Lead-glazed earthenware with cast, moulded and applied decoration and coloured lead glazes. Bernard Palissy or follower. French, Saintes?, 1555-65 or later

Dish, elliptic, white ground, with reptiles, shells, and etc. in relief.

Bought from Mr John Webb.
At the time of acquisition, this plateau was described as 'Palissy ware' and then subsequently as 'probably made by Bernard Palissy, second half 16th century'.
Recent research (see Techne, no.47) into museum collections and into excavated material has shown that many of the plateaus and dishes referred to as ‘rustiques figulines’ can be attributed directly to the workshop of Bernard Palissy. Because of the clay composition of a large number of these works, there is a strong suggestion that they were made in his workshop in Saintes, but this is not definitive. They are largely dated to 1555 to 1565, prior to the documented time Palissy was working in Paris.

Saintes?

418-1854