Welcome to La Galleria!
In a world where the major part of the purchasable products are made by machines, La Galleria mission is to be your personal home designer helping you to find and produce for you the perfect Italian handmade piece that will accord your taste, and meet your needs.
If you are reading these words means that you have already met us (hey, nice to see you there! 😄) or not yet and you just want to know something about our activity.
Before starting I want to present myself: I am Matteo, nice to meet you! Since now I will be your guide through the site and I will do my best to tell you the story that there is behind this little big family business situated in Montelupo fiorentino, Italy.
The shop
Montelupo is a city known all over the world for its production of ceramics. It was one of the most important centers of pottery production during the Italian Renaissance, particularly tin-glazed earthenware known in Italy as majolica.
Since 20 years, the shop is a little jewel in the commercial landscape of Montelupo. Here is where we wanted to keep the family tradition of working with clay, enriching it with new shapes and decorations. Our production is not limited to the reproduction of classical works, but adds that touch of creativity, originality and quality that distinguishes our work.
During all these years we have met a lot of wonderful people, and some of them had took some time to leave some words about us on our TripAdvisor page, we are so proud of it! ❤️
The production
Did you know that one of the oldest Montelupo piece (aged about 15th century) was found in Cuba?
In the modern times, as in the past, La Galleria is continuing to share the tradition and passion in ceramic making using the old techniques, with the best materials and glazes available.
My grandfather Sebastiano was a potter maker who started in Sicily, precisely in Santo Stefano di Camastra, another city very known for its ceramic production. He worked on the wheel and then he decided to move in Montelupo.
There he worked in the local factories, and on the meantime he teached to my father Salvatore to work on the wheel but using the Sicilian method.
Salvatore opened fist his own factory when he was 20, and then La Galleria on March 2000 with my mother Betty.
When my grandfather decided to get retired, my father closed his factory keeping the shop in Montelupo.
For all these years, we worked inside most of all the factories of Montelupo, sharing shapes and designs.
Only when I decided to continue the family tradition, we agreed together to reopen the factory to make even more shapes with the purpose of filling the world of our little treasures, and also my brother Marco joined us in the family business.
My grandfather Sebastiano was a potter maker who started in Sicily, precisely in Santo Stefano di Camastra, another city very known for its ceramic production. He worked on the wheel and then he decided to move in Montelupo.
There he worked in the local factories, and on the meantime he teached to my father Salvatore to work on the wheel but using the Sicilian method.
Salvatore opened fist his own factory when he was 20, and then La Galleria on March 2000 with my mother Betty.
When my grandfather decided to get retired, my father closed his factory keeping the shop in Montelupo.
For all these years, we worked inside most of all the factories of Montelupo, sharing shapes and designs.
Only when I decided to continue the family tradition, we agreed together to reopen the factory to make even more shapes with the purpose of filling the world of our little treasures, and also my brother Marco joined us in the family business.
Since that day the activity grew up, and in addition to the products we were selling in the shop, we focused on three principal news:
(Click over these photos to discover more!)