Dish with Heraldic Shield
Unknown Artist
1470–1500
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware
Dimensions
Overall: 17 1/8 x 2 3/4 in. (43.5 x 7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
Spanish
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Benjamin Altman, 1913
Accession Number
14.40.728
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant *Dish with Heraldic Shield*, crafted in Spain between 1470 and 1500, exemplifies the artistry of late medieval ceramics. Made of tin-glazed earthenware—a where a tin oxide glaze creates a smooth, opaque white surface ideal for vibrant painted decoration—this shallow dish measures 17⅛ x 2¾ inches. The central heraldic shield, a coat of arms, likely commemorates a noble family or institution, reflecting the era's emphasis on lineage and prestige during Spain's transition from the Middle to the Renaissance. Tin-glazed earthenware, popular in Iberian workshops, drew from Islamic cera...