Bitossi Rimini Blu Sun

Some objects simply decorate a room. Others become a signature. Designed by Aldo Londi for Bitossi in 1956, the Rimini Blu Sun has become the defining symbol of Contemporum – a small ceramic sculpture that captures much of what we value in design: character, craftsmanship, history and a touch of humour.

A serene face sits at the centre of a radiant circle of broad, irregular rays. The composition feels ancient and familiar, almost like a Mediterranean talisman, yet its graphic clarity belongs unmistakably to the optimistic world of post-war Italian design.

The Sun is press-moulded in white refractory clay at the Bitossi manufactory in Montelupo Fiorentino. Its surface is then worked by hand, using small stamps to create a changing sequence of abstract and geometric impressions.

A brilliant blue crystalline glaze flows across the relief, gathering within the deeper marks and revealing different shades as the light changes. This richly textured finish gives the sculpture far greater depth than its compact dimensions might suggest.

At 21 centimetres high, the Rimini Blu Sun is easy to place on a desk, bookshelf or console. It can stand alone as a vivid blue accent or join other Aldo Londi ceramics in a larger Rimini Blu composition.

Each example is decorated and glazed by hand. Variations in tone, surface and glaze are natural results of the artisanal process and ensure that no two Suns are completely identical.

Designer: Aldo Londi
Designed: 1956
Manufacturer: Bitossi Ceramiche
Collection: Rimini Blu
Archive number: 30
Material: White refractory clay, hand-decorated and glazed
Colour: Rimini blue
Made in: Italy