Bargello exhibition highlights crisis of Doccia porcelain museum

The Museo Nazionale del Bargello in Florence hosts 'La fabbrica della bellezza', an exhibition showcasing porcelain from the historic Manifattura di Doccia in Sesto Fiorentino. Founded by Carlo Ginori in 1737, the factory produced celebrated porcelain sculptures, often replicating Florentine Baroque works from Giambologna onward. The adjacent Museo Ginori, housing over 9,000 pieces, fell into decay after the Ginori bankruptcy in 2013 and subsequent abandonment by Kering. In 2017, Minister Dario Franceschini announced the state's acquisition of the building, offering hope for its preservation. The exhibition also features the restored wax model of Giambologna's Mercury and scientific research on Doccia's production techniques, including large-scale porcelain sculptures that required assembly from multiple pieces, often showing inevitable flaws. The display aims to raise awareness for the museum's reopening.