Stilleben

National Walnut, an integral part of the 'Gesso' collection, is one of the most valuable woods to produce furnishing accessories, especially for the table. Due to its compact fiber characteristics, it lends itself to being easily and efficiently assembled, ensuring stable, durable, well-finished objects that are not prone to deformation over time. The brown colour, tending to grey, with light streaks that can vary from reddish to black, together with the soft, straight grains that are always beautiful to look at, perfectly match our ceramics. Although, like all woods, it has the aptitude to absorb or release moisture depending on the climatic conditions of the environment, it is theone with the lowest levels of shrinkage and expansion, which is also why it was chosen for the 'Gesso' collection, treating each piece with protective oil suitable for direct contact with foodstuffs (bread,breadsticks,etc.).
Textiles in the 'Gesso' collection are made of 100% hemp, a noble fibre that is very rare on the market and has far better qualities than more common products on the market such as linen and cotton. Hemp fibre is both soft and strong.
Although it has a similar appearance to linen, which produces right-angled creases, those of Hemp are rounded and tend, if not to disappear, then to soften considerably, so that Hemp fabrics always maintain a pleasant appearance without having to be ironed every time. Of all natural fabrics, it is the most resistant to both wear and tear and mechanical stress (tearing), to the extent of three times more than cotton, thus making the garments more durable. In addition, natural hemp fabric is hypoallergenic and does not conduct electricity, so it does not charge with static electricity and does not attract dust and dirt. Hemp fiber provides an eternal and natural fabric because it is made of vegetable fiber.

Stilleben is an Italian brand born in 2017 whose primary goal is to bring out quality Made in Italy craftsmanship. The name originates from the German word Stilleben, meaning 'still life'. Specifically, the contemporary still life of the great masters such as Giorgio Morandi, which portrays the world of small everyday things: vases, glasses, bottles, bowls.
Everyday objects represented with refined material quality and attention to volume. Through the same quest for essentiality, linear clarity and syntheticism, Stilleben designs and manufactures its own products. With a careful eye on the choice of colour range, the quality of materials and the formal search for the essence of things. The first result of this research was the collection for the table that recalls the tactile,material,and opaque surfaces of 'Gesso' from which it takes its name.
For the tableware and for the base of the Stilleben vases, the quality of the material is crucial, which is why porcelain stoneware was chosen, a material that is difficultto work with due to shrinkage caused by the very high firing temperatures, but, if worked properly, indestructible, and resistant to all tests of time. Dealing with its processing for an artisan company is not the easiest thing. It is a material that undergoes a 13% volume contraction during firing, it vitrifies, and if the shapes are not perfectly designed, it does not pass the 'test' of the kiln, which reaches a firing temperature of
1200-1250 degrees. The peculiarity of the Stilleben process is that thestoneware is worked by hand in the colours, finishes, making the surface externally textured and opaque, capable of absorbing light or returning it in the polished finish, even intervening on the raw clay with holes and grooves as is done for vases or teapots.