by Sara Gecchelin.
A unique ceramics workshop in the heart of Umbria, where meticulous attention to detail and manual skill transform clay into design objects rich in authenticity, cultural value, and a timeless artisanal quality.
The reason we’re talking about Tassi Maioliche Artistiche today is not only because Umbrian craftsmanship is experiencing a new wave of attention thanks to the UAU – Umbria Artigianato Unico initiative—the project that brings together around 200 local businesses and invites you to discover the region through workshops, traditions, and creativity—but also because, given the current need for design to convey authenticity, real materials, and deep-rooted stories, and the renewed interest in the handmade, artistic manufacturing can play a leading role. And the Tassi family workshop is one of the most vivid expressions of this.
Collections of trays, plates, vases, objects, and furnishing accessories are handmade according to the Deruta majolica tradition, a symbol of Italian artisan excellence that boasts techniques and decorations passed down through the centuries.
BORN FROM TRADITION, LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
We are in Deruta, the undisputed home of Italian ceramics. It was here that, in the early 2000s, ceramist Luigi Tassi, with his long experience in the sector, decided to set up his own business and launch his own entrepreneurial project. A courageous choice, which marks the beginning of a new creative adventure destined to produce ever-evolving beauty.
His daughter Valeria, who graduated from the Deruta Art Institute in 1994, has been at his side since the very beginning. Raised and educated among brushes, paints, and workshops, she brings a fresh energy and a natural inclination for experimentation to the company. His lively style, chromatic sensitivity and ability to reinterpret classic motifs with a more contemporary look soon became the distinctive feature of the Tassi brand.
Today Valeria is supported in the studio by her husband Marco, who left the world of communications to dedicate himself entirely to ceramics, attracted by its authentic and manual dimension.
COLLECTIONS THAT TELL DIFFERENT IDENTITIES
Tassi’s production stands out for its strong aesthetic identity and a broad vision of style, expressed in collections that engage with different eras, techniques, and sensibilities.
Together with the creativity of a third member, Davide the “imaginator,” the Tassi team forms a living laboratory, where tradition and innovation coexist in balance.
Ricco Florentia, a sort of reinvented Renaissance. Inspired by the “Ricco Deruta,” the famous Deruta decorative motif dating back to the 16th century, the collection introduces a renewed color palette and the frizzetto technique, which gives a unique material vibration. The name recalls Florentine ornamental papers and Renaissance miniatures, offering a historical elegance that is never taken for granted.
Ricco Florentia by Maioliche Tassi.
Merletto, the poetry and elegance of tone-on-tone. A meticulous decoration inspired by the textile processes from which it takes its name stands out against a deep black background. A collection for those who love refined contrasts and objects that become the protagonists of the space.
Merletto by Maioliche Tassi
My Hat, from the Haute Couture collection where imagination draws from the world of fashion: a men’s hat made entirely of ceramic, an icon of elegance and proof of extraordinary craftsmanship. A unique piece that surprises and fascinates, offered with decorations made in a limited edition.
My Hat by Maioliche Tassi.
Raphael, the “Raffaellesco” decoration reinterpreted in 3D. Inspired by mythical creatures depicted in the frescoes of ancient Rome, the face of a fantastic creature, proud and austere, combines tradition and contemporaneity with a strong personality.
Raphael by Maioliche Tassi.
Controcorrente, a graphic suggestion that encourages you to explore new avenues. A line that invites you to express different ideas and get involved. A manifesto of the spirit with which Tassi Maioliche Artistiche lives its craft: free, courageous, and open to creative risk.
Controcorrente by Maioliche Tassi.
THE EXPERIENCE THAT BRINGS YOU CLOSER TO THE MATTER
In keeping with the spirit of the UAU platform, the Tassi world is not just a place of production: it is an open space, designed to welcome and share the beauty of an ancient art with anyone who wants to discover not only the majolica creations but also learn about their nature and genesis in sophisticated works of art for the home. With the “Ceramist for a Day” initiative, Valeria and Marco welcome anyone who wants to discover the world of ceramics firsthand, modeling clay with their own hands and experimenting with techniques that have been handed down for centuries.
A way to transform the visit into a real and concrete experimental experience, consistent with UAU’s philosophy and the desire to bring the public closer to the value of know-how.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
In a world of living dominated by fast-paced trends and fleeting objects, Tassi Maioliche Artistiche is an invitation to choose less, but better. Of course, these are small-scale productions that don’t operate at industrial speeds and costs, but each piece, patiently finished, is designed to last and be a timeless traveler, because it is modeled and decorated by hand, using ancient techniques that tell the story of a region and its material culture.
Tassi’s workshop, we repeat, is among the leading ambassadors of this philosophy: a place where hands matter more than brands, where creativity intertwines with memory, and where craftsmanship becomes a way to bring unique design objects into homes, rich in meaning and capable of speaking of Umbria through the beauty of their forms and emotions.
In copertina, il laboratorio Tassi dove materia, colore e memoria si fondono per creare oggetti che raccontano storie e ispirazioni.
