Plate thumbnail 1
Plate thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Plate

1540 (dated)
Artist/Maker
Avelli, Francesco Xanto (maker)
Place of origin
Urbino (made)

Tin glazed earthenware plate painted in colours. Depicts the prophetic dream of the woman of Himera- Dionysus lies crowned but chained at the feet of Jupiter. Inscription on front 'Hic ille Dionysius Sicilie Tirannus'


Object details

Categories
Ceramics
Maiolica
Object type
Plate
Materials and techniques
Tin-glazed earthenware
Earthenware
Tin Glaze
Glazed
Brief description
Plate, 'Hic ille Dionysius Sicilie Tirannus' painted on front, made in Xanto workshop, Urbino, dated 1540, tin-glazed earthenware
Physical description
Tin glazed earthenware plate painted in colours. Depicts the prophetic dream of the woman of Himera- Dionysus lies crowned but chained at the feet of Jupiter. Inscription on front 'Hic ille Dionysius Sicilie Tirannus'
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 25.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Hic ille Dionysius Sicilie Tirannus' 'L'alta uisio d'Imera i Siragusa' (Latin. Painted on the front)
    Translation
    That is Dionisius the Tyrant of Sicily.
  • 'L'alta uisio d'Imera i Siragusa. X.' (Painted on the back)
Gallery label
Plate Made in Xanto, Urbino, Italy dated 1540 Hic ille Dionysius Sicilie Tirannus Tin-glazed earthenware 1696-1855 Formerly Bernal Collection(16/07/2008)
Object history
Purchase. Formerly Bernal Collection.

Purchase price note: Bought for £10 15s.
Production
Pilgrim bottle with the same subject in Stockholm, NM: see Chevalier ...Schoutheete de Tervurent, Le service le......... de la Reine Christine de Siecle (Acad.Royale de Belgique, Bull de la classe du Beaux arts XXXIX, 1957 f.133, Subject, Valerium Maximus, Action et Paroles memorables I, Chap. b, Transl.Piere Custant, Paris, Gamier s. d.

See Rackham's 1960 note for correct subject.
Subjects depicted
Dionysus
Jupiter
Bibliographic references
  • Rackham, Bernard. Catalogue of Italian maiolica. London : H.M.S.O., 1977.
  • Rackham, Bernard. Catalogue of Italian Maiolica, London : H.M.S.O., 1977
Other number
638 - Rackham (1977)
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
1696-1855

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Record createdJuly 16, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O159682/plate-avelli-francesco-xanto/
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