Drug jar

Physical description

Drug-jar, tinglazed-earthenware painted in dark blue, yellow, orange, copper-green and dark red. Round the middle a wide zone of symmetrical grotesques, with masks, vases, cornucopias, dolphins and foliage; below this a band of stylised knots and above it, in Gothic letters, ‘locho dipolmune uol’.

Place of Origin

Siena (town), Italy (made)

Date

ca. 1515 (made)

Artist/maker

unknown (production)

Materials and Techniques

Tin-glazed earthenware with painted decoration

Marks and inscriptions

‘locho dipolmune uol’ loch of fox-lung

Dimensions

Height: 20.5 cm, Diameter: 9.5 cm

Historical context note

This jar was used for storing drugs. The inscription refers to the original contents. A ‘loch’ or ‘lohoch’ is a medicament of a honey-like consistence, for licking up with the tongue. In this case it was based on the lungs of foxes.
The jar would have been part of a set of similar jars for different drugs, belonging to a pharmacy. The constriction just underneath the rim was used to close the pot off with a piece of parchment or paper and a string.

Descriptive line

Drug-jar, tinglazed-earthenware painted grotesques and, in Gothic letters, ‘locho dipolmune uol’.

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Ballardini, G., Corpus della maiolica Italiana, Vol I, Rome 1933, fg. 58
A similar jar in the Imbert Collection, Paris, dated 1515

Production Note

A similar jar formerly in the Imbert Collection, Paris, is dated 1515

Subjects depicted

Grotesques

Categories

Ceramics

Collection code

CER