Source of inspiration, sundials, time measuring instruments with very ancient origins, in which the passing of the hours is indicated by the shadow of the rod (or gnomon) projected on the painted dial on a horizontal or vertical surface.

With this project, Virginia Valentini and Francesco Breganze de Capnist confirm their tribute to Italian classical and Renaissance architecture. Metaphysical suggestions assert themselves decisively in the decoration of the collection, becoming its characterizing element. Shadows not projected, but ‘decorated’ and ‘indelible’ on the white surface of the ceramic that enhance the preciousness of each artifact.

A story – timeless – which translates into architectural forms and linear volumes, created with skilful skill and artifice by the hands of Italian master craftsmen.

The other protagonists of Meridiane are the materials: the ceramic, white and tactile, recalls the classic Italian tradition of glazed majolica and offers the ideal base for the shadow play of the decorations and the precious metals that emphasize the vertical elements - the gnomons - to which the decoration of the illusory projection of the shadow corresponds.

The collection consists of four proposals for four moments of the day: the round tray 06:45 (06.45 a.m.), the bowl 12:30 (12.30 a.m.), the rectangular tray 19.00 (07.00 p.m.) and the box22.15 (10.30 p.m.). Four pieces designed to mark, like a sundial, the day, from dawn to dusk. With a plus. Meridiane di LatoxLato seems to borrow a Latin motto, which accompanies the sundial of a street in Rome: Horas non numero nisi serenas, I do not indicate the hours if not serene.

All accessories with essential shapes are made of glazed ceramic embellished with details in 24k gold, platinum and copper.

The 06:45 tray, with its succession of arches, recalls the arcades that surround many Italian squares: from Venice to Bologna, from Turin to Mantua. In the center, an element that evokes the monolithic monuments of imperial Rome stands out. The volume enameled in 24k gold, platinum or copper casts its shadow on the horizontal surface of the product, drawing an unexpected decoration, thus giving life to a refined – and deceptive – perceptive game emphasized by the contrast.

The bowl 12:30 is distinguished by the central obelisk whose false shadow is projected on the curved surface of the container. An illusion that transforms a simple object into an accessory with an unconventional elegance.

The Italian squares return to the rectangular tray 19:00 interpreted as a large open space with a central vertical element, which can be read as an obelisk, a fountain or a sculpture. The shadow-decoration drawn in contrast on the enameled surface of the tray emphasizes the originality of the piece.

Finally, the 22:15 box is inspired by a masterpiece of modern architecture: Villa Malaparte, the iconic residence overlooking the sea of Capri commissioned by the writer Curzio Malaparte to the architect Adalberto Libera. 22:15 pays homage to rationalist architecture by giving shape, in scale, to the famous screen above the structure, the element that, by playing with the projection of shadows, has made the residence famous.