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

Drug Jar

1480-1490 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Pharmacy, drug or storage jar painted in dark blue, orange, deep manganese purple and greenish turquoise blue. On opposite sides of the body are wreaths enclosing two intertwined wading birds on one side and on the other, two hands clasped with a label inscribed 'FIDESONIA' (for fides omnia) above and a sun-face with rays below. Below the main design is a band of peacock feather ornament interrupted by a label with the name of the contents inscirbed on it 'cons/va y' in gothic characters. On the neck are 'San Bernardino rays' pointing upwards.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Tin-glazed earthenware
Brief description
Drug jar, two wreaths painted on body with wading birds on one side, clasped hands with label 'FIDESONIA' on the other, made in Pesaro or Faenza, Italy, 1480-1490, tin-glazed earthenware
Physical description
Pharmacy, drug or storage jar painted in dark blue, orange, deep manganese purple and greenish turquoise blue. On opposite sides of the body are wreaths enclosing two intertwined wading birds on one side and on the other, two hands clasped with a label inscribed 'FIDESONIA' (for fides omnia) above and a sun-face with rays below. Below the main design is a band of peacock feather ornament interrupted by a label with the name of the contents inscirbed on it 'cons/va y' in gothic characters. On the neck are 'San Bernardino rays' pointing upwards.
Dimensions
  • Height: 30.5cm
  • Diameter: 22.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
'FIDESONIA' (Latin. Painted on body. Should read 'Fides Omnia' roughly 'loyalty above all')
Gallery label
Drug jar Made in Pesaro or Faenza, Italy 1480-1500 FIDESONIA Tin-glazed earthenware 4628-1858(16/07/2008)
Production
Cf. the same motif of birds with intertwined necks on a tile from the pavement on 1471-1482 made for Abbes Maria De Benedetti (cf. No. 191) ill. by Lucca Fornari Schianchi, 'Ai Piedi della Badessa, Parma 1988, No.71.
Subjects depicted
Bibliographic references
  • Rackham, Bernard. Italian Maiolica. London : Faber and Faber, 1952. Pl.20
  • Conti, G. L'arte della Maiolica in Italia. Milan, 1973. Fig. 81
  • Rackham, Bernard. Catalogue of Italian Maiolica, London : H.M.S.O., 1977
Other number
116 - Rackham (1977)
Collection
Accession number
4628-1858

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Record createdJuly 16, 2008
Record URL
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