Italian Ceramic Elephant Sculpture by Bruno Gambone, circa 1970s

Known for his prolific mid-century works, Italian artist Bruno Gambone is regarded as one of the most influential figures in ceramics. Born in 1936 in Vietri sul Mare, Gambone was introduced to the world of ceramics at the age of 14 while he worked in the Florence studio of his father, renowned ceramist Guido Gambone.

Toward the end of the 1950s, Gambone left his father’s studio to work at Italian artist Andrea D’Arienzo’s workshop, where he explored other disciplines such as canvas painting and textile decoration. He became committed to painting and exhibited at Florence’s La Strozzina in 1959.

In 1963, Gambone left Italy for the United States. He lived in New York City during a fertile era for creative expression — a time marked by pivotal artistic movements such as Pop art and Abstract Expressionism. Gambone made numerous friends and moved in the same circles as iconic American artists Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg. The Italian native learned more about a range of fields such as sculpture and theater. However, after five years, he returned to his homeland to live in Milan.

While in Milan, Gambone experimented with jewelry design for a brief period. But following his father’s death in 1969, Gambone returned to Florence to run his father’s studio, shifting his attention back toward ceramics.

Throughout the 1970s, Gambone created table lamps, vases, bowls and sculptures, including a series of ceramic animals. He began work in 1972 on what would become his celebrated “Fantastic Animals” series — initially a minimalist collection of stoneware fish, lions, snakes and other creatures characterized by sharp-edged geometric forms.

Gambone showcased his ceramic works at the 1972 Venice Biennale and the Milan Triennale in 1973. The artist received awards from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art of San Diego at La Jolla and other institutions.

On 1stDibs, discover a range of vintage Bruno Gambone decorative objects, serveware and lighting.