that could reveal the secret of the porcelain. From the kilns to the remains of
broken items, everything was buried in the park. On the other hand, finished
pieces of porcelain were sold off at a good profit, right up until 1765. In Spain,
King Charles straightway built a new factory near Madrid (Buon Retiro) which
produced similar porcelain but gradually lost its initial freshness, so much so
that towards 1803 the factory stopped its more artistic production and started
making items in hard-paste for everyday use. This signalled the true end of
the first “golden age” of Capodimonte, a period which had reached its zenith
between 1743 and 1759. After King Charles had left for Spain, King Ferdinand
IV decided he wished to continue in his father’s tradition. In 1780 he set up a
new porcelain factory, and a new phase of porcelain-making began in Naples.
During the following fifteen years, Capodimonte porcelain was to achieve an
even greater output and a greater quality level. The production of biscuit
- unglazed porcelain - was begun, all earlier pieces having a shiny, glazed
surface. The mark with the crown and “N” for Naples is from this period. But
at this point, the French Revolution made itself felt, threatening the Kingdom of
Naples and Sicily directly and causing serious problems for the factory. When
Giuseppe Bonaparte set up a Napoleonic government and crowned himself
King of Naples, the factory began its short, sad decline. What remained of the
immense heritage was bought by the Doccia porcelain works close to Florence.
In 1896, the Doccia (Ginori) factory was merged with the Milanese company
Richard, and thus the name Richard-Ginori came into being. For a certain
period, this story seems to have been halted, but in 1925, taking the cue from
the skills and passion of craftsmen of the past, a new porcelain factory was set
up near Milan where some of the most able sculptors gave life to the modern
tradition of Capodimonte. Gradually Capodimonte as we know it today
developed, to the point that it rivals the glories of the past. Copies of the old
master-modellers works have been deliberately avoided, and the old traditions
have been imbued with present-day originality, reality and humour. And as a
result, a true school has been born around the factory and around the area.
Other excellent factories have opened where famous sculptors and modellers
work or have worked. For some, it is strange to think that companies based near
Milan and in the Veneto region are today carrying on a tradition developed in
Naples, and indeed eighty percent of Capodimonte figurines are now produced
in the Veneto region and exported throughout the world. Anyone wanting to
collect these figurines should remember that there are factories outside Italy
that imitate Capodimonte, at times even using the trademark. There are even
some importers who bring in low-quality pieces produced in the Far East and
sell them as Italian pieces thanks to the “N” mark found on the base. It is
therefore essential for collectors to check the guarantee certificate carefully
before buying a piece in order to ascertain the origin of a piece. Capodimonte
pieces must not be confused with figurines produced using resin and a chemical
hardener. Instead of a totally hand-made piece that has been fired two or three
times at temperatures of up to 1280 C, these copies are hardened and painted
at room temperature. The result is an imitation porcelain that is poles apart
from the true artistry that only porcelain cangive, and such pieces should never
be sold as Capodimonte porcelain as many unscrupulous dealers attempt to.
H I S T O R Y o f c a p o d i m o n t e
Anche tutti i fiori vengono
creati singolarmente uno ad
uno dai maestri artigiani.
All the flowers too are created
one by one by the master
craftsmen.
Le singole rose vengono
delicatamente composte
petalo per petalo, è un
lavoro che richiede anni di
esperienza.
Singles roses are gently
assambled, petal by petal,
that’s a work that requires
years of experience.
Alcuni oggetti vengono poi
rifiniti con l’applicazione di
piccoli e delicatissimi fiori in
porcellana.
Some objects are then finished
by putting in little porcelain
flowers.
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