Giuseppe Gricci facts for kids

Mouse Catchers, a porcelain sculpture made by Gricci, 1755–1759

Giuseppe Gricci (born around 1700, died 1770) was a talented Italian sculptor. He learned his skills in his hometown of Florence. In 1738, he moved to Naples and started working for the king. Later, in 1743, the king opened a special factory called the Capodimonte porcelain manufactory. Giuseppe Gricci became the main artist there. By 1755, he led a team of five other artists. They all worked together to create the shapes and molds for beautiful porcelain art.

A New Start in Spain

In 1759, the king Giuseppe Gricci worked for became Charles III of Spain. The king decided to move his entire porcelain factory from Naples to Madrid, Spain. So, in 1760, Giuseppe Gricci and the whole factory moved too. In Spain, the factory was renamed the Real Fábrica del Buen Retiro.

Amazing Porcelain Rooms

Giuseppe Gricci designed many different porcelain figures. But he is most famous for creating entire rooms made of porcelain! One of his most amazing works is the Porcelain boudoir of Maria Amalia of Saxony. This room was completely covered in porcelain panels. It had a special chinoiserie style, which means it looked like Chinese art.

This beautiful room was first made for the Palace of Portici between 1757 and 1759. Today, you can see it at the Capodimonte Palace. Giuseppe Gricci and his team also made similar porcelain rooms in Spain. They created one for the Royal Palace of Aranjuez (1763–1765) and another for the main Royal Palace in Madrid (in the 1770s).

Giuseppe Gricci passed away in Madrid.