Large dish with segmental border of plant sprays and scale pattern; in the center, an emblematic female figure holding a crowned toad and cornucopia
c. 1510/1540
Medium
tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)
Dimensions
overall (diameter): 40.3 cm (15 7/8 in.)
Classification
Decorative Art
Department
CSD
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Widener Collection
Accession Number
1942.9.317
Art Historical Context
This stunning large maiolica dish, produced in Deruta around 1510–1540, exemplifies the Renaissance mastery of Italian tin-glazed earthenware.ailing from Deruta, a Umbrian center renowned for its vibrant pottery workshops, the 40.3 cm diameter piece features a decorative border of segmental plant sprays and intricate scale patterns framing a central emblematic female. She holds a crowned toad in one hand and a cornopia in the other— rich with potential meaning, evoking themes of abundance, fertility, and perhaps alchemical or heraldic motifs popular in the era. Maiolica's tin-glaze technique ...