Ceramic Puffer Fish

We call her Cleo — our pesce palla, the puffer fish. She is a round, cheerful, three-dimensional ceramic sculpture made entirely by hand in Vietri sul Mare. Each one is sculpted from a ball of clay, with protruding lips, a curled tail, and small fins added by hand before being painted in a wild patchwork of colours.

The decoration is done in a naif style — bold geometric sections covering the entire body. You will see patches of deep red with white dots, cobalt blue cross-hatching, orange stripes, yellow swirls, teal and green sections, all outlined in dark brushstrokes. The big round eye has a warm amber ring, and those pouty red lips give Cleo a real personality. Every fish is painted differently because the artisans work freehand, filling in each section however they feel in the moment.

Cleo comes in multiple sizes, from a small one you can hold in your hand to a large piece that works as a proper room accent. People display them on bookshelves, coffee tables, bathroom shelves, or grouped together in different sizes. They are purely decorative — not food-safe — and meant to bring a bit of colour and Mediterranean spirit into your home.

Made in Vietri sul Mare by artisans who have been sculpting these fish for years. The colours and patterns will vary from piece to piece, and that is exactly what makes each Cleo her own.