The founding of the Doccia Manufactory in 1737 was preceded by years of research and studies aimed at perfecting the recipe for porcelain paste. Marquis Carlo Ginori conducted thorough investigations, especially on clay samples sourced from throughout the Tuscan region and other parts of Italy. At the Palazzo Ginori in Florence, the samples underwent chemical analyses and high-temperature tests performed using a burning glass.
Between 1738 and 1741, all the material collected during these experiments was organized by Carlo in the so-called Museum of Clays, consisting of a series of vessels with blown glass containers and bases and lids in maiolica decorated in blue monochrome, accompanied by a register recording the results of the experiments conducted.
The collection was rediscovered only in the 1950s by Marquis Leonardo Ginori Lisci, who was able to attribute the manufacture of the maiolica vessels to the Doccia Manufactory. This finding confirms that from the beginning it ran alongside porcelain production. In fact, in 1740, Carlo called Nicolas Le Tourneau, originally from Nevers, to Doccia and entrusted him with the direction of the maiolica department. The Frenchman introduced decorations that were very fashionable at the time, known as “Chinese style,” “Dutch style,” and “French style,” in turquoise monochrome on a white background. The ornaments on the vessels of the Museum of Clays, characterized by simplified phytomorphic elements combined with geometric reserves, stylized flowers, and dots, echo motifs found on Chinese porcelain.
