Giovanni Mollica

Giovanni Mollica was a famous manufacturer of Maiolica ceramics, meaning Italian tin-glazed pottery dating from the Renaissance period. Mollica learned his art at the Giustiniani studios and established his own factory of "Mollica Ceramiche" in 1842. Shortly after that his three sons Ciro, Alessandro and Achille Mollica were employed. Of these, Achille proved to possess the greatest talent; he went to study ceramics at the Institute of Fine Art of Naples. In 1862, Giovanni left the family business to his sons in 1862 and took on a position of Artistic Director for Fratelli Pelliccia.