The city of Este (in the province of Padua) is just one of the places in Veneto with an age-old link to this ancient art. The rooms of the Museo Nazionale Atestino [National Museum of Atestine Artifacts] venue contain important pre-historic items bearing witness to the use of terracotta to create household and funerary items. But the 18th century was the golden age of pottery, thanks to Europe’s uncovering of the secret of porcelain, which had previously been the trait of only Chinese craftsmen. Este pottery is unparalleled worldwide in terms of materials and production processes and is still made by hand today in three ways: with the potter’s wheel, through casting or using presses. In accordance with the most classic tradition, fruit and vegetables stand out among the most distinctive decorations of Este pottery.
Nove (in the province of Vicenza) is also linked to pottery production. The Pottery Museumwas founded here, with a display consisting of terracotta and majolica, porcelain and stoneware, and a huge variety of plates, vases, soup tureens, sauce boats and small coffee cups. In 1727, Giovanni Battista Antonibon, pioneer of this art, founded in his parental home the pottery factory that would become one of the most important in Europe, which is still operative today.
There are now hundreds of pottery manufacturers in the Nove area, playing a prominent role both at a national and global level.
