In Renaissance Italy, ceramic pottery became as prominent and sculpture and painting, and Maiolica reached a crown point of production. Carried to Pisa via Majorca in the 14th century by Moorish tradesmen selling their wares, Maiolica pottery today still reveals the stylistic sway of the Spanish Moors.

In particular, the pottery of Deruta suggests the strong influence of Muslim potters who emigrated to the region from Spain. Common motifs of the 15th and 16th centuries were dragons, family crests, and figural scenes, but also literary inscriptions and religious imagery. Renaissance tastes and the later popularity of Chinese porcelain evolved and refined the Moorish style all the while retaining hints of origin.

Deruta, Gubbio, Montelupo, Florence and Faenza continue to be important centers of pottery production in Italy. Due in part to positioning as points of contact for trade, but also to the availability of quality clay resources, many cities specializing in Maiolica sit along the Tiber River in Umbria and the Arno in Tuscany.

Since as early as the 8th century, the Venetians have been turning out glasswork. Extensive trade contact with the Islamic empire, particularly with the regions of Syria and Egypt, brought back the skill and know-how of Muslim artisans. Further knowledge was gleaned during the wayward conquest of the great imperial city of Constantinople in 1204. This latter event unlocked a virtual treasure chest in the art of glassmaking.

The final stage was set when Venetian artisans began to use rock quartz from the Rivers Adige and Ticino instead of less pure sand. Carefully chosen stones were put through a process of repeated heating and cooling until any inherent impurities slipped out of the material. The fruit of Venetian research was a refined set of skills, a shelf of practical tools, and a clear as crystal glass ready to be shaped by artisans for generations to come.

Venetian glassmakers entered a new phase in their art, and together with the spirit of commerce and creative competition, they soon made their expertise known throughout Europe. Venetian designs were for the most part the invention of the glassmakers themselves, who have since come to be celebrated for their colorful, innovative, and avant garde creations.