Dish for a ewer (bacile da versatore)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1520–30
Medium
Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
Dimensions
Diameter: 15 9/16 in. (39.6 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Italian, Deruta
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1054
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Dish for a ewer (bacile da versatore)* crafted around 1520–30 in Deruta, Italy, hails from the height of the Renaissance maiolica tradition. Produced in Deruta—a renowned center for ceramics in Umbria—this large basin (nearly 16 inches in diameter) was to pair with a matching ewer for handwashing rituals in affluent households. Such sets symbolized hospitality and refinement, blending everyday utility with artistic splendor during Italy's vibrant early 16th century. olica, or tin-glazed earthenware, was a masterful technique that allowed potters to achieve brilliant, jewel-lik...