Magnificent Twelve Piece Ceramic Bas-Relief From The Roman Restaurant
by Emanuele Luzzati

Items from MV VICTORIA I (ex DUNNOTTAR CASTLE, VICTORIA, THE VICTORIA, PRINCESA VICTORIA)

Richly textured masterpiece depicting ancient Roman life
by one of 20th Century Italy's most important ceramists
173 Inches Tall (with 2" space between each section) by 33 Inches Wide
Price:  please contact Pegaso Gallery International (310-659-8159) for details

The Roman Restaurant during its early Incres Lines heyday. Photo and copyright Peter Knego 1997.

The Roman Restaurant was a particularly elegant and inspiring space.  Its double deck height, barrel-shaped ceiling recess with patterned inlaid wooden squares and circles surfacing, lustrous wood paneling, and musician's balcony made it a wonderful architectural achievement for a ship of otherwise modest proportions.  The focal point was the magnifiicent Luzzati ceramic column on the forward bulkhead, which towered over the captain's table.

The stunning ensemble, reassembled after removal from the VICTORIA I and its shipping to California.  

Emanuele Luzzati's shipboard contributions go back many decades.  In collaboration with the great triumvirate of Italian designers Gio Ponti, Nino Zoncada, and Gustavo Pulitzer, he and many other key artists contributed works that adorned a gamut of famous ships from CONTE BIANCAMANO to ANDREA DORIA and OCEANIC.  Luzzati is well known in Italy, not just for his ceramics, but his paintings, illustrations (several children's books), stage designs, and animation.  There is a museum and gallery in Genoa, where he still resides, dedicated to his works.

This is one of the largest and most well known examples of his shipboard works.  It was carefully removed from the VICTORIA during her demolition in 2004 and safely packed, so it remains in excellent condition.  There is one small chip on the upper left corner of piece #2 which appears to be very old and does not detract from the presentation.

All twelve pieces photographed individually.