*Please note, this artwork is being represented directly from Clara's studio in Italy and therefore deliveries to all addresses are stated as 10 working days from purchase. Import taxes may be applicable to different destinations and if so will be charged via customs on import, they are not included within the purchase price however the delivery costs to any worldwide destination is. If you would like to check on delivery timings or would like help finding out about import tax, don't hesitate to get in touch.*
Details
Wheel-thrown vessel by ʀ í ᴘ ᴜ ʟ ᴀ cerámica
Stoneware + slip, sgraffito
Fired in oxidation at 1260°C
Approx. Ø 14 x h 21 cm
About 'O BOI BRUÓN':
Bewitched ox that lives under the waters of the lagoon of Carregal, near the dunes of Corrubedo (Ribeira). Legend has it that long ago there was a palace there inhabited by a king and his daughter, and next to the palace a village. One night an old man arrived at the palace gates looking for shelter and, after taking pity on him, the princess invited him to enter. The mouro fell in love with the girl and asked her to marry him.
When she rejected him, he left in a rage, making the earth tremble and flooding it as he went. Seeing the village completely flooded, the king went out after him with a spear. Then, the mouro, who could not run because of his advanced age, turned into an ox. But even so, the king managed to corner him, forcing the ox to go into the village while the princess, after throwing her jewels into the water, begged the fairies: "Help, I beg you! May that treacherous and evil mouro never come out of the ruins and the waters he caused with his wickedness and may he sink forever to the bottom of the lake! Then the ox slowly sank until it was completely submerged and disappeared.
It is said that sometimes you can still see the bubbles it produces when it breathes under the water of the lake, and you can even hear its eerie bellowing, for its name, O boi bruón, means the bellowing ox.
About Clara Holt:
Sonia Pasquinelli, aka Clara Holt, was born in Pescara, Abruzzo. She is an illustrator and a decorator. She completed her classical studies and has always had a passion for classical literature, Greek epics and the surrealist current, which guide her in her research and personal interpretation of her subjects. Each piece is a one-off, illustrated with a drawing inspired by places, mythology or childhood stories.
She works from her studio in Milan.
Artist Q&A
What are your biggest influences?
C: My main influences are mythology (first and foremost Greek mythology, but later I also became fond of Nordic mythology), legends, real or fantastic stories from the remotest places. I love fairy tales and popular storytelling, the stories handed down and those full of symbols, telling us about the most irrational, unconscious and hidden sides of human nature.
Do you plan each piece in advance or do they develop intuitively?
C: I never plan my piece too much in advance. Certainly before I start a decorated piece I read everything I can find about the story I am going to tell. I make a few sketches only when it is a particularly complex and large illustration, or one that has to fit a vase with a very particular shape and surface. But I usually draw directly on the piece, starting with a main character or scene and then building around it a context made up of minor details, secondary characters, and intricate fill patterns.
Can you tell us more about the work featured in our Winter Exhibition
C: The work presented for the exhibition consists of a series of 5 differently shaped vases made in Galicia during my artistic residency in July 2023.
All the vases were wheelthrown in stoneware by Rípula cerámica and decorated with the sgraffito technique and natural clay engobes, telling stories inspired by Galician myths and legends.