A Precious Heritage

The colourful history of the famous ICARO ceramics of Rhodes.

Fashioned by hand in heavenly colours and all manner of motifs were sets of plates, dinnerware, vases and jugs. There were costumed figurines, kaleidoscopically-feathered peacocks and boats painted Greek-blue. During the Italian Occupation of the Dodecanese, Alfred Biliotti made note of such ceramics adorning the interiors of homes in Lindos. Smitten by the Iznik pottery of Rhodes, he created ICARO (Industria Ceramiche Artistiche Rodio Orientali).

It was the island’s first such factory: a powerful success story that survived through the horrors of World War II. In 1948, the factory passed into the hands of a local businessman, Konstantinos D. Hatzikonstantis. Rebranded IKAROS, the company enjoyed a golden age of forty years until its closure in 1988. Ever since, the fame of Rhodian ceramics has spread far and wide. Examples have found their way into some of the world’s finest museums, including the Louvre.

Originals are hard to find. Many are in the hands of private collectors. Today, the industry is not what it used to be. However, many former artisans of IKAROS continue to produce collections. For them, it is a labour of love to perpetuate the art form and celebrate the memory of an industry that thrived on clay awash in colour.