Large Candlestick by Paolo Condurso, 1930s

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Description of the object
a fabulous candlestick or large anthropomorphic candleholder made of majolica terracotta, entirely hand-modeled and decorated, glazed … Read more Description of the object
a fabulous candlestick or large anthropomorphic candleholder made of majolica terracotta, entirely hand-modeled and decorated, glazed in two-tone yellow and green, and vitrified, depicting the head of an elderly woman, signed on the side “r. C. Calabria,” which stands for reggio calabria, the capital of the italian region of calabria; attributable to the seminara workshop, specifically to the artist paolo condurso, and dating to the first half of the 20th century. Seminara ceramics were inspired by the sicilian production of caltagirone, featuring anthropomorphic objects with apotropaic functions—that is, the function typically attributed to masks as well—to ward off evil influences, considered symbols of protection against the evil eye and of good fortune in general. In our opinion, this object is the work of paolo condurso, a prominent calabrian artist whose works fetch high prices at auction.

information about the artist and/or manufacturer
paolo condurso, born in seminara, in the province of reggio calabria, in 1928, began as an apprentice while still a child at a local kiln. There, after world war ii, he opened his own workshop for the production of ceramics and glazed terracotta, in keeping with traditional local craftsmanship. He personally oversaw every stage of the production process and sold his works—which bear his engraved signature—in a shop adjacent to the workshop. Between the 1980s and 1990s, eduardo alamaro created several works of ceramic art at the “condurso” workshop. I have official proof of authenticity such as vintage catalogs,
designer records,
or other literature sources and take full responsibility for any authenticity issues arising
from
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