Italian Pottery: Signature Styles of Sicily and Puglia

You know it when you see it—Italian pottery has a distinctive look that immediately evokes handmade artistry and the warmth of the Mediterranean. While on your Italy walking tour you might notice it in the welcoming tilework above an entranceway, an heirloom dish decorated with vibrant lemons, or a traditional Sicilian ceramic pinecone perched on a bookshelf. This popular Italian art form has traveled across the world, but the best way to understand its nuances is through direct, on-the-ground experience.

What regions of Italy are most famous for pottery, and what gives it its distinctive character? Read on to find out.

How is Italian pottery made?

Italian ceramics share many similarities across towns and regions. You may hear this signature style called “maiolica.” To create new maiolica ceramics, fired pottery is dipped into a tin-based glaze. This creates a white background for artisans to use as their canvas. After painting, the piece is fired a second time, locking in the vibrant colors that typify this style.

The name comes from the Spanish island of Majorca, where Moorish influence was strong during the Renaissance. A trade route between Spain and Italy put Sicily in direct contact with those Moorish artisans, and a new tradition was born.

Given the unique mix of cultures during a period of major artistic growth, it’s no accident that Sicilian pottery is among the most famous in the world. The town of Caltagirone became the center of this trade, making Caltagirone ceramics especially highly prized.

Sicilian Pottery

Potters may use the same general technique, but the palette and subject matter of each piece depends more on specific towns and regions.

Caltagirone’s contributions to ceramic art are so significant the town has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the Italy: Splendors of Sicily tour, you’ll pass very near Caltagirone and have an opportunity to see many examples of this touchstone style. In fact, you may already recognize it—the signature yellow, blue, and green color palette is probably what leaps to mind when you picture Italian pottery.

Not to be outdone, the Sicilian town of Santo Stefano di Camastra has also developed a unique regional style. You’ll find more fiery reds in the color scheme of Santo Stefano di Camastra pottery, sometimes said to reflect a fascination with Mount Etna and the mountainous northern landscape.

Another famous Sicilian contribution is the iconic pigna, or ceramic pinecone. The more you look for these, the more you’ll spot on your travels throughout Sicily. As a symbol of prosperity, fertility, and good luck, they’re a common feature in the entranceways of Italian homes and also make popular gifts. If you’ve got a wedding, baby shower, or housewarming coming up, you might be tempted to bring one home.

Pugliese Pottery 

Sicily may lay claim to the most internationally recognizable style, but pottery from Puglia displays a fascinating and beautiful contrast. Here you’ll see more restrained palettes, though the shapes can be elaborate and eccentric.

On the simpler end of the spectrum you’ll find caposanara, the type of Pugliese pottery intended for regular household use. Faenzara describes decorative ceramics, where the potter has a free hand to embellish their design. These intricate creations lend themselves particularly well to lamp pendants and wall sconces, which create a magical feeling on a warm Pugliese night.

Perhaps the best example of the regional style, however, is the pumo de fiore, Puglia’s answer to the pigna. The name means flower bud, and the design resembles a smoother pigna nestled inside curling petals. Puma are also a sign of good luck and you’ll find them everywhere, inside and out. Step out onto a balcony and you’ll likely see one on the corner of each rail.

If that sounds like a copycat tradition, know that pottery in Puglia has deep roots. The center of the industry in this region is Grottaglie, and clay from the surrounding area has been prized by artisans since the time of the ancient Greeks.

As you travel along the route of our Puglia hiking tour, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to drop into stores and workshops where the regional style is proudly on display. Pumo, of course, make excellent gifts, and it wouldn’t hurt to pack a travel-sized one back as a welcoming touch for your own home.

Ceramics are just the beginning

When you book your next hi0king tour in Italy, it may be the fresh Italian cuisine and sunny, rolling landscapes that most capture your imagination. Follow your curiosity once you arrive, though, and you might find it leads straight to the door of an artisan’s workshop. History buffs will marvel at the way traditions dating back centuries still thrive today; art lovers will admire the bold yet harmonious colors. The more you look, the more you’ll realize how much Italian ceramic art contributes to this lively, sophisticated culture.

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