Italian family of potters. Pietro (‘Pirotto’) Paterni was already working as a potter by 1460. His four sons, Matteo, Negro, Gianlorenzo and Gianfrancesco, all of whom were skilful maiolica painters, took their surname (Pirotti) and the name of their shop, Casa Pirota, from the nickname of their father. Their workshop was among the best known in Faenza during the first half of the 16th century. It was situated in the S Vitale district of the town, in the area of greatest concentration of the maiolica workshops. They specialized in the most refined, decorative techniques including the use of the berettino (blue) glaze and the production of articles decorated with grotesques on a dark-blue ground. They also produced work in the istoriato (narrative) style, the most outstanding of which is the goblet (1535; Bologna, Mus. Civ. Med.) depicting the Coronation of Charles V, inscribed underneath FATA IN CAXA PIROTA. Documents referring to individual members of the family are plentiful: for example, Domenico rented part of the workshop to his cousin Sebastiano in 1544; Gianfrancesco was elected Prior of the Compagnia di S Sebastiano and Gianlorenzo was nominated Console dell’arte in 1507.