La parabola degli apparati decorativi fittili, evento “globale” di fine Ottocento

The primary focus of the essay is the production of ornamental terracotta, extensively documented in the catalogues of manufacturing firms between the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth century’s. This phenomenon unfolded across numerous European nations, with particular prominence in the Anglo-Saxon context, driven by the proliferation of steel-framed buildings clad and safeguarded with brick. It soon assumed a transatlantic dimension, extending its influence to the Americas and Australia. Initially, manufacturers relied on indigenous and traditional techniques, which they gradually reinterpreted through pre-industrial innovations. Production facilities were progressively modernized with the adoption of continuous-fire kilns. Terracotta was employed in conjunction with worked stone to construct richly ornamented façades, articulating an architectural language that was simultaneously avant-garde and rooted in established stylistic motifs and archetypes, situated within the broader context of eclectic architecture. In post-unification Italy, numerous factories played a pivotal role in crafting a national architectural identity, an identity that sought to renew visual expression while drawing upon vernacular traditions and the classical heritage. The ornamental terracotta production centres, concentrated in northern and central Italy, not only supplied the domestic market but also emerged as prominent contributors on both the European and global stage.