Dish
1560-1562 (made)
| Place of origin |
The scene on this plate, with Caesar destroying the bridge at Geneva, derives from a drawing by the painter Taddeo Zuccaro. The artist is known to have produced designs with the story of Caesar for a maiolica service made for Philip II of Spain, and this dish might have been part of this prestigious service.
The iconography of this service was appropriate for a royal gift, dealing with the triumphs of Caesar.
Nearly fifty designs, either known through drawings or copies of drawings, or through maiolica made for them, have been identified as likely to have formed part of the service made for the king of Spain.
The iconography of this service was appropriate for a royal gift, dealing with the triumphs of Caesar.
Nearly fifty designs, either known through drawings or copies of drawings, or through maiolica made for them, have been identified as likely to have formed part of the service made for the king of Spain.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Tin-glazed earthenware painted with colours |
| Brief description | Dish, Caesar destroying the bridge at Geneva, made in the workshop of the Fontana or Patanazzi, Urbino, 1565-80 tin-glazed earthhnware |
| Physical description | Large dish, in the middle, Caesar at Geneva. Three men with pickaxes are demolishing a bridge, of which two arches remain; behind them is a body of soldiers, some of them mounted, with standards and trumpets; to the right, by the river bank, is a camp with soldiers grouped near it. Round the rim, two borders of grotesques, consisting of satyrs, tritons and other semi-human monsters, with birds and griffins. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Style | |
| Marks and inscriptions | CESAR PRESSO A, GENAVA ROMPE IL PONTO
|
| Object history | From the Soulages Collection |
| Production | Probably made in the Fontana or Patanazzi workshops |
| Subject depicted | |
| Place depicted | |
| Literary reference | De bello Gallico |
| Summary | The scene on this plate, with Caesar destroying the bridge at Geneva, derives from a drawing by the painter Taddeo Zuccaro. The artist is known to have produced designs with the story of Caesar for a maiolica service made for Philip II of Spain, and this dish might have been part of this prestigious service. The iconography of this service was appropriate for a royal gift, dealing with the triumphs of Caesar. Nearly fifty designs, either known through drawings or copies of drawings, or through maiolica made for them, have been identified as likely to have formed part of the service made for the king of Spain. |
| Bibliographic reference | Taddeo Zuccaro as a designer for Maiolica, J.A. Gere, Burlington Magazine, July 1963; dish reproduced at no. 15. |
| Other number | 843 - Rackham (1977) |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 7159-1860 |
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
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | May 20, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
