This study for the setup of the Ginori pavilion at the 1873 Vienna World Exhibition clearly shows the popularity enjoyed by artistic maiolica products in the second half of the nineteenth century.
The Ginori Manufactory had already participated, among the few Italian exhibitors, in the first international exhibition of handcrafted and industrial production held in London in 1851. However, it was only at the subsequent 1855 Paris edition that the first maiolica creations were presented.
A flagship production of the Manufactory for much of the second half of the century, maiolica met public taste for the neo-Renaissance style. The sketch reveals large vases, fountains, drink dispensers, and basins that eclectically reinterpret the Italian tradition from famous Renaissance ceramic centers such as Urbino and Faenza. In the foreground, four examples of maiolica garden seats of different shapes stand out, including the "three cushions," "barrel-shaped," and bases "imitating rushes." The Vienna Exhibition is also remembered for some unique pieces designed by the painter Giuseppe Benassai, then the Manufactory’s artistic director. Among these is a monumental vase depicting the burning of a prairie, now preserved at the Ginori Museum (inv. 17), and four large maiolica plates representing the parts of the world, unfortunately unknown. One of these is clearly visible in the sketch presented here, resting on the pedestal on the left and enclosed within a frame. The plaque decorated with a cartouche at the top bears the inscription "EUROPA," while the companion plate placed on the opposite base is barely visible.
