Italian Chalkware Cat- Winterthur, DE
The figurinai tradition originated in the Tuscany city of Lucca beginning in the 17th century. Italian artisans produced low cost figurines pouring of plaster of paris into molds. Some molds were painted and modeled after expensive Staffordshire wares. But the most recognizable figurinai style was the gatto lucchesi- a cat figurine similar to the one above.
Traditionally, wares were made and sold on “tours” across Italy and other European countries. While artisans worked in their temporary quarters, local children were hired to sell the wares in the streets. Hundreds of historic accounts describe scenes of young boys yelling “BUY IMAGES”, while balancing trays of figurines on their heads. “Image” is the original term for these figurines, making the artisan an “image maker”.
The figurinai tour tradition continued in several U.S. cities, but by the turn of the century, many Italian artisans sold their wares in stores. Wares were also reclassified as “chalkware” and wealthy collectors like Winterthur founder Henry Francis du Pont considered it be a valuable, American decorative tradition (though it is often miscredited to Dutch and German communities).
More Figurine Artifacts
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