Large maiolica dish with painted grotesque decorations and medallions with biblical scenes and the arms of Cardinal Inigo d'Avalos on the back; made in Urbino or Turin, probably by Orazio Fontana, 1561-1565

Round dish with large well, decorated with a central medallion depicting the meeting of Abraham and Melchizedec painted on a pale yellow ground. This is surrounded by grotesque ornament painted on a white ground incorporating smaller medallions. The reverse is elaborately decorated with a central medallion depicting God appearing to Noah, surrounded by similar ornament surmounted by the the arms of Cardinal d'Avalos. The details of the arms have mostly been erased.

Purchased from Mr. Samuel Pratt

Cardinal d'Avalos was son of Alfonso, Marquis of Pescara (d. 1546) and his wife Maria d'Aragona, of the Dukes of Montalto; He was made Cardinal in 1561 and died in 1600. This dish probably formed part of an extensive set of matching table-wares, made for Cardinal Inigo. Another dish with the same arms was lent to the South Kensington Museum (now V&A) in 1862 and is now in a private collection.

The typical decoration of this dish, composed of small loosely connected motifs including human figures, animals and fantasy figures is called 'Grotesque'. It was first introduced by the painter Raphael in his decoration of the Vatican Palace in Rome (1518-19). It was derived from ancient Roman decorations from the Golden House of the emperor Nero (ruled 54-68 AD) on the Esquiline hill in Rome, which came to light during this period.
During the second half of the 16th century, the potters of Urbino specialised in a refined style of decoration incorporating elaborate grotesques on a white ground. Their main pictorial source of inspiration were the etchings by Jacques Androuet I Ducerceau, which were published in 1550, and again in 1562 under the name 'Petites Grotesques'.

The two large medallions are adapted from woodcuts by Salomon Bernard, from Figure del Vecchio Testamento con versi toscani, by Damian Maraffi published at Lyons in 1554.

Cardinal d'Avalos was son of Alfonso, Marquis of Pescara (d. 1546) and his wife Maria d'Aragona, of the Dukes of Montalto; He was made Cardinal in 1561 and died in 1600. This dish probably formed part of an extensive set of matching table-wares, made for Cardinal d'Avalos. Another dish with the same arms was lent to the South Kensington Museum (now V&A) in 1862.

The typical decoration of this dish, composed of small loosely connected motifs including human figures, animals and fantasy figures is called 'Grotesque'. It was first introduced by the painter Raphael in his decoration of the Vatican Palace in Rome (1518-19). It was derived from ancient Roman decorations from the Golden House of the emperor Nero (ruled 54-68 AD) on the Esquiline hill in Rome, which came to light during this period.
During the second half of the 16th century, the potters of Urbino specialised in a refined style of decoration incorporating elaborate grotesques on a white ground.

8-1864