Drug Jar
1420-1440 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
'Oak-leaf jars' were produced in Tuscany from the first quarter of the 15th century. They are often decorated with animals, including birds and hares, amongst sprays of oak leaves with dots and stars in the background. They are painted in thick blue pigment called in Italian 'zaffera a rilievo' (relief-blue), a type of decoration used in Tuscany, particularly in the Florentine area ( but also in other regions) from the last third of the 14th century.
This jar was probably made in the same workshop responsible for the series of drug-jars made for the pharmacy of the main hospital in Florence, Santa Maria Nuova. These were traditionally attributed to the workshop of Giunta di Tugio, but new archival evidence suggests that more than one workshop supplied the hospital with ceramics; Maso and Miniato di Domenico could have equally produced these jars, as they are named as suppliers.
This jar was probably made in the same workshop responsible for the series of drug-jars made for the pharmacy of the main hospital in Florence, Santa Maria Nuova. These were traditionally attributed to the workshop of Giunta di Tugio, but new archival evidence suggests that more than one workshop supplied the hospital with ceramics; Maso and Miniato di Domenico could have equally produced these jars, as they are named as suppliers.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Tin-glazed earthenware |
Brief description | Drug jar, tin-glazed earthenware, Florence, 1420-40 |
Physical description | Globular jar with two strap handles, inverted rim and wide mouth; tin-glazed on the outside. Painted in blue and manganese purple. On either side sprays of oak foliage between two notched vertical bands. Around the neck and on the handles are discs, separated by a wavy line. |
Dimensions |
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Gallery label |
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Object history | Purchase: Henry Wallis Collection. Purchase price note: 1116 to 1151-1904 purchased for £700. |
Production | J Mallet Not in Rackam. |
Summary | 'Oak-leaf jars' were produced in Tuscany from the first quarter of the 15th century. They are often decorated with animals, including birds and hares, amongst sprays of oak leaves with dots and stars in the background. They are painted in thick blue pigment called in Italian 'zaffera a rilievo' (relief-blue), a type of decoration used in Tuscany, particularly in the Florentine area ( but also in other regions) from the last third of the 14th century. This jar was probably made in the same workshop responsible for the series of drug-jars made for the pharmacy of the main hospital in Florence, Santa Maria Nuova. These were traditionally attributed to the workshop of Giunta di Tugio, but new archival evidence suggests that more than one workshop supplied the hospital with ceramics; Maso and Miniato di Domenico could have equally produced these jars, as they are named as suppliers. |
Bibliographic reference | Elisa Sani, Not in Rackham - 'Italian Renaissance maiolica in the Victoria and Albert Museum – Part 1', in: Keramos 210 (2010), pp. 1-30, cat. 1 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 1149-1904 |
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Record created | July 16, 2008 |
Record URL |
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