Large Glazed Ceramic Jar by Guido Gambone

Large Glazed Ceramic Jar by Guido Gambone (1909–1969), Italy, Florentine period, circa 1950–1960.
Large hand-painted ceramic jar, designed and executed by Guido Gambone during his Florentine period. The form, slender and fluidly contoured, is extended by a refined pouring spout and a high ribbon-shaped handle, giving the piece a dynamic and perfectly balanced silhouette.
The surface, covered in a slightly crackled white glaze, features a stylized decoration suggesting an animal figure—likely a bull—rendered in contrasting tones of brown, black, and green. The composition is punctuated with graphic signs and linear motifs, reflecting an approach to decoration that is both spontaneous and controlled.
Conceived as an autonomous work, this piece embodies a distinctly sculptural approach, where form and decoration are unified within the same visual language. It stands as a testament to Gambone’s most accomplished explorations during his Florentine maturity and ranks among the most singular expressions of postwar Italian ceramics.
Guido Gambone (1909–1969) is regarded as one of the most important Italian ceramicists of the 20th century. Born in Campania, he trained within the artisanal tradition before establishing himself as a major figure in the renewal of Italian ceramics in the postwar period.
The so-called “Florentine period” corresponds to a phase of artistic maturity, when Gambone settled and worked in Tuscany, particularly in Florence.
Gambone used several signatures, the most recognizable being the small stylized donkey, which has become emblematic of his work and is especially associated with his most sought-after pieces today.