Galleria Marca Corona - Pair of satyr-shaped shelves

Satyrs are mythological creatures with a human body and various animal traits, such as ears, tail, legs and sometimes goat horns.
These shelves, which are modelled and coloured, are in the shape of a satyr. In the mid-nineteenth century, such objects enjoyed considerable commercial success. These two can perhaps to be attributed to Luigi Rubbiani, third son of Giovanni Maria Rubbiani, who from 1854 owned the two ceramic factories in Sassuolo at the time.
Luigi graduated with honours in modelling and sculpture from the Atestina Academy of Fine Arts in Modena. He produced various objects inspired by the eclectic and historicist taste typical of this transition period of the United Italy, which were highly appreciated and in demand, both critically and commercially. They recall the sumptuous Renaissance ceramics that brought such success and fame to Italian majolica.
Luigi died prematurely and left a large family, which was adopted by his uncle Antonio. The business then passed to Domenico Bagnoli from Correggio, who became director of the Fabbrica Vecchia.