Plate (piatto): The story of Aeneas

Art Historical Context

Behold this exquisite maiolica plate, *The Story of Aeneas*, crafted in 1532 by Francesco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo. Measuring 11 5/8 inches in diameter, this tin-glazed earthenware piece from the Robert Lehman Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art captures a pivotal narrative from Virgil's *Aeneid*. Aeneas, the Trojan hero destined to found Rome, is depicted amid his epic journey, embodying the Renaissance fascination with classical antiquity and heroic tales that linked ancient myths to Italy's cultural heritage. Maiolica, a hallmark of 16th-century Italian ceramics, revolutionized pott...