Brightly colored and vivacious, the majolica from Sicily is not for the faint hearted, but to be enjoyed for its bold designs and cheerful subject matter. The lemons and other fruit of the countryside are omnipresent on Sicilian earthenware from tiles and planters to tableware. Here too are pieces endowed with stories from the medieval world. R. Bonechi Imports buys from various factories across the island bringing a vast selection to the USA.

There are prehistoric kiln sites in Sicily, as its people have been making earthenware for three millennia, beginning with the indigenous Sicanains. The Greeks and the Phoenicians passed through this centrally located island, trading and bringing skills and techniques from the east. The Moors brought majolica itself to both Sicily and to Spain, the Saracens brought Byzantine ideas, and the Romans introduced Etruscan styles, all landed and traded ideas with the inhabitants. From this rich history comes a vibrant and diverse culture of clay.