A JOURNEY THROUGH THE EXCELLENCE OF ITALIAN POTTERY

The term “ceramic” comes from the greek keramikós “terracotta”. Pottery is an ancient art dating back to the Neolithic when human beings discovered that the baked clay was a resistant material useful to contain, for example, food or water. Over the years, thanks to the evolution of crafting techniques, new ones were introduced, such as the vitreous enamel and the lathe: the first one improves the resistance of the material, meanwhile, the second one allows the creation of shapes even more harmonious. Then, when the painting is combined with ceramics, success is guaranteed: these handmade products become real works of art.

You will enjoy the shape of these products and their brilliant colors. The main colors used by artisans are the blue of the sea, the yellow of the lemons, and the green of the vegetation of this place that continues to amaze the visitor. Therefore, the pottery items, one of the symbols of the Amalfi Coast, are one of the most popular souvenirs chosen to embellish houses, not only with small cups, dishes, or kitchen utensils but also tables, vases, and much more.

In Positano, there is an artisan with an unmistakable style: Sosò. This is an eclectic artist, already a fashion designer, a florist, and a window dresser who became a potter for passion. His workshop in Viale Pasitea is located in a particularly small brick tower that amazes you as soon as you cross the threshold because of its particular ceiling decorated with bucolic scenes. Most of its refined and precious products are inspired by the tradition without scarifying the innovation.

The specialties of Ceramiche Sosò are lamps, lanterns, wall lights, and candlesticks, which are pierced and enameled in white. They are perfect to decorate both indoor and outdoor spaces and create unique and refined atmospheres. The artist wanted to recreate an old atmosphere that reminded his childhood. The soft light, that filters from the holes of the lamps, recalls, for example, the nap time, when the shutters were closed and the lights filtered through the lace of curtains, or, the moment of the evening when before going to sleep, to make the light less intense, the lamps were usually covered with scarves. The result is a fantastic shadow effect that these pottery items are able to create again. All this and much more awaits the visitor in this workshop where colors, tradition, and innovation are mingled together to create one-of-a-kind works of art.

Beyond the opportunity of taking home some single pieces as described above, strolling around the alleys of the Amalfi Coast you will understand how the pottery is an integral part of the territory: small religious majolica shrines spread in the corners of the streets, the NaturArte itineraries of Praiano, 8 itineraries, whose 7 of them are in majolica, the “Giardino della Pellerina” of Furore in blue and white majolicas, the artist’s benches of Cetara and the small town of Vietri sul Mare, the excellence of the pottery of the Amalfi Coast. Then, if you look up you will be fascinated by the majolica tiles that cover the domes and the bell towers of the churches, a distinctive feature of this territory. It would be impossible to list them all, but among the most beautiful ones there are the bell towers of Praiano, Amalfi, and Vietri sul Mare.  

The pottery is the undisputed symbol of the Amalfi Coast and Vietri sul Mare is considered the capital. The Cathedral of San Giovanni Battista welcomes its visitors with its dome and bell towers covered with bright yellow, green, and blue majolica tiles visible from different points of the town.

The majolica tiles cover the facade of the workshops, the corners of the streets of its historic center, the handrails and walls of the Villa comunale of Vietri sul Mare, in other words, the majolica tiles are everywhere and if you love this art, you will be fascinated by this place, an explosion of colors where this ancient and unique art plays a starring role.