Large terracotta jar from Impruneta, Italy late 19th Century

Large terracotta jar from Impruneta, Tuscany, Italy. Richly decorated with pomegranate clusters, mascarons, and palm leaves. The production of clay pottery—jars for oil and grain, amphorae, bricks, and tiles—dates back to antiquity, and there are already authenticated records from the Impruneta area, south of Florence, dating as far back as the 12th century. In 1419, Brunelleschi chose terracotta from Impruneta to build the dome of the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral in Florence. Rich in iron oxide and calcium carbonate salts, the clay is worked according to an ancient tradition, by hand and with creativity.  The “round-shaping” method involves rotating around a terracotta mold (rather than the other way around, as is done on a potter’s wheel), adding coils of clay to form the decoration. Italy, Tuscany, late 19th century Dimensions: 79 x 65, circumference 1.85 m