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

Dish

1630-35 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The central figure on the dish represents Hector of Troy and derives from an engraving by Virgil Solis.

King Priam's eldest son, Hector, was commander-in-chief of the Trojan forces. Hector was the best warrior on the Trojan side, he knew that he was fated to die in the war, but as heir and eldest son of Priam, he was duty bound to defend Troy and he fought bravely against the Greeks in the Trojan War. He was eventually killed by Achilles who tied the warrior's body to a chariot and dragged the body around Troy before the eyes of the Trojans. Hector's funeral marks the conclusion of Homer's Iliad, as well as the beginning of the end for the Trojans.

This rare dish is amongst the earliest pieces of English tin-glazed pottery or delftware. It shows the strong influence of Chinese porcelain on the border decoration, while the central part recalls both Dutch and Italian maiolica.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Tin-glazes earthenware painted with colours
Brief description
Tin-glazed earthenware painted in colours with a man in armour (Hector of Troy after an engraving by Virgil Solis, 1514-62) and a border of Chinese birds. Probably either Montague Close or Pickleherring Quay potteries, Southwark, about 1630-35.
Physical description
The centre with a warrior in armour in a plumed helmet and holding a spear. A fence on the left and plants in the background, within a yellow and blue circular cartouche, the blue border of birds among flowering shrubs within a yellow and manganese line rim, the underside has pierced footrim for hanging, otherwise plain.
Dimensions
  • Diameter: 34.5cm
2009
Credit line
Purchased with the generous support of The Art Fund, The Headley Trust, Sir Harry Djanogly CBE and Manny and Brigitta Davidson
Production
London
Subjects depicted
Summary
The central figure on the dish represents Hector of Troy and derives from an engraving by Virgil Solis.

King Priam's eldest son, Hector, was commander-in-chief of the Trojan forces. Hector was the best warrior on the Trojan side, he knew that he was fated to die in the war, but as heir and eldest son of Priam, he was duty bound to defend Troy and he fought bravely against the Greeks in the Trojan War. He was eventually killed by Achilles who tied the warrior's body to a chariot and dragged the body around Troy before the eyes of the Trojans. Hector's funeral marks the conclusion of Homer's Iliad, as well as the beginning of the end for the Trojans.

This rare dish is amongst the earliest pieces of English tin-glazed pottery or delftware. It shows the strong influence of Chinese porcelain on the border decoration, while the central part recalls both Dutch and Italian maiolica.
Bibliographic references
  • Jonathan Horne, A Collection of Early English Pottery, Part XX, London 2000, no 581
  • Simon Sainsbury The Creation of An English Arcadia , Christie's London, 18 June 2008, lot 161
  • See object information file in Ceramics and Glass Section offices.
Collection
Accession number
C.12-2008

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Record createdJune 8, 2009
Record URL
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