Simone's Plate, fishermen in a boat, hand-painted ceramic 26 cm, Sicily

Decorative plate in glazed ceramic by Ceramiche De Simone, the workshop founded in Palermo by Giovanni De Simone (1930–1991). His graphic and colourful style, influenced by Sicilian folk tradition and Picasso's perspective, has made the brand one of the most recognisable signatures of post-war Italian ceramics. The scene depicts two fishermen in a striped boat of green, orange, and brown. One holds the line, while the other rows. Two large multicoloured fish are biting the hook, surrounded by a school of small yellow and orange fish. Above the horizon, a large red sun with scale-like rays and two birds in a turquoise sky complete the composition. All of De Simone's vocabulary is present: faces outlined in black with large almond-shaped eyes, flat areas of bright colours, a deep blue background, and shiny glaze. The decoration is entirely hand-painted. The reverse is speckled beige glazed, with a terracotta heel visible. It bears the hand-painted mark "DeSimone Italy" and the number "3". It is a joyful and sunny piece, suitable for hanging on a wall or displaying on an easel. Dimensions. Diameter: 26 cm. Condition. Very good condition. The colours are vibrant and the glaze shiny, with no visible chips or cracks. There are a few small firing spots in the glaze on the reverse, near the edge, inherent to the manufacturing process. Era / Style. 1970s–1980s, modern Italian folk art ceramics. Material. Ceramic (glazed terracotta) Provenance. Italy (Palermo, Sicily).