Paolo De Poli (1st August 1905-21st September 1996) was born in Padua (Padova) in Italy. After an early training in drawing and embossing on metal at the art school Pietro Selvatico of Padua and in oil painting in the studio of the Trentini painters in Verona, De Poli began a career as portrait and landscape painter. In the thirties during his travels and visits to art museums and archaeological sites he has been exposed to the traditional and ancient art of vitreous enamel.
From 1933 onwards he devoted himself to creative works of enamels on metal. In the forties he collaborated with Gio Ponti in the production of furniture and decorative panels. Later their collaboration led to new objects of design and animal motifs in sculptural forms. In addition to production of vases, bowls, trays, plates, cups, plaques and doorhandles in enamel on copper, he also worked on large panels for decorating the interiors of ships and ocean liners, hotels, universities, public buildings and homes of collectors, in Italy and abroad.
