Ulisse Cantagalli

[1] Second of four siblings, Ulisse was born in 1839 and grew up enjoying a privileged lifestyle until 1848, when his father was declared bankrupt and, overwhelmed by the turn of fortune, committed suicide.

In 1878, Ulisse and Romeo took over the pottery factory in Florence and began to trade as Manifattura Figli di Giuseppe Cantagalli.

Being Florence an Italian cultural landmark and one of the cities of the Gran Tour, he was in the ideal place to fulfill his ambitions.

His artisans thrived under Ulisse's guidance, nurturing his dream to establish a center of Decorative Arts to showcase Italian talents.

At the same time, he scoured art galleries, museums and private collections in constant search of Renaissance majolicas to draw inspiration from.

Horne, collector and art critic, who both lived in Florence, as well as other men of taste, for example, Lord Carmichael, a passionate collector of Cantagalli, John Ruskin, William Morris, and William De Morgan with whom Ulisse developed a special working relationship."

He decorated the house of Stibbert in Florence, now a museum, made the Della Robbia style "tondi" (circular sculptures) for Palazzo Pitti.

The sketchy cockerel has an open beak, extended neck; one of its claws is raised, while the other usually rests on a single line.