Flask
c. 1575/1587, or slightly later
Medium
imitation porcelain (a version of soft-paste porcelain)
Dimensions
overall (height to rim): 12.7 cm (5 in.)
Classification
Decorative Art
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Widener Collection
Accession Number
1942.9.354
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of Renaissance Italy with this elegant *Flask* from the Medici Porcelain Factory, crafted 1575–1587 or shortly after. Standing at a delicate 12.7 cm (5 in.) tall, this piece exemplifies the ambitious experimentation of Grand Duke Francesco I de', who established Europe's first porcelain manufactory in Florence. Aiming to rival the prized hard-paste porcelain imported from China, the factory produced this imitation version—known as soft-paste porcelainusing a innovative mix of clay, frit (ground glass), and other materials fired at lower temperatures. Artistically, ...