Bowl, Fragment thumbnail 1
Bowl, Fragment thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 143, The Timothy Sainsbury Gallery

Bowl, Fragment

1510 to 1520 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This fragment of a small dish or bowl is known as a 'kiln waster'. The dish was made, covered with slip, the decoration incised through the slip and then fired in the kiln. The dish was damaged during this first biscuit firing and discarded. This fragment was from the centre of the dish. A fine point was used to incise the lines on her wimple. A thicker, more blunt, tool was used for the outline of the figure.

Other, complete dishes and bowls with similar decoration have been found in nearby Ferrara. It is possible that these were commissioned by a convent.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Red earthenware with a white slip and incised decoration
Brief description
Fragment of a bowl of red earthenware, covered with a white slip and with decoration incised through the slip. Depicting the head of a wimpled female, probably a nun. The whole is unglazed and is probably a waster. Italian (probably Bologna), 1510 to 1520.
Physical description
Fragment of a small bowl of red earthenware covered with a white slip. An image of a woman wearing a wimple with a scroll or a cup behind her and possibly part of an inscription beginning with 'RE' has been incised into the red clay through the white slip. However, this could be simply decoration.
Dimensions
  • Width: 11.4cm
  • Height: 3.1cm
  • Length: 10.0cm
Gallery label
5-14 Biscuit-fired fragments (kiln wasters), with modern tools Italy, (5-7) probably Bologna, 1510-20; (8-9) Legnago (Veneto), 1480-1500 The lighter lines on no. 5 were executed with a fine stylus similar to no. 10, while the bold lines on no. 6 used a thicker stylus like no. 11. The potter decorated no. 7 using tools with rounded and angled wire loops like nos. 12-13. The dotted backgrounds on nos. 8-9 were created with a rouletting wheel similar to no. 14. Museum nos. C.65, 77, 69-1920, given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh; C.12B&C-1952, given by M. Fioroni; tools purchased for this display((TAB) 2009)
Credit line
Given by Dr. W. L. Hildburgh, FSA
Object history
This collection of fragments of pottery was bought in 1919 by the donor at Bologna. He was informed that they were found during excavations near the ramparts of the city.
Historical context
The image in the centre of this bowl is of a woman wearing a wimple and a long headdress. The wimple is covering her neck and chin. Behind her is what appears to be the remains of a scroll with an inscription starting with 'RE' although this could be decoration only.
There is a similar image of a woman in profile wearing a wimple on a small plate apparently found in Venice and tentatively attributed to Venetian workmanship of the first half of the 16th century (see Ref: Ericani).

In the same publication (p.106), there is an image of a bowl. In the centre there is a chalice with the host suspended slightly above the mouth of the chalice. There is a possibility that the device behind and to the left of the woman in our fragment is a similar object.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This fragment of a small dish or bowl is known as a 'kiln waster'. The dish was made, covered with slip, the decoration incised through the slip and then fired in the kiln. The dish was damaged during this first biscuit firing and discarded. This fragment was from the centre of the dish. A fine point was used to incise the lines on her wimple. A thicker, more blunt, tool was used for the outline of the figure.

Other, complete dishes and bowls with similar decoration have been found in nearby Ferrara. It is possible that these were commissioned by a convent.
Bibliographic references
  • Giuliana Ericani & Paola Marini, La ceramics nel Veneto. La Terrafirma dal XIII al XVIII secolo, Banca Popolare di Verona, 1990
  • Romolo Magnani & Michelangelo Munarrini, La ceramica graffita del Rinascimento tra Po, Adige e Oglio, 1998
Collection
Accession number
C.65-1920

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJuly 31, 2008
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest