the value of Impruneta terracottas
[ The land of terracotta ]

The value and pride of Impruneta

Already inhabited in Etruscan and Roman times, Impruneta is a delightful and small village located on the outskirts of Florence, known for its millenary art of terracotta.
Immersed in the countryside, this territory rich in culture has been handing down for centuries its ancient artisan practice of shaping and cooking the earth, a distinctive and characteristic element of Tuscan architecture and landscape.
Impruneta terracotta owes its uniqueness to the traditional skill with which local artisans work clay, a practice that has been preserved over time and adapted during the succession of different historical periods.
The art of terracotta has been able to stand out during the most intense cultural changes without ever losing its authenticity, reaching up to our days even richer in value and prestige, thanks to the improvement of new and modern manufacturing techniques.

ancient and precious craft of Impruneta terracotta
[ Millennial timeless art ]

An ancient and precious craft

This timeless artistic expression, deeply anchored in the Impruneta area, thrived vigorously during the Renaissance in sync with the intense intellectual and aesthetic progress gained in Florence and then extended throughout Tuscany.
Thus, with the passing of the centuries, the craftsmen and the potters of the kilns shaped the landscape of the city through characteristic colors in soft tones, with shades ranging from the most delicate pink to the most intense orange. These particular colors, typical of our chain of picturesque hills, also fascinated the great architect and designer Brunelleschi who chose Impruneta terracotta to make the tiles that cover the dome of the Florence Cathedral.
Inspired by this living land, the illustrious Benvenuto Cellini also defined our country as a "fat, delicate and gentle land that works to make figures and pottery".

Ton für Impruneta Terrakotta
[ A treasure that resides in the soil ]

The most famous clay in the world

There are several reasons that led Impruneta to become a place famous all over the world for the production and decoration of terracotta. First of all the presence of abundant sediments of a particular type of clay, a natural and very current material, widespread throughout the area.
The particular geology of the Impruneta soil is distinguished by being very rich in ferrous metals, elements that give the terracotta special properties of resistance to frost and other atmospheric agents, making them practically eternal.
In addition to all these qualities, another quality that has certainly favored the spread and development of the art of terracotta is the great abundance of woods and firewood, a fundamental fuel for powering the cooking ovens. Finally, the strategic position of the territory, which rises along important communication avenues, also allows Impruneta to establish an advantageous relationship with the nearby Florentine metropolis, a city that over the centuries has widely appreciated and ennobled the artistic artefacts of local terracotta.