Maiolica Dish (SOLD)
Italy
Circa 1580 - 1600
The Urbino workshops, in particular that of the Fontana family, must take the credit for the break-away to a new direction which up until this point was dominated by pictorialism. This dish shows the new type of ware which was distinguished by a carefully prepared white tin glazed surface which was then decorated with a scheme of classical ornament adapted from ancient Roman frescoes which Raphael had made popular. The reserve is painted with a scene of Venus and Cupid in a landscape and they are surrounded by colourful grotesques and cameo heads picked out in blue, ochre, green, white and yellow.
Possibly from the workshop of Gironimo.
Condition: Cracks and chips to the body
d 47cm (18.5 in)
Provenance The Old Rectory, Banningham, Norfolk