Bitossi Ceramic Refrattaria Busts “Mother and Daughter” – Italy, 1970s

A deeply moving and exceptionally rare pair of sculptural busts, titled Mother and Daughter, handcrafted in the 1970s by Bitossi in Italy. Made in ceramica refrattaria (fireclay chamotte ceramic), these pieces transcend decorative objecthood to become intimate works of art, each radiating quiet strength and poetic stillness. The stylized forms — elongated necks, closed eyes, barely-there smiles — are rendered with lyrical restraint and timeless serenity. The surfaces are rich in textural complexity, showing traces of handwork, kiln reactions, and subtle natural pigmentations that animate the ceramic skin like aged stone.

One of the busts retains the original “Made in Italy” paper label, stamped in red and gently yellowed by time — a beautiful relic of provenance that underscores their authenticity and vintage origin. These sculptures are not merely figural; they embody a generational connection, a sense of kinship and continuity.

Their totemic presence evokes the work of Italian post-war artists who blurred the boundaries between design, craft, and existential sculpture. Rarely seen on the market, especially in paired form, this set is a true collector’s discovery — a fragment of soul from the Italian ceramic avant-garde.

Taller bust (Mother): 22 × 14 × 51 cm (W × D × H)

Smaller bust (Daughter): 20 × 14 × 41 cm (W × D × H)