Galileo Chini arrived in Bangkok in late spring of 1911, having been commissioned by King Rama V to decorate the new, Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall, recently built by Italian architects Annibale Rigotti and Mario Tamagno.

Chini stayed in Bangkok until the autumn of 1913, and, in addition to the grand decoration of the Palace, also painted a number of memorable works capturing many aspects of Siamese life with intimate observation and vibrant with light and colour. Returning to Italy with it a wonderful collection of Siamese and Chinese objects, he would never forget the atmosphere of the Orient, which would continue to inspire many of his paintings until the 1940s, and the interior décor he created for his second home, Casa delle Vacanze, in Lido di Camaiore.

Ceramic Art