Decorative Italian Blue Ceramic Tray by Guido Gambone, circa 1950s

Guido Gambone is one of the most important and influential Italian ceramic artists in the mid 20th century. He was born in Montella, Avellino in Italy in 1909, and moved with his parents to Vietri in 1927. He started his career at the local Avallone pottery, continued his training at Manifattura Artistica Ceramica Salernitana before moving to the famous I.C.S. (Industria Ceramica Salernitana). He became artistic director at I.C.S. in 1935. Following, he started his potteries, La Faenzerella in Vietri and later La Tirrena in Florence. He died at the age of sixty, in 1969. Gambone’s work fused painting, primitivism, tradition and modern artistic movements and became enormously influential.