This sketch in pencil, ink, and watercolor on paper shows a study for the creation of a porcelain lamp with a flared shape, featuring a decoration of calla lily stems in relief on the body and foliage at the base. At the top, the form is characterized by a crown of overlapping leaves, also in relief, in different shades of green. The lampshade was perhaps intended to be made in lithophane, a porcelain with graduated thickness that allows light to pass through to reveal a decoration.
The drawing, dating to the first decade of the twentieth century, fully reflects the Doccia Manufactory’s adherence to the stylistic elements of the new Art Nouveau language. The driving force behind this revolution was the head of the factory’s artistic production, Luigi Tazzini, who brought to Doccia inspirations related to morphologies and decorative models seen at the 1900 Paris Universal Exposition. The art production of the Doccia Manufactory between 1900 and 1910 fully embraces the new trend: drawing inspiration from the plant world (often in dialogue with graceful female figures), form and decoration intertwine with each other in an organic whole.
