About Artesania Rinconada Figurines and Artists

About Artesania Rinconada and designers and artist Jesus and Javier Carajales brothers, JJC ®

Jorge De Rosa was born in 1956 in Buenos Aires, Argentina and moved with his family to Montevideo, Uruguay when he was 8 years old. Jorge was raised around ceramics his whole life given that his father was a professor of ceramics. As a child he would accompany his father to the ceramics factory. While there he would watch the artists, ask them questions and when they would let him he would help them design in any way possible. Jorge was fascinated by the various processes involved in ceramics and knew then want he wanted to do when he was older. In 1975 his father joined the Carbajales brothers in a business venture and by 1979 Jorge was began working as the General Supervisor of Artesania Rinconada. This gave him the opportunity to work closely with and admire wonderful artists like Jesus and Javier Carbajales and Herben De Matte.


Since 1995 Jorge De Rosa has been the Factory Director and General Manager of Artesania Rinconada working closely with the Carbajales brothers and other fine artists like Olga Pareja and Juan Carlos Irigoin; always eager to please Rinconada collectors and enthusiasts.


Jesus and Javier Carbajales were born in Asturias, Spain in 1930. As youngsters, the twin brothers were taken from Spain as their family moved to Montevideo, Uruguay to escape the perils of Civil War in Spain. However, as young men they returned to Spain and extended their travels to France and England where they began to study various aspects of painting and sculpture.


After returning to Uruguay, in addition to painting and creating vases, they began designing Rinconada figurines in 1967 and sold them to local gift shops in Uruguay. They then began to market them abroad (initially in France). It wasn’t until the early 1970’s when they began to market them in the United States through John J. Madison Co., Inc.


In 1975 they joined forces with Jorge De Rosa Thompson. Jorge was a ceramics professor and also owned a ceramics factory, (Ancers S.A.). Jorge loved the collection and began to dedicate his life to Rinconada production and design.


In 1976 they also began to work with Herben DeMatte in 1976 who collaborated with the Carbajales and designed many Rinconada designs himself. Herben De Matte was a very special artist and person, and was truly missed when he past away in 1996. He holds a special place in all our hearts.


In 1994 production of Rinconada was split between two factories. That of Jorge De Rosa Thompson (also known as Ancers S.A.) and a Co-Op Factory; both located in Montevideo, Uruguay. Today, a large majority of Rinconada figurines are made in the Ancers factory run by Jorge De Rosa. Jorge collaborates closely with the Carbajales and the other Rinconada artists to bring you the best quality ceramic designs time and again.