Maiolica and Ceramics in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello

The new catalogue of maiolica and ceramics in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello became necessary due to the significant increase in the number of pieces in the collection since publication of the last catalogue in 1971. Today, the collection is composed of about a thousand examples of maiolica and glazed ware made in Italian workshops between the 10th and the 20th century, along with a prestigious selection of ceramics made by Islamic potters working in Spain. The most remarkable group, both for its quality and its historical importance, is represented by the collection of istoriato dishes that belonged to the Medici family and arrived at the Bargello when it was opened to the public as a museum in the 1865. Expansion of the collection was made possible thanks to state acquisitions and, above all, to the numerous donations of private citizens, collectors, antiques dealers and ceramic scholars. Since 1866, these have continued uninterruptedly up until today, proving to be an invaluable resource for enriching the Museum's collections.