Francesco Raimondi

Born in Vietri sul Mare (Salerno, Italy) in 1959 and a decorator by vocation, Francesco Raimondi trained as a potter in the leading pottery factories of his town, where he learned many of the secrets of this time-honoured technique with the local master craftsmen. From 1981 to 1991 he worked at the Nando pottery, a small workshop on the Amalfi Coast, mastering the craft and demonstrating his exceptional talent.

In 1992 he was hired by Raffaele Pinto to work at the centuries-old pottery factory of the same name. It was there that he met and was awed by the talent of Giovannino Carrano, considered the greatest decorator that Vietri has ever produced.

After Carrano’s death, Raimondi became the master craftsman of reference in the decoration of pottery. In 1999 he left the Pinto factory and began working in partnership with the Cear pottery, owned by Bruno Siani. It was at that time that he also opened his own workshop, to have the freedom to express the full depth of his creative flair and his extraordinary technical expertise.

A turning point for Raimondo came when he met Manual Cargaleiro, the great Portuguese artist, embarking on what he has called “a journey of no return”, which would lead him to depart from traditional pottery and its revisitations. From there he has created his own style, rich in subtle references and featuring an infinity of variables, creating new pieces that have captured the attention of architects, designers and collectors, as well as tourists and enthusiasts attracted by new styles.

His workshop, L’Archetto, has become a leading light for many in the world of studio pottery.

Exhibitions and Teaching Appointments

  • 1999
    Teaching appointment at the Art Consortium of Avigliano (Potenza). His works are part of numerous private collections and have been exhibited in many leading museums worldwide, including the FuLe International Ceramic Art Museum (FLICAM) in China, the National Tile Museum (MNAz) in Lisbon, the Ceramics Museum in Nabeul, Tunisia, and the International Ceramics Museum in Faenza, Italy.