Crespine by Antonella Cimatti

The crespina is a cult object in the ceramic traditions of Faenza: it is characterised by undulated edges and a surface with ribbings, grooves and ripples.
It can be pierced and the inside can be historiated or plain white,
with just a few figures depicted in sober colours at the centre and on the sides, according to the traditional compendiario of Faenza.

The period in which the crespina was most widely spread was the 16th Century, when they were made to decorate the tables of the most important courts in Europe.
Today, Antonella Cimatti reviews this tradition by providing a new lightness and delicateness to her pieces, that are characterised by thin elements, and soft and voluptuous figures.

Her technique consists in adding thin strips of ceramic, renewing the traditions and upturning the classical processes.
By lifting the sculpture to give it more space she creates a poetic interplay
between shapes, spirals and shadow that allow the interaction and mutual perfusion
between the piece and its surroundings.

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