History of Ceramics in Tuscany

Impruneta “cotto” - 3

The dynasties of kiln owners

A first attempt to reconstruct the families of these kiln owners shows the establishment of true and proper dynasties of potters who continued to join the Casini, Boncioli and Brandi families, for whom we have documents which can already be dated to the 14th and 15th centuries.
In many cases an expansion of different branches of the same family is recorded, which research in history may lead back to the roots of the same family tree. And so in the 16th century the first of these “same surnames” such as Cicali, Codacci and Falciani (altogether the most numerous) begin to appear, and Vantini, while in the following century other names appear such as Lottini, Poggi, Scacciati, Soderi and Vanni. Finally, in the 18th century we can follow the family history of the Agresti, Montauti-Danti and the Ricceri.

From the Modern Era to our day

Between the 17th and 18th centuries Impruneta kiln owners knew how to vary their activity even further by adding, with or without the help of engobing, a lead glaze on that clay which was very durable but did not lend itself easily to any kind of coating.
The Grand Duke’s inquiry in 1768 indicates that between 1764 and 1768, each year they produced at least 736 oil jars, over 500 “plant and flower pots”, 700 basins and as many large plant pots, as well as about 120 bases for “lemon trees”, and at least 6 statues in terracotta.

The 19th century was a time of considerable growth for Impruneta terracotta, with new dynasties of kiln owners (Parenti, Manetti, Nistri, Malavolti and Bianchi) and with the beginning of mechanization which affected, above all, the manufacture of bricks and tiles. At the beginning of the “industrial takeoff” in Italy, in 1881, there were 22 terracotta factories in Impruneta and the most important was that of the Agresti family.
The success of these kilns saw no drawbacks, not even in the last century and at present is enjoying renewed success, both with regard to traditional products as well as new inventions.