THE CLEAN AND SIMPLE LINES OF LASTRA

Born in 1957 on the outskirts of Florence, maestro artisan Stefano Roselli began his creative career in a local candle factory in 1972 where he honed his skills for both molding and casting before transitioning to ceramics. Creative, innovative, and passionate, Stefano quickly fell in love with the details and nuances achieved by various clays and was deemed a “maestro” molder in 1989 ensuring that he oversees the design and creative process for all ceramics in their local Tuscan factory. 

A true artist, Stefano’s work is also his passion. He is most at home when he has clay on his hands and sketches for possible designs scattered across his workspace. During his free time, he sculpts Renaissance and Roman-inspired bas-reliefs in his home workshop while enjoying an occasional la caccia on the weekends.  

The clean and simple lines of Lastra were inspired by the circular wooden slab used for centuries to create the outer mold in cheesemaking throughout Italy. When fashioned together with twine, the hoop was left with a slight overlap to help maintain the shape of the cheese mold. Stefano incorporates the overlapping detail into the entire design, from its foot to its rim. A dark dusting on the edges of each piece suggests the ash that was used to preserve these cheeses and highlights each unique silhouette.