OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Auguri di buona Pasqua! Happy Easter!
Uncategorized
In your Easter bonnet…
No Easter bonnets to speak of on view in the shops of Florence, but the fabulous children’s clothing stores have their finery on display.
From TAF, always my favorite!
Next up: Anichini!
Easter in Italy; it’s at least partly about the candy!
Shops around Florence have all the candy you can ever want!
First up: Rivoire!
The popular vote undoubtedly goes to Venchi. You should see the lines outside the store.
My favorite little candy shop in Florence is Mignone. Here are their offerings for Easter:
Then there is Robiglio, another Florentine institution of confectionary arts:
I think these Ladybug Easter packages are my favorite! I love ladybugs!
Next up, Gilli:
And last, but certainly not least, on my tour of sweets on offer for Pasqua, is Scudieri:
And I also want to give a shout out to Vestri. I didn’t make it there today to take pictures, but I know their Easter candies would be excellent indeed!
Fashion update from Florence: Easter edition
White gold: Richard-Ginori porcelains
When porcelains were first introduced in Europe from China, the substance was known as “white gold” for its value because of its toughness, strength relative to all other known types of pottery.
In 1735, the Marquis Carlo Ginori, driven by an interest in the advent of European production of “white gold,” founded his porcelain manufactory in the town of Doccia in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence in Tuscany.
After an initial experimental period, during which he imported Chinese porcelain samples, Ginori engaged two Viennese painters, J.C.W. Anreiter and his son Anton, with Gaspare Bruschi employed as chief modeler.
By 1740 Doccia had a monopoly of porcelain making in Tuscany and in 1746 began public sales. The product was a grayish, hard-paste porcelain made from local clay, with a glaze lacking in brilliance; a finer, white paste was adopted later.
Early wares were decorated by stencil, a rare process that was to give way to a fine range of painted colors.
The Manufactory of Doccia, as it was originally known, remained on this site until 1955.
1779 An era that gives birth to some of Richard Ginori’s best known forms and decorations. Combined with elegant centrepieces, they accessorize many a famous banquet in important palazzi and ville. The woven pattern is introduced, still a must- have in the collection today. The dawn of the nineteenth century brings with it new technologies and gold decorative solutions to fuel the taste for luxury.
1850 The arrival of the international expositions and the fashion for naturalistic taste offers the Manufactory the opportunity to expand. Scenes of insects nestling among floral elements animate tableware, meanwhile the academic sculptor Urbano Lucchesi brings themes of theatrical literature, fantasy objects and the Macchiaioli school of painting into the Manufactory.
1896 Now known now as the Manufacture Richard Ginori, a major expansion in artistic and industrial manufacturing activities lead to the successful development of two innovative patents: the oven-proof Pirofilia, (c. 1897-1898) and developed expressly for scientific laboratories, Euclide porcelain (c. 1940).
1923 The architect and designer Giò Ponti is appointed as artistic director, and the Manufactory brings to the European scene new decorative designs in line with the styles of the era.
1954 Manufacture Richard Ginori interprets the new functionality of the everyday life style. Colonna, with its stackable and essential design is introduced under the artistic direction of Giovanni Gariboldi.
1985 As tastes and lifestyles evolve, the Manufactory turns to the creative talents of the great Italian architects and designers of the time: Franco Albini, Franca Helg & Antonio Piva, Sergio Asti, Achille Castiglioni, Gabriele Devecchi, Candido Fior, Gianfranco Frattini, Angelo Mangiarotti, Enzo Mari and Aldo Rossi.
2013 The renaissance of the Manufactory Richard Ginori begins. The Manufactory is acquired by Gucci and Alessandro Michele is appointed artistic director. Today, just as 280 years ago, it represents excellence in creativity, innovation and the hand-made in Italy.
http://www.klatmagazine.com/en/design-en/richard-ginori-oltre-270-anni-di-storia-evergreen-031/38197
L’arte
From China to Italy and back again.
The circle of life.
China:
Porcelain, commonly known in English as “china,” was first produced around 2000 years ago in China. It was coveted in Europe after its introduction there by the time of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644 AD). The Ming Dynasty controlled much of the porcelain trade via the Silk Road. In 1517, Portuguese merchants began direct trade by sea with the Ming Dynasty, and in 1598, Dutch merchants followed.
Italy:
The Doccia porcelain manufactory, at Doccia near Florence, was founded in 1735 by marchese Carlo Ginori near his villa. Now known as Richard-Ginori, (following its merger with Società Richard of Milan), as of February, 2013 it was acquired by Gucci.
Back to China:
Gucci plans improve the factory in Florence, concentrate on high-end products, and sell products under its name in luxury markets such as China.
Florence’s Iris Garden
Attenzione!
2017---The 59th International Iris Show
59° CONCORSO INTERNAZIONALE DELL'IRIS
8 - 13 Maggio 2017
The Iris Garden at Piazzale Michelangelo was begun in
1954. Florence has always had an association with
the iris; the city's banner has a red iris on a white
field (and not a lily, as is erroneously believed).
The City of Florence, in collaboration with the Italian
Iris Society,holds an annual International Iris
Competition, since 1954 (high bearded and border).
To date, 150 new varieties of iris have
been introduced.
The rhizomes of each iii variety are sent to Florence
from breeders around the world in the June-September
period and are grown at the Iris Garden of
Piazzale Michelangelo for three years before being
judged by an International Jury.
It is a 'anonymous contest,' with each registered
plant marked by a code so that the jury learns
the name of the variety and the breeder only after
the judging.
A special prize is offered each year by the city to
the red variety that is closest to that of the Iris
represented on the City's banner.
Don't miss it! I'll see you there!
Paradise: a walled garden.
Villa Gamberaia in Settignano is truly a paradise for me. But what on earth (ha ha, get it?) do I mean by “paradise?”
I mean a walled garden where tranquility is found. A refuge. A place to restore.
In fact, the word “paradise” entered the English language from the French paradis, inherited from the Latin paradisus, from the Greek parádeisos (παράδεισος). The Greeks borrowed the word from an Old Iranian paridayda meaning “walled enclosure.” By 500 BCE, the Old Iranian word had been adopted as Assyrian pardesu or “domain.”
In general, “paradise” was first used to indicate the expansive walled gardens of the First Persian Empire. The garden is constantly used as a symbol for paradise, with shade and water as its ideal elements. ‘Gardens under which rivers flow’ is a frequently used expression for the bliss. The four main rivers of paradise are traditionally thought to be , one of water, one of milk, one of wine and one of purified honey.
This is the origin of the quartered garden, which were divided by means of four water-channels and all contained within a private, walled enclosure.
With or without masses of blooming flowers, Villa Gamberaia is paradise to me. Even without literal rivers of milk and honey. :-)) Quiet and birdsong is enough.
Easter Sunday in Rome
Here’s what it was like in 2016:
get back, lauretta! 
You must be logged in to post a comment.