Ceramics, furnishings, jewellery, textiles, garments, advertising posters and more reconstruct the cultural climate of the 1920s, bringing into dialogue artists and manufacturers who were able to renew tradition with an openness to avant-garde movements and international taste.
From Gio Ponti’s contribution to Richard-Ginori to the ceramics of Galileo Chini, from the creations of Thayaht to the refined jewellery sought after by international high society, from the early Florentine production of Salvatore Ferragamo and Gucci, from the magnificent silks appreciated by Gabriele D’Annunzio to captivating advertising posters: the exhibition offers a broad, non-localised interpretation of Florentine Déco, highlighting its national and international significance. It is a journey into the atmosphere of an era that left a lasting mark on the city’s modern identity.
The exhibition is set within an international context that found one of its key moments in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, an event that marked the success of a new modern taste based on elegance, luxury and collaboration between decorative arts and manufacturing. Italian artists, including many from Florence, took part in the Paris exhibition, confirming the city’s active role in artistic production at the time.
The 1920s were a period of great cultural vitality for Italy. After the end of the First World War, renewed interest emerged in the applied arts, seen not only as an expression of new aesthetic values but also as an economic and productive resource. In this climate, Florence established itself as a major creative centre, thanks to artists and manufacturers who were able to combine technical expertise with the languages of modernity.
The first section is dedicated to the relationship between Florence and Paris and to the theme of the masks of the Commedia dell’Arte, a recurring subject in Déco visual culture. Artists such as Umberto Brunelleschi, Alfredo Müller and Gino Carlo Sensani developed a language inspired by the elegant 18th century and by characters from Italian theatrical tradition—themes that became particularly widespread in graphic design, illustration and decorative arts of the 1920s.
A substantial part of the exhibition is devoted to ceramic production, with particular focus on the Richard-Ginori manufactory, which achieved important international recognition in the 1920s. The renewal of production was closely linked to the work of Gio Ponti, who introduced new forms and decorations inspired both by Italian artistic culture and by contemporary modern languages.
Alongside Richard-Ginori, the exhibition also presents the experiences of other manufactories active in the Florentine area, such as Cantagalli and the Fornaci San Lorenzo led by Galileo Chini, which successfully combined tradition with stylistic innovation.
One section is dedicated to the participation of Florentine artists and manufactories in the Decorative Arts Biennials of Monza, key exhibitions in the definition of a modern language for Italian applied arts. The Monza exhibitions represented an important opportunity for dialogue between artists, craftsmen and industry, contributing to the development of new aesthetic and production directions.
The exhibition continues with a section devoted to advertising, a field in which the influence of Futurism contributed to the development of new forms of visual communication. Among the protagonists are poster artists such as Lucio Venna and Nerino, authors of posters and graphic projects that testify to the growing importance of advertising in Italian visual culture of the 1920s.
The final part of the exhibition explores the world of fashion and Florentine craftsmanship, including tailoring, textile production and accessories, such as an elegant Gucci travel set. In this context, the figure of Salvatore Ferragamo stands out, as he chose Florence in the 1920s as the base for his business, contributing to the development of a footwear production aimed at an international clientele. Among the most significant episodes of the period is also the famous Tuta designed by Thayaht in 1920, a garment conceived as a universal and functional outfit, promoted through a revolutionary campaign that illustrated its production and use.
Guided tours of the exhibition are scheduled every Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 pm, while on Sunday mornings there will be a workshop for families with children aged 4 to 9, Artist Creations in Déco Style (booking: info@palazzomediciriccardi.it, +39 055-2760552).
Thanks to the collaboration with Art e Dossier and Giunti Odeon, visitors will also have the opportunity to explore a truly Déco venue, the Savoia cinema theatre, inaugurated in 1922 and now known as Giunti Odeon. Free visits will take place on 18 April, 16 May, 13 June, 11 July and 22 August at 10:00, 11:00 and 12:00 (booking opens from the previous Monday).
The exhibition catalogue, published by Giunti, includes contributions from experts and specialists in the field and represents a valuable tool for retracing the dynamics and artistic relationships of the period, as well as deepening knowledge of the main figures and the works on display.
