife, Giovanna Vichi. He formed himself in the shop of Uncle Orazio, to whom he was assigned, being orphaned, following the division of property in 1565 between Guido and his son. At the death of Orazio (1571), Flaminio continued his work in the shop of his uncle, but remained only for a short time in company with Aunt Agnese at the Urbino factory (Corona, 1879; Pungileoni, 1879, p. 109). On the 4th of September 1572 still lived in Casteldurante where he declared that he was the debtor of Simone Papi of 25 shields and 25 bolognins for the purchase of lead and pond from him (Urbania, Notary Arch, Girolamo Salvi, No. 158, c 72r); But at the end of the year Francesco de ‘Medici persuaded him to enter the service of his court, where he was dearest to architect B. Aummannati, groom of the poetess Urbinate L. Battiferri.
The Florence road had been prepared by Cardinal Ferdinando de ‘Medici, who had introduced him to the Florentine court with a letter from Rome dated May 15, 1571, if it is identified with Flaminio – an interpretation rejected by Spallanzani (1979, p. 116) The young man of Urbino “quoted in the letter. Received in 1573 payments, loans and privileges by the Medici (Guasti, 1902), entertained in Florence until 1578; He made remarkable work for the Grand Duke and founded a majolica painting school. In the period 1587-91 Flaminio appears to be again in Urbino, where, according to Pungileoni (1879, p. 111), “was created of the number of priests”. Unknown is the year of his death.
Flaminio is awarded several works, including a plate at the Bargello di Firenze and the three precious plates of the Castello Sforzesco of Milan: the Moses that springs the waters, Marco Curzio throwing in the vault, the usual theme in the F. , And the third plate of 46 centimeters in diameter, which depicts Scipio after the surrender of Carthage. Among the most beautiful works attributed to Flaminio is the trilobo refreshment of the National Museum of Florence with the Camp of Soldiers, which for opulence and sinuosity pre-announces the “baroque” Urbino and Pesaro on objects of use, refined by the modeling of Masked masseurs and fantastic animals of the Raabel character. Another fiamming piece is the plate with The Judgment of Paride (Venice, Correr Museum), signed on the back of the foot with the initials “F. Fo”. Another dish of the Padova Civic Museum, with the Stories of Antonio and Ottaviano, is attributed to Flaminio, dated 1570 by Bernardi (1980, p. 12).
The rinfrescatoi basin in the District Museum in Tarnów created between 1565-1571, is one of the best examples of Orazio’s workshop artistry combining grotesque sculpture, original form with colourful painted decoration.
Supported by Duke Guidobaldo II of Urbino, Orazio introduced istoriato maiolica in the area, hence contributing to the development of new center of maiolica production and innovation.Later on he concentrated on luxury wares of the Spezieria (Medical Dispensary attached to the Palace at Urbino) with surprisingly sculptural, sometimes even fantastic shapes, leaving the plainer, and probably more profitable, white and common wares to his father. Together with his workshop he realized great commissions, including table service for Anne de Montmorency. He died in Urbino in 1571.
He finally moved with his family to Urbino from the 1530s onwards, where he set up his own workshop in grotesques in 1565. Orazio worked with his father for most of his career; he left in 1565 to set up his own workshop nearby. From that time on, he concentrated mainly on luxury wares decorated with istoriatoscenes and grotesques, leaving the plainer, and probably more profitable, white and common wares to his father. After establishing his own workshop, Orazio may have continued to paint ceramics or may have managed the shop’s production.