Pharmacy jar (albarello) (one of a pair)
Unknown Artist
ca. 1579
Medium
Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 7 3/16 × 4 11/16 × 4 11/16 in. (18.3 × 11.9 × 11.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Pottery
Culture
Italian, probably Pesaro
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Julia A. Berwind, 1953
Accession Number
53.225.84
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant pharmacy jar, known as an *albarello*, dates to around 1579 and hails from Italy, likely the vibrant maiolica workshops of Pesaro. One of a pair, its slender, cylindrical form—standing just over 7 inches tall—was designed for Renaissance apothecaries to store and dispense dried herbs, spices, or medicines, stacking neatly on shelves for easy access. The Met's example, a gift from Julia A. Berwind in 1953, exemplifies the fusion of utility and artistry in 16th-century European decorative arts. Crafted from maiolica, or tin-glazed earthenware, the jar boasts a brilliant white glaze...