The Life and Craft of Luigi de Lerma
Luigi de Lerma was an Italian painter, ceramicist, mosaicist, and draftsperson. Born in Reggio Emilia, Italy, his career was marked by a deep connection to the art of ceramics. He studied the Lerma majolica techniques at the Instituto della Ceramica in Faenza and later served as a teacher at the School of Applied Arts in Castellamonte. His professional journey took him to Vietri sul Mare, where in 1927 he served as a technical ceramist for the majolica factory of Jonkvrouw Sophie van der Does de Willebois. By 1928, he had become the director of the ceramics firm I.C.A.R.O. on Rhodes in the Greek Dodecanese.
In 1934, de Lerma moved to the Netherlands, where he established a ceramic studio in Groenekan alongside his wife, Van der Does. While his early career was centered on pottery, the onset of World War II prompted him to begin painting. His later years saw him expanding his repertoire into the creation of mosaics and murals. His contributions to the arts were recognized through several honors, including a challenge trophy in 1953 and the De Lerma de Johan Kerkhoff price from the Utrecht Society Kunstliefde in 1962. He passed away in Utrecht.
