Seibert & Rice

We just got back from Impruneta where we visited with our workshops and checked up on the progress of our projects.

This year we stayed in the northeast quarter of Florence. This was a new neighborhood for us (we usually stay in the Oltrarno) and one we’d recommend. It’s the “pure” version of the city, largely unchanged by the tidal wave of tourism. We loved the residential quality of the neighborhood and the magnificent gardens tucked away behind the gates. It’s a short walk to the San Ambroglio market with its enticing stalls of produce, meats and fish. We stayed at the fun and funky Hotel Monna Lisa, a Renaissance palazzo converted to a small hotel.

It was a rainy week, but it didn’t matter once we had our first bite of Pappardelle al Cinghiale. It’s the signature dish of the fall, competing for diners’ attention with truffles and the new olive oil. Our favorite eatery near Impruneta is Da Padellina, where Alvaro, the owner, will freely quote Dante to you as you enjoy the outstanding Bistecca Fiorentina. In Florence, we returned again this year to Il Santo Bevitore, a modern, upscale wine bar and restaurant in the San Frediano district, and found the food was still sublime. For more traditional fare, we love the Tuscan soups at Da Ruggero on the Via Senese. It’s a real neighborhood restaurant filled with locals. In fact, we run into the same people every year.

But with summer over and the cooler days here, it’s time to get down to work.

Luigi Mariani is working on reproductions of antique Italian terra cotta pots for an historic home in New England. From photos, measurements and casts sent to him, he has sculpted new lion’s heads, garlands and rosettes to adorn the handmade urns. Luigi really is a modern master, and it is fascinating to see him recreate these 19th century masterpieces.

We worked with Marco and Tiziano on a new style that we will be introducing in the Spring of 2009. It’s based on a great idea they had to resurrect an ancient use for terra cotta containers that hasn’t been seen in a couple of hundred years.

Of course, the tradition of terra cotta in Impruneta and the techniques used to make these vessels go back hundreds of years to the time of the Etruscans. Most of the workshops in Impruneta are family run operations which have been passed down from generation to generation. We’ve enjoyed watching the next generation grow up. When we started Seibert & Rice we were young parents, as were our colleagues in Impruneta. Our children and theirs were toddlers. Now when we get together we pass around the reading glasses, and the kids are in college.

We were happy to see Luigi’s son training in the workshop with his father and developing great skills. However, most of the other young people show no real inclination to carry on the tradition. They study law or other fields with a view toward working in the city. What does this mean for the future of artisanal terra cotta? We fear that in the future there will be even fewer workshops, but we hope that this will not become a dying art.

So we really appreciate our artisans and the work they do. We recognize the value of their creations. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have this opportunity to work with such immensely talented artists and are so happy to bring the product of their labor and their love to the United States.

Back to the Winter 2008-2009 Newsletter