From the compendiary roots to the birth of the istoriato
To understand the nature of the’historiated Laertine, it is necessary to start from a fundamental consideration: it did not arise as an isolated phenomenon, but as an internal evolution of the local decorative tradition. The majolica of Laterza, already between the end of the 16th century and the first decades of the 17th, was distinguished by a high material quality and a notable finesse in the pictorial rendering, especially in the so-called productions summary.
The compendiario, characterized by a rapid and essential graphic synthesis, represents the first experimental field for painting on which the istoriato was grafted. However, while the compendiario tends toward reduction and stylization, the istoriato makes the opposite leap: it expands the narrative, occupies the entire surface, and restores figurative complexity.
This transformation is not accidental. It is the result of a technical and cultural maturation of the Laertine workshops, supported by a cultured and wealthy clientele that required objects that were no longer merely decorative, but narrative and symbolic. Already in the first decades of the seventeenth century, we can observe artefacts which, while remaining formally compendiary, show complex scenes and denser compositions, clearly anticipating the historiated language.
What is istoriato: definition and general context
In the panorama of Italian ceramics, the term historiated It refers to a decorative style that depicts scenes from cultured sources: classical mythology, biblical episodes, historical events, or hunting and battle scenes. This style was already established during the Renaissance, in centers such as Faenza, Urbino, and Deruta.
The istoriato of Laterza fits into this tradition, but with its own characteristics. Unlike the great Renaissance centers, where polychromy often dominated and the composition was directly inspired by panel painting, in Laterza a more controlled, almost graphic, version of figurative narration developed.
The distinctive element is the prevalence of the turquoise monochrome, expressed in varying intensities to create depth and chiaroscuro effects. This aspect is not secondary: it indicates a specific aesthetic choice, which prioritizes drawing over color and brings Laertine historiato closer to engraving than painting.
The specificity of the Laertine historiato
With the term “historiated Laertine” a production that developed between approximately 1650 and 1730 can be identified, characterised by some well-defined peculiarities.
The first is the absolute centrality of the figurative scene. Unlike other traditions, where decoration can coexist with predominant ornamental elements, here the entire surface of the plate becomes a continuous narrative space.
The second is the use of a monochromatic turquoise, which allows for an extremely refined rendering of volumes and expressions. This is not a technical limitation, but a stylistic choice that enhances the line and tonal modulation.
The third is the iconographic derivation. The scenes are not invented ex novo, but rather drawn from engravings by 16th- and 17th-century masters. This is crucial: it demonstrates that the Laertine ceramists operated within a broader cultural system, drawing on visual models circulating throughout Europe.
Finally, the workshop dimension should be emphasized. The workshops were not isolated entities, but rather environments where models, techniques, and formal solutions were shared. This explains both the similarities between the works and the difficulty in definitively attributing them to individual masters.
The decorative refinement of the 16th century: the basis of the historiated
One of the most common mistakes is to consider historiated art a starting point, when in reality it is a point of arrival. Its quality is possible only thanks to the extraordinary decorative refinement achieved in the 16th century.
Archaeological and documentary evidence shows that already in the late sixteenth century, Laertine production was characterised by:
– very thin thicknesses of the artefacts
– high quality white enamels
– technical control of pigments
– precision in the pictorial line
These elements are not accessories, but structural. Without such a refined material and such a controlled technique, istoriato could not exist. The ability to modulate the turquoise, to render faces, to construct depth on a ceramic surface stems from this earlier tradition.
In other words, the Laertine istoriato is not a sudden innovation, but the natural evolution of an already highly sophisticated artisan culture.
Angelo Antonio d'Alessandro: the master of historiato
Among the protagonists of the Laertine historia, a central figure emerges: Angelo Antonio d'Alessandro (1642–1717), priest and ceramist, deacon of the church of San Lorenzo.
His biography reflects a typical condition of the time, in which religious and artistic dimensions could coexist. Son of a mother with the surname Festa, originally from Laterza, and a father from Santeramo, d'Alessandro embodies a significant territorial and cultural synthesis.
But what really distinguishes him is the quality of his hand, unanimously considered the finest in Laterza of his time.
His autographed works, dated between 1678 and 1705, constitute the largest corpus attributable with certainty to a single ceramist from Laerte. Through them, it is possible to identify specific stylistic characteristics:
– controlled and refined hatching
– clever use of chiaroscuro in monochrome
– great attention to anatomical details
– balanced and legible compositions
These elements allow us not only to recognize his works, but also to understand the qualitative level achieved by the Laertine historiato.
It's important to avoid oversimplification, however: d'Alessandro isn't the only protagonist, nor can he be considered the absolute inventor of istoriato. Research clearly shows that there was a previous generation, represented for example by Lorenzo Gallo, who anticipated this style.
D'Alessandro's merit is rather that of having brought the historiato to its highest expressive level, making it a point of reference in Baroque majolica.
Technique, workshop and production complexity
An often overlooked aspect concerns the productive structure of the workshops. Stylistic analyses suggest that many historiated works are the result of collective work.
In some cases, the central scene and the brim decoration appear to have been crafted by different hands, with varying levels of quality. This indicates a division of labor within the workshops, where multiple artisans collaborated on the same piece.
Furthermore, the use of techniques such as the dusting or it stencil demonstrates a pragmatic approach to production: even high-level works could be created with the help of tools that guaranteed consistency and speed.
This operational dimension must be considered to avoid a romantic and simplified view of craftsmanship. The Laertine istoriato is the product of a complex production system, not just of individual talents.
Decline and transformation of the historiated
The Laertine historiato did not disappear suddenly, but progressively entered a phase of decline between the end of the 17th and the first decades of the 18th century.
The causes are multiple. On the one hand, the disappearance of the most important masters, including d'Alessandro himself in 1717, deprived the system of its key figures. On the other, the tastes of patrons changed, influenced by the rise of porcelain and new decorative trends.
Added to this is an economic factor: the decrease in available resources leads to a reduction in the quality of materials and the complexity of decorations.
The result is a progressive abandonment of the blue monochrome and figurative narration, replaced by simpler and more repetitive decorations.
The historiated as an expressive pinnacle
THE'’historiated Laertine It represents the pinnacle of artistic expression for Laterza majolica. It's not just a decorative technique, but a complex language that integrates figurative culture, technical skill, and production organization.
Compared to the general historiated style of Italian ceramics, the Laertine one stands out for its chromatic essentiality, the precision of the line and a particular tension between design and narration.
It is the result of a centuries-old tradition, culminating in a period of extraordinary artistic fertility, in which the Faenzari of Laterza have been able to transform a practical object into a real pictorial surface.
And in this path, the figure of Angelo Antonio d'Alessandro remains emblematic: not as the only protagonist, but as the highest point of a culture that has made decorative refinement its own distinctive sign.