As the art historian Antonio Paolucci recalls, Banca Cambiano 1884 understood something fundamental about this part of Italy, the Valdelsa. Here, economy and culture, protection of the territory and development, profit growth and contextual growing of education and knowledge, all work together to constitute a complex reality that is multifaceted, yet indivisible.

Today, there are more than a thousand pieces in the art collection of Banca Cambiano 1884 and Ente Cambiano. Amongst these, there are masterpieces of ancient, modern and contemporary art. The collection grows especially in the second half of the 1990s, with the acquisition of a remarkable series of canvases by painter Beppe Serafini.

This cultural investment, meant to be enriched over time, reflects the bank’s values and goals. A wide and diverse collection with a special attention to works by artists from Tuscany and, more specifically, from the Valdelsa. This highlights the centrality of the union between the bank and the Vadelsa, which began with the inhabitants of these lands. Sharecroppers first, then merchants and artisans, they eventually became entrepreneurs, transforming their culture and knowledge into ability to exploit the resources and opportunities of the territory in which they lived.
And this culture becomes Bank.

The collection includes artworks by prestigious masters, from the 13th century until today, like Giovanni di Ser Giovanni (known as lo Scheggia), Cenni di Francesco di Ser Cenni, Taddeo di Bartolo, Gino Terreni, Sineo Gemignani, Tancredi Parmiggiani, Giuliano Ghelli, Giampiero Talani, Antonio Possenti, Marco Biorgianni, and many others, only seemingly less renowned.

The Pottery Hall is a nodal part of CAMBIO cultural centre, because it recounts a journey through history, tradition and innovation in Italian pottery. The works here displayed celebrate the craftsmanship of artists and workshops that shaped the art of pottery as an expression of territorial identity and creativity.

The Taccini brothers stand out amongst the protagonists, with their Tuscanian excellency embodying the legacy of a family workshop. Their art is rooted in the ancient tradition of “Raffaellesco” – decorations inspired by Nero’s Domus Aurea, which owe their fortune to Raphael – with the modernity of an ever-evolving style. The works of Orlando Taccini and of his sons Alessandro, Vittorio and Fulvio represent a constant dialogue between past and future, between technical mastery and stylistic research.
Along with these creations, the hall is home to two extraordinary glazed terracotta panels by Angelo Biancini, also known as “Anzulé”. A pottery master of the Italian 20th century, Biancini knew how to transform matter into a unique expressive language. His panels, dedicated to early Christianity, combine the purity of faith with a visual modernity that captures and fascinates the spectator. The treatment of the materials, scratched and processed until they seem alive, expresses an emotional intensity that makes each work utterly unique.
The Pottery Hall is not just an exhibition: it is a meeting place between history and future, between art and territory, that invites the visitor to discover the beauty of pottery as a symbol of history, culture and contemporaneity.