An important Faenza or Siena maiolica dish with the arms of Pope Leo X Circa 1513-21
18
An important Faenza or Siena maiolica dish with the arms of Pope Leo X, circa 1513-21
Circular with a plain flanged rim, the well moulded with thirteen deep flutes each painted with a plant motif in dark blue on lighter blue backgrounds, reserved against a rich yellow ground, the central panel also with a yellow ground, boldly painted with the Papal Arms of the Medici beneath the crossed keys and Papal crown, the outer border carefully painted with a repeated design of intersecting ovals and lozenges in white, yellow and black on a dark orange ground, the underside with radiating sunburst in blue and orange, the foot marked with a double cross or asterisk motif in orange with blue arrows pointing inwards, 28cm diam (broken and restored)
Estimate:
£10,000 - 15,000
€12,000 - 18,000
US$ 15,000 - 23,000

Footnotes

  • The Papal arms of the Medici on Faenza and Caffaggiolo maiolica refer either to the first Medici Pope, Leo X (1513-21) or to Clement VII (1523-34). On stylistic grounds, the present dish is earlier and the arms can be identified as those of Leo X. Wilson and Sani 2007 illustrate a Faenza jug with the Medici Papal arms in similar colouring (which they date to the period of Clement VII) and discuss how these pieces were possibly special commissions as Faenza was under the direct authority of the Papal State. The same mark of an asterisk and arrows and matching underside decoration occurs on a dish in the Fitzwilliam Museum, discussed by Poole 1995, cat. no. 206 where it is attributed to Siena or Faenza. Another armorial dish, of related shape and design to the present lot, was also attributed to Siena on the basis of the colouring, see Rackham 1959, pl. 135, fig 320

Category: Decorative Arts / European Ceramics

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Nette Megens Bonhams
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Specialist - European Ceramics