Since 1963, Vietri Ceramics Francesco De Maio has been combining craftsmanship and industrial culture, passing on the ancient family tradition of
Vietri ceramics. With a deep dedication to the cultural, artistic and artisanal heritage, the company creates unique handmade decorations on Bianco Vietri raw glaze. This glaze, composed of an exclusive blend of minerals and white sand, is the base for all colors and decorations. Glazing techniques, such as bell and bucket glazing, allow the high quality craftsmanship of the majolica tiles to be maintained. Each piece then passes into the hands of master decorators or is fired in technological plants at around 1,000°C, guaranteeing products of extraordinary beauty and strength.
The craftsmanship of Francesco De Maio ceramics
The production of Ceramica Francesco De Maio is characterized by meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship. Each majolica piece is crafted by hand, using traditional techniques such as bell glazing, where
Bianco Vietri glaze is evenly distributed over the tiles by means of a bell, and bucket glazing, used primarily for listels and special pieces. This artisanal process ensures that each piece is unique and of high quality. The raw-glazed majolica tiles then pass into the hands of master decorators, who with great skill execute the decorations freehand, using feather-tipped brushes and charcoal powder to outline the contours of the designs.
Freehand decoration is a complex and valuable technique, executed with hand screen printing or feather-tipped brushes, creating outlines with charcoal powder that disappears during firing. Hand printing, the forerunner of screen printing, uses paper masks to apply the colors with brushes, while hand screen printing filters the color through a silk frame for uniformity and precision. Hand brushing distributes color evenly over solid-color backgrounds, creating characteristic streaks, and hand sponging uses a real sea sponge for diaphanous coloring. After decoration, the majolica tiles are fired at about 1,000°C in technological plants, ensuring strength and durability of the finished products.
The Designer Majolica of Francesco De Maio
The exclusive production of Francesco De Maio ceramics is distinguished by elegance and impeccable design, embodying Made in Italy through Italian craftsmanship quality, history and creativity. The majolica tiles, objects and furnishings evoke typical Southern Italian decorations and Vietrese ceramics, reinterpreted in a modern key while maintaining the Mediterranean and Italian garden style. Francesco De Maio has the exclusive license to reproduce and market the
Blu Ponti collection, consisting of 33 white and blue decorations created by
Gio Ponti in 1960 for the Hotel Parco dei Principi in Sorrento. The fidelity in the reissue of the Blu Ponti majolica tiles is such that the company can use the signature of the famous architect and designer Gio Ponti. Another prominent collection is the
Puntini Collection, created by designer
Alessandro Mendini. This collection, inspired by pointillism, features tiny brushstrokes in the shape of dots, decorated by hand, and has been part of the permanent collection of the Madre Museum in Naples since 2020. Mendini's colorful decorations represent a meeting of Vietrese tradition and contemporary Made in Italy creativity, enhancing modern spaces and architecture with a unique artistic touch.
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