Various masterpieces of the Florentine majolica, dating back to the second half of the nineteenth century, and belonging to the Manufacture production of Doccia and to the Cantagalli factory, will be on show until the 15th April 2012 in the secluded halls of the Stibbert Museum, recreating the magical atmospheres of Florence during the last decades of the century, when the city set the trends in the whole world with its excellent arts and artistic handicraft.

 This is also a great opportunity to relive the life of Frederick Stibbert (1838-1906), a refined British collector born in Florence, who was mainly attracted to furniture and applied arts objects, which he bought from all Italian and globa markets. With these objects, he subsequently created real collections and set up  appropriate areas to hot different styles and collections, all unified by his strong personal mark. The exhibition is organised by the Amici di Doccia association (Friends of Doccia), in cooperation with the Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze (Foundation of the Florence Bank Cassa di Risparmio), and it is part of the ‘Piccoli Grandi Musei’ itinerary (Small, but Great, Museums). It was curated by  Oliva Rucellai and Livia Frescobaldi Malenchini and hosts around one hundred works coming from important Italian and International museums and collections, such as the Victoria & Albert Museum ad the William De Morgan Foundation of London, the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, the Musée Nationale de la Céramique in Sèvres, the Museum of the Bargello in Florence, the Museum of Doccia and various private British collections. Among all the works, you will also be able to see the 43 majolica works made by Ulisse Cantagalli and personally bought by Stibbert, who was one of the first supporters of the Florentine ceramist. Cantagalli decorated the little loggia located on the ground floor of the Stibbert Museum - in the words of the artist “the best work I have ever done” - and various decorations embedded on the outer walls of the villa and located throughout the whole garden. 

INFO: Tel.+39 055 2340742 – Opening Times: Mon/Tue/Wed: 10am -2pm; Fri/Sat/Sun. 10am -6pm; Closed on Thursdays