Guido De Zan was born in Milan in 1947. In 1974, after working for eight years in the field of assistance to mentally disabled children, he graduated in Sociology from the University of Trento. In 1975 he began his research in the field of ceramics, using stoneware and porcelain to create both sculptures and everyday objects.
In 1978 he opened Il Coccio in Milan, next to the Colonne di San Lorenzo, a workshop with a ceramic kiln where he worked for three decades.
Generations of assistants and students from all over the world have passed through here. Recently, he has been adding dry engravings and etchings to his ceramic production.