Nove Museum – Civic Museum of Ceramics, Nove
The Civic Museum of Ceramics of Nove (Museo Civico della Ceramica di Nove) is dedicated to the ceramic tradition of Nove, a small town in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, which developed into one of Italy’s foremost centres of majolica and porcelain production during the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum is housed in a historic building bearing the name of the sculptor Giacomo De Fabris, the most celebrated artist born in Nove. Its collections document over three centuries of local ceramic craft, from Baroque faience to Art Nouveau, and preserve works by the major manufactories that placed Nove on the European decorative arts map.
- Address
- Via Giordano Bruno 1, 36055 Nove (VI), Veneto, Italy
- Type
- Civic decorative arts museum — ceramics
- Period
- Ceramic tradition active from the early 18th century; museum established in the 20th century
- Style
- 18th–19th century Venetian ceramic design; Baroque through Liberty
- Location
- Nove, Province of Vicenza, Veneto, Italy
- Named for
- Giacomo De Fabris (1790–1860), neoclassical sculptor born in Nove
- Current use
- Active civic museum; research and conservation centre for Nove ceramic heritage
- Coordinates
- 45.7244° N, 11.6793° E
- Notes
- Nove was one of the principal centres of maiolica production in Veneto; major historic manufacturers include the Pasquale Antonibon factory (est. c. 1727) and Fratelli Nove
At a glance
- Type
- Civic museum of ceramics and decorative arts
- Period
- Collections span c. 1727 to the 20th century
- Style
- Baroque, Rococo, Neoclassical, Art Nouveau
- Location
- Nove, Province of Vicenza, Veneto
- Named for
- Giacomo De Fabris, sculptor (1790–1860)
Overview
The Civic Museum of Ceramics of Nove is the institutional guardian of a craft tradition that made the town of Nove — barely 6,000 inhabitants today — internationally renowned in the 18th century. The collections span from the first high-quality faience produced by the Antonibon family around 1727 to 20th-century studio ceramics, with a particular strength in Rococo pieces decorated with polychrome flowers and figurines. The museum sits within walking distance of several still-active ceramic workshops, making Nove one of the few Italian towns where visitors can trace a living craft from historical origins to current production.
History
Ceramic production in Nove intensified after Pasquale Antonibon established his manufactory around 1727, quickly achieving a level of quality comparable to the great factories of Faenza and Doccia. The town’s potters benefited from local clay deposits and easy access via the Brenta River to Venice and the wider European market. By the late 18th century, Nove faience was exported across the Habsburg Empire. The 19th-century transition from faience to porcelain was aided by the influence of Giacomo De Fabris, whose neoclassical models were widely reproduced. The civic museum was established to preserve pieces that had become scattered into private collections and to document the dozens of small family-run workshops that defined the town’s economy.
What you see
The permanent collection is arranged chronologically, opening with Antonibon-era Baroque pieces distinguished by their strong cobalt-blue designs and progressing through an exceptional Rococo room of painted dishes, soup tureens, and figurative centrepieces. A dedicated gallery presents works by the leading 19th-century factories alongside design drawings and factory records. The museum also preserves sculptural works and drawings by Giacomo De Fabris, placing the town’s ceramic heritage in dialogue with the broader Venetian artistic tradition of the Neoclassical period.
Cultural significance
Nove’s ceramic heritage is inscribed in the Veneto Region’s inventory of traditional craft knowledge, and the museum contributes actively to the national documentation effort coordinated by the Istituto Centrale per il Catalogo e la Documentazione. The town’s output was significant enough that “Nove ware” became a recognised category in 18th-century European auction catalogues. Cultural Heritage Online has documented the museum as a key destination for the decorative arts heritage trail of the Venetian hinterland.
Practical information
Opening hours vary by season; check the Comune di Nove official website before visiting. Entry is free or at a nominal fee. Group visits and educational workshops for schools are available on request. The museum shop sells contemporary ceramics produced by local artisans.
Getting there
Nove is located in the province of Vicenza, approximately 15 km north-east of Bassano del Grappa. By public transport, take a regional bus from Bassano del Grappa bus station (FTV line toward Marostica/Vicenza). By car, exit the SR248 at Nove; free parking is available near the town centre. The nearest railway stations are Bassano del Grappa and Marostica.