Guerrino Tramonti and the INA-Casa Ceramic Plaques
In the aftermath of World War II, Italy underwent a profound social and urban transformation. Among the most significant initiatives was the INA-Casa Plan (1949–1963), a large-scale public housing program designed to address the housing emergency and support the country's reconstruction. During these years, particular attention was given to the relationship between art and architecture, encouraged by Law No. 717 of 1949, known as the “2% Law”, which required a percentage of the overall cost of public buildings to be allocated to the creation of works of art. This legislation fostered collaboration among architects, artists, and craftsmen, promoting the integration of ceramic plaques, mosaics, frescoes, and sculptures into newly constructed spaces.
The INA-Casa Plan was not limited to the construction of housing; it also distinguished itself through its commitment to urban and social quality, making art an integral part of everyday life. Neighborhoods, squares, and buildings were conceived as places where architecture and art could engage in dialogue, contributing to the creation of a collective identity and a sense of community belonging.
In 1952, through a competition organized by architect Arnaldo Foschini, the plan brought together artists, sculptors, and ceramicists from diverse backgrounds with the aim of developing a shared visual language for the creation of plaques and ceramic reliefs applied to buildings. These elements were not conceived as mere decorations but as permanent markers capable of identifying the new neighborhoods and strengthening their sense of identity. Key figures in twentieth-century Italian art took part in this collective project, including Mirko Basaldella, Alberto Burri, Duilio Cambellotti, Pietro Cascella, Piero Dorazio, Leoncillo Leonardi, and Guerrino Tramonti.
The INA-Casa plaques represent a unique example of the integration of art, architecture, and visual communication. Through simple and immediately recognizable images—such as suns, animals, human figures, agricultural symbols, and scenes from everyday life—these works transformed the built environment into a collective narrative of Italy’s postwar rebirth. To this day, there is no complete catalogue that definitively attributes every plaque to its respective author. This collaborative dimension remains one of the most fascinating aspects of the project, where the value of individual artistic contributions merges into a shared visual identity.
Among the most emblematic images is the anthropomorphic sun associated with the Tiburtino district of Rome. Installed on the façades of the residential complex designed by Mario Ridolfi and Ludovico Quaroni, the plaque depicts a frontal human face surrounded by geometric rays. The sun became a symbol of rebirth, hope, and communal life—central themes in the culture of reconstruction during the 1950s. The Tiburtino district, now known as Casal Bruciato, was built between 1949 and 1954 and stands as one of the key manifestos of Italian Neorealist architecture: a complex of row houses, linear apartment buildings, gardens, vegetable plots, and public squares designed to restore a domestic and human scale to urban living.
Today, the plaque is attributed to Guerrino Tramonti thanks to testimony provided by his son, Marco Tramonti, president of the Guerrino Tramonti Foundation, as well as documentation concerning its production by CAMDOR (Ceramiche Artistiche Mutilatini Don Orione) preserved in the Italian Cultural Heritage Catalogue.
Born in 1915 and active throughout much of the twentieth century, Guerrino Tramonti was one of Italy’s most important ceramic artists, capable of combining traditional craftsmanship with contemporary artistic research. His works frequently feature bright Mediterranean colors such as ochre yellow, turquoise, azure blue, and white—the same palette that characterizes the Tiburtino sun. His figures are often constructed through essential, archetypal, and symbolic forms, reduced to a few expressive lines yet endowed with remarkable visual power.
The material quality of the plaque also reflects his artistic approach. Its surfaces display slight irregularities, reliefs, and variations in the glaze, revealing a production process still deeply rooted in craftsmanship. For Tramonti, ceramics were not merely a decorative medium but a language capable of uniting art, technique, and everyday life.
Today, the INA-Casa plaques remain a valuable testimony to a historical moment when art was conceived as an integral part of collective life. Through the contribution of artists such as Guerrino Tramonti, these small works transformed postwar housing neighborhoods into recognizable places rich in meaning, leaving within the urban landscape a visual heritage that continues to convey the memory, values, and aspirations of postwar Italy.
