Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Italian, 1930-1991
Giovanni DeSimone was a mid-century ceramicist whose lively designs seem primed to elicit smiles. He created colorful vessels, platters and wall art, decorated with festive figures, flowers and fauna in a style that reveals an appreciation for Cubism and folk art.
DeSimone was born in Palermo, Sicily, in 1930. His parents were aristocrats, and as a young child, he traveled to Somalia. It was here that he grew fond of African artistic traditions. After World War II, DeSimone moved to the Emilia-Romagna region in northern Italy. He attended the Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica and discovered a passion for pottery. Upon graduation, DeSimone moved back to Palermo and fell in love with Eliana, who became his wife. The couple had three daughters together.
DeSimone opened his famous ceramics studio in the 1960s, producing dinnerware, serveware and decorative tiles. As the studio grew in success and popularity, DeSimone hired more artists to help with the work. In its heyday, the studio had as many as six ceramicists producing work. While each creator had a unique style, DeSimone set a standard for the colors and themes to be used.
DeSimone died in 1991, passing his workshop down to his daughters Margherita and Susanna. Today, the company still operates in Palermo under the name La Fabbrica della Ceramica, producing ceramic pieces inspired by DeSimone's original designs.
On 1stDibs, find vintage Giovanni DeSimone decorative objects, serveware and wall decorations.
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Creator: Giovanni DeSimone
Original Signed Giovanni DeSimone Hand Painted 'Balloons' Italian Ceramic Vase
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Rothley, Leicestershire
Original and signed by Giovanni DeSimone, this hand-painted vase is full of colour and fun
Hand painted scene of Italian children playing with balloons
A terrific piece of Giovanni a...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Desimone Hand Painted Ceramic Vase
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
One-of-kind vase, hand-crafted and hand-painted by Giovanni Desimone. Great design with whimsical images on both sides.
Signed and numbered, this rare piece is colorful as the us...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
1960s Giovanni DeSimone Italian Hand Painted Ceramic Pottery Vase ITALY
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s Art pottery from Italy DeSimone hand painted ceramic pottery vase.
Giovanni De Simone Italian colorful vase
5.63 tall x 3.75 diameter
Preowned ...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Pottery, Paint
Italian Giovanni Desimone Hand Painted Big Art Pottery Flower Vase Vessel Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel.
The glazed vase painting depicts two fishermen in action catchin...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Pottery, Paint
Desimone Hand Painted Tall Art Pottery Flower Vase Vessel Olive Picking Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel.
The glazed vase painting depicts a man and a woman in action pic...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Pottery, Paint
Desimone Hand Painted Tall Art Pottery Flute Player Flower Vase Vessel Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
Original Italian Giovanni Desimone hand painted tall art pottery flower vase, vessel.
The glazed vase painting depicts a man playing the flute.
Marked...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Pottery, Paint
Square Bottle Vase Giovanni De Simone 1970s Italian Pottery Picasso Style
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Square bottle vase Giovanni De Simone 1970s Italian Pottery Picasso style.
Category
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Ceramic Hand-Painted Candlestick Candle Holder by DeSimone, Italy
By DeSimone, Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Bad Säckingen, DE
This vintage figural candlestick by Giovanni Desimone Italy is a unique and eye-catching piece of decorative art. DeSimone was a renowned Italian ceramicist and designer who worked in the mid-20th century, known for his whimsical and colorful ceramic sculptures...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic, Majolica, Pottery
Desimone Hand Painted Art Pottery Vase, Vessel with Handles Circus Horses Italy
By Giovanni DeSimone, DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
A glazed and colorful Giovanni Desimone hand painted pottery vase or vessel, circa 1969 from Italy.
The painting depicts two men on horses riding in a circus arena and people applaud...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Pottery, Paint
Desimone Ceramic Pitcher Vase
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Miami, FL
One-of-kind handled vase, hand-crafted and hand-painted by Giovanni Desimone. Great design with a whimsical figurative image on the front and other accentuating decor on the sides.
...
Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Decorative Hand Painted Italian Ceramic Plate and Bowl by DeSimone
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in San Diego, CA
Decorative hand painted ceramic plate and matching bowl by DeSimone of Italy, circa 1964. The set is in very good vintage condition with no chips or ...
Category
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
Large Sculpture DeSimone 1960 Very Special and Rare, Fisherman
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Palermo, Sicily
Large sculpture Desimone 1960 very special and rare, fisherman.
Made in clay ground, paperwork pieces and decorated with cold colors, very particular and rare in its kind.
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Clay, Parchment Paper
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1960s DeSimone Pottery of Italy Colorful Ceramic Art Plate Hand Painted Flower
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Located in Chula Vista, CA
1960s, DeSimone pottery of Italy colorful ceramic art hand painted blue flower plate.
Giovanni Desimone Italy.
Colorful blue flower.
Measures: 8.88 diameter x .88 tall.
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Vintage Hand-Painted Italian Ceramic Decorative Platter by Giovanni DeSimone
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in London, GB
Vintage hand-painted Italian ceramic decorative platter by Giovanni DeSimone (1969). One of two platters on hand in the gallery (one is the face of a woman and the other, a man), this piece exemplifies his use of vivid colour as a pottery trademark. The bright Sicilian sun encouraged such use of colour. Another evident inspiration in the artist's creation was cubism. Cubism created a new dimension to painting which abandoned traditional Renaissance era perspective. Objects and figures were portrayed from various angles. That inspiration is less evident in this piece than in the other. The bright colours and exaggerated features here however, demonstrate optimism and even a sense of humour in the maker. This platter is in fair overall condition with a surface hairline crack visible on the lower right which does not affect the integrity of the piece. An original pottery sticker remains affixed to the underside. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Upon request a video will be provided.
About the Artist: Giovanni DeSimone (1930-1991) was born in Palermo, Sicily to Italian aristocrats. As a young child he traveled to Somalia, and his experiences there clearly stayed with him and inspired his life’s work, which demonstrated an appreciation for and a belief in the value of what is simple and unsophisticated as well as an appreciation for the cubist movement that was popularised by Picasso, Braque and Gris in the early 20th-Century. DeSimone relocated to Emilia-Romagna following WWII where he enrolled in the famed Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica in Florence. It was there he found his life’s calling; pottery became his passion. After completing his studies, he and his family returned to Sicily. Nostalgic for his native land now seen through adult eyes, Giovanni finally felt at home. The DeSimone ceramics...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
H 0.99 in W 11.23 in D 11.23 in
Vintage Hand-Painted Italian Ceramic Decorative Platter by Giovanni DeSimone
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in London, GB
Vintage hand-painted Italian ceramic decorative platter by Giovanni DeSimone (1969). One of two platters on hand in the gallery (one is the face of a man and the other, a woman), this piece exemplifies his use of vivid colour as a pottery trademark. The bright Sicilian sun encouraged such use of colour. Another evident inspiration in this creation is cubism. Cubism created a new dimension to painting which abandoned traditional Renaissance era perspective. Objects and figures were portrayed from various angles. In this hand-painted ceramic, the figure is defined in segments like a coloured shard of glass outlined with bold markings. Colourful circles and other geometric shapes also figure in the work. The platter is in good overall condition. It is signed by the maker on the front. An original sticker remains affixed to the underside. Please enjoy the many photos accompanying the listing. Upon request, a video can be provided.
About the Artist: Giovanni DeSimone (1930-1991) was born in Palermo, Sicily to Italian aristocrats. As a young child he traveled to Somalia, and his experiences there clearly stayed with him and inspired his life’s work, which demonstrated an appreciation for and a belief in the value of what is simple and unsophisticated as well as an appreciation for the cubist movement that was popularised by Picasso, Braque and Gris in the early 20th-Century. DeSimone relocated to Emilia-Romagna following WWII where he enrolled in the famed Istituto d’Arte per la Ceramica in Florence. It was there he found his life’s calling; pottery became his passion. After completing his studies, he and his family returned to Sicily. Nostalgic for his native land now seen through adult eyes, Giovanni finally felt at home. The DeSimone ceramics...
Category
1960s Italian Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Ceramic
H 0.99 in W 11.42 in D 11.42 in
Desimone Hand Painted Ceramic Bottle, Italian Pottery circa 1960 Era Aldo Londi
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Camblanes et Meynac, FR
Desimone, hand painted ceramic bottle, Italian Pottery, circa 1960 - Aldo Londi
Very beautiful bottle representing a woman carrying a basket of fruit...
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1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
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Ceramic
DeSimone Pottery Vase Pirate Warrior Italian Raymor Picasso Style
By Giovanni DeSimone
Located in Wilton, CT
Vintage DeSimone pottery vase with marauding pirates or warriors on a vibrant orange ground, circa 1960's. Measures: 12 1/4" high, 10" diamete...
Category
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Giovanni DeSimone Decorative Objects
Materials
Pottery
Giovanni Desimone decorative objects for sale on 1stDibs.
Giovanni DeSimone decorative objects are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of ceramic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Giovanni DeSimone decorative objects, although brown editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original decorative objects by Giovanni DeSimone were created in the mid-century modern style in italy during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider decorative objects by Mandruzzato, Ambrogio Pozzi, and Ludovico Diaz de Santillana. Prices for Giovanni DeSimone decorative objects can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $154 and can go as high as $3,881, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $517.