This study for the installation of the Ginori pavilion at the 1873 World Exhibition in Vienna clearly shows the popularity of artistic maiolica products in the second half of the 19th century.
The Ginori factory had already participated, among the few Italian exhibitors, in the first international exhibition of handcrafted and industrial products 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 factory for much of the second half of the century, maiolica met public taste for the neo-Renaissance style. The sketch reveals large vases, fountains, ewers, and basins that eclectically reinterpret the Italian tradition from famous Renaissance ceramic centres 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 Fire on the Pampas, now at the Museo Ginori (inv. 17), and four large maiolica plates representing the Continents, whose whereabouts is 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.
