iU>,-% M A I O L I C A. A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE M A lO Lie A HISPANO'MORESCO, PERSUN, DAMASCUS, AND RHODJAN WARES, SOUTH KENSINGTON MUSEUM. With Hi ft one a I Notices, Marks, & Monograms. BY C. DRURY E. FORTNUM, F.S.A. Publljhedfsr the Sciewe and Art Department of the Committee of CcurtcH'u'i EducaUon. LONDON: PRINTED BY GEORGE E. EYRE AND WILLIAM S POTTIS WOODE, PRINTERS TO THE QUEEN'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. SOLD BY CHAPMAN 6f HALL, 193, PICCADILLY, LONDON. 187:^. <• \ ^ C^ 4< 5^ s> ^5XCHANGE AUG 31 »H)6 1 ^ 1 Prefatory, HE objcds comprifcd in the following catalogue are the glazed and enamelled potteries of Italy, and thofe earlier wares of Oriental origin from which they probably derived their infpiration or acquired their development. The writer has undertaken this work with fome reluctance, from a feeling that it might have been in better hands. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Catalogue of the Soulages ColleClion, had announced his in- tention of publifhing a work on Maiolica, a fubjed; to which he had paid great attention, and upon which he had thrown fo much light. For that work he had colled:ed confiderable material, and none can regret more than he who writes thefe lines, that Mr. Robin- fon was prevented by circumftances from undertaking the tafk ; the more fo as the colle xlv Perfian plate. Portrait S763. '59 17 Perfian wall tile. A horfeman in relief 623. '68 21 Do. do. Group of flowers 161. '69 22 Damafcus plate. Scroll diaper 6590. '60 27 Syrian or Rhodian bowl. Flowers 314. '67 28 Rhodian plate. Palmette and flowers . ii36. '64 30 Siculo-Arabian vafe . 483. '64 37 Hifpano-Morefque vafe 8968. '63 5i Do. do. plateau. Arms of Leon and CaftiUe . 243. '53 54 Do. do. plateau. Arms of Leon, CaftiUe, and Aragon. 1680. '55 55 Do do. plateau. Shield of arms 1760. '55 56 Do. do. plateau. Emboifed . 4232. '57 58 Siculo-Morefque vafe. Diapered So3. '65 65 Sgraffiato bowl . 187. '66 73 Do. circular diiTi . 1764- '55 75 XIV Liijl of Woodcuts. Inventory No. Page Tufcan plateau. Allegorical .... 1806. '55 80 Do. plate. The fun ... . 1 2606. '56 81. Vig. Caffaggiolo plate. Luftred . . . . 71S4. '56 104. Vig. Do. large ewer. Arms of Leo X. 1715- '55 116 Do. plate. A Majolica painter . 1717- '55 119 Do. plate. A child falling from a tree . 1716. '55 120 Do. vafe. Arms of Ferdinand I. 321. '54 124 Siena drug vafe ..... 1569. '55 131- Vig. Do. plate. Cupid centre .... 1792. '55 i36. Vig. Do. plate. By M°. Benedetto 4487. '58 137. Vig. Pefaro plateau. Portrait of a lady 4078. '57 169 Pefaro or Gubbio bacile. Portrait of a lady 7160. '60 212 Do. bacile, luftred. Portrait of a lady 1606. '55 2x4 Do, bacile. Incredulity of St. Thomas 3o36. '53 217 Do. vafe .... 5i5. '65 218. Vig. Gubbio bacile. Two mailed horfemen 7682. '61 224 Do. vafe ...... 5oo. '65 228. Vig. Do. fmall bowl ..... 8945. "63 229, Vig. Do. plaque. St. Sebaftian in rilievo 2601. '56 23l Do, deep plate. Clafped hands 8900. '63 234. Vig. Do. tazza. Hercules and Antxus . 4422. '53 240 Do. plateau. Arms of Brancaleoni 7157- '60 242 Do. tazza. Group from " The Stream of Life" 8939. '63 247 Do. bowl, Embofled .... 8906. '63 256, Vig. Do. plate. Shield of arms 1731. '55 260. Vig. Caftel Durante plate. Cupids, &c. 1735. '55 302 Do. vafe. Grotefques 1713- '55 304 Do, bacile. Portrait of Pert gino 716S. '60 305 Do. plate. Trophies 8947. '63 308. Vig, ■ Do, plate. Cerquate 8960. '63 309. Vig. Do, tazza. Cerquate 413. '54 309. Vig. Urbino pilgrim's bottle. Grotefques 8408. '63 387 Do. circular dilh. By F. Xanto 1748. '55 396 Do. bowl. By M°. Gironimo 4354- '57 409 Diruta bacino. Dance of cupids 1571. '56 448 Faenza plate. Shield of arms . 1734- '55 514. Vig. Do. tazza. Moulded 8897, '63 523. Vig. Forli plate. " Forteza " 1803- '55 553 Do. tile. Portraits and infcription 30. '66 557- Vig, Ferrara cruet. Grotefques 505. '63 579- Vig, Venetian difh. Foliated branches 4438. '58 596 Do, do. Strapwork, &c. 3639. '56 598 Vafe. Unafligned. Lions rampant 2562. '56 640 Plateau, Unafligned. Female head . 2593. '56 641 '9 I Nr Ro Du cr I N. CHAPTER I. Historical Notice. "\ HE hiftory of pottery, and Its manufadture, is a fubje6t of great extent, and one which has occupied many able pens and filled many interefting volumes. In the following notice we would not attempt more than a general fketch of the potter's art from its infancy to its development, leading us to the confideration of thofe particular produfts of ceramic induftry to which this catalogue is fpecially devoted. From a very early period of human exiftence, known to us only by the tangible memorials of primitive inhabi- tants, the potter's art appears to have been pradifed. At firft rude and fun-dried or ill-baked veflels of coarfe clay, oc- cafionally ornamented with concentric and tranfverfe fcratches, they gradually developed to the exquifite forms and decoration of the Greek pottery ; but it would feem that however univerfal the produd:ion of velfels of baked clay, the art of applying b xvi JfitroduEiion, to them a vitreous covering or glaze, was an invention which emanated from the Eaft, from India or Egypt, AfTyria, or Babylon. On this point Dr. Birch, in the introdu6lion to his erudite work on ancient pottery, fays : " The defire of rendering terra- cotta lefs porous, and of producing vefTels capable of retaining liquids, gave rife to the covering of it with a vitreous enamel or glaze. The invention of glafs has hitherto been generally attributed to the Phoenicians ; but opaque glafTes or enamels as old as the eighteenth dynafty, and enamelled objeds as early as the fourth, have been found in Egypt. The employment of copper to produce a brilliant blue coloured enamel was very early, both in Babylonia and AfTyria ; but the ufe of tin for a white enamel, as recently difcovered in the enamelled bricks and vafes of Babylonia and AfTyria, anticipated, by many centuries, the re-difcovery of that procefs in Europe in the fifteenth century, and fhows the early application of metallic oxides. This invention apparently remained for many centuries a fecret among the Eaflern nations only, enamelled terra-cotta and glafs forming articles of commercial export from Egypt and Phoenicia to every part of the Mediterranean. Among the Egyptians and AfTyrians enamelling was ufed more frequently than glazing, and their works are confequently a kind of fayence, confifling of a loofe frit or body, to which an enamel adheres, after only a flight fufion. After the fall of the Roman Empire the art of enamelling terra-cotta difappeared among the Arab and Moorifh races, who had retained a tradi- tional knowledge of the procefs. The application of a tranf- parent vitreous coating or glaze over the entire furface, like the varnifh of a pidure, is alfo referable to a high antiquity, and was univerfally adopted, either to enhance the beauty of fingle colours or to promote the combination of many. Innumerable fragments and remains of glazed vafes, fabricated by the Greeks ^nd Romans, not only prove the early ufe of glazing, but alfo IntroduSlion, xvii exhibit in the prefent day many of the nobleft efforts of the potter's art," ^ It is true that on the Greek, Etrufcan, and Roman pottery a fubdued and hardly apparent glazing was applied to the furface of the pieces, but it is fo flight as to leave a barely appreciable effect upon the eye, beyond that which might be produced by a mechanical polifh, and fo thinly laid on as almoft to defy attempts at proving its nature by chemical investigation ; it is, however, fuppofed to have been produced by a dilute aluminous foda glafs,^ without any trace of lead in its compofition, the greater portion of which was abforbed into the fubftance of the piece, thereby increafing its hardnefs and leaving only a faint polifh on the furface of the ware. Of fuch is that numerous clafs of potteries, among which will be found the elegant produdions of Greece, and of Italy in Etrufcan and Roman times, but with which we are not now occupied. In Egypt and the Eaft the ufe of a diftin(5l glaze [invetria- tura of the Italians), covering the otherwife more porous fub- ftance of the veffel, appears to have been known, and to have arrived at great perfection at a very remote period. It was, in fadl, a fuperior ware, equivalent to the porcelain of our days, and from the technical excellence of fome of the fmaller pieces has been frequently, but wrongly, fo called. It will, perhaps, be as well, before entering further into the confideration of the fiibjeft, to define and arrange the objeds of our attention under general heads. Pottery {Fayence. 'Terraglid)^ as diftin6t from porcelain, is formed of potter's clay mixed with marl of argillaceous 'and calcareous nature {argile-fableufe ou calcarifere) and fand. 1 Hiflory of Ancient Pottery, by ^ Ancient Pottery, i. p. 24, ii., Samuel Birch, F.S.A., London, 1858, Appendix, />. 402. b z xviii IntroduEiion. varioufly proportioned, and may be clafled under two divifions: Soft {Fayence a fate tendre), and Hard {Fayence a pate dure) according to the nature of the compofition, or the degree of heat under which it has been fired in the kiln. What is known generally in England as earthenware is foft, while ftone ware, queen's ware, &c. are hard. The charafteriftics of the foft wares are a pafte, or body, which may be fcratched with a knife or file, and fufibility, generally, at the heat of a porcelain furnace. Thefe foft wares may be again divided into four fub- divifions : — I. Unglazed (mattes). 1. Lustrous [luftrees). 3. Glazed (vernijfees). 4. Enamelled {emaillees). Among the three firlT: of thefe fubdivifions may be arranged almoft all the ancient pottery of Egypt, Greece, Etruria, and Rome ; as alfo the larger portion of that in general ufe among all nations during mediasval and modern times. We have already alluded to the two firft, but it is with the glazed and the enamelled wares that we fhall be occupied, namely, with fub- divifion — 3. Glazed {vernijfees)^ which may be again divided into — Sedlion A. Siliceous, Vitreous, or Glass Glazed {Jil'i- ceufe). ,, B. Plumbeous, or Lead Glazed {plombifere). 4. Enamelled (emaillees), or Tin Glazed (^annifere). Li thefe fubdivifions the foundation is in all cafes the fame, the mixed clay or '' pafte," or " body," varied in compofition according to the nature of the glaze to be fuperimpofed, is formed by the hand, or on the wheel, or imprefled into moulds, then flowly dried and baked i^ a furnace or ftove, after IntroduEiion, xix which, on cooHng, it is in a ftate to receive the glaze. This is prepared by fufing fand or other filiceous material with potafh or foda, to form a tranflucent glafs, the compofition, in the main, of the glaze upon the wares under Secflion A. The addition of a varying, but confiderable quantity of the oxide of lead, by which it is rendered more eafily fufible, but ftill tranflucent, conftituted the glaze of Se6lion B., whereas the further addition of the oxide of tin produces an enamel of an opaque white of great purity, and is the charadleriftic glazing of the wares under fubdivifion 4. In either cafe the vitreous fubftance is reduced to the fineft powder by mechanical and other means, being milled with water to the confiftency of cream ; into this the dry and abforbent baked piece is dipped and withdrawn, leaving a coating of the material of the bath adhering to its furface. A fecond firing, when quite dry, fufes this coating into a glazed furface on the piece, rendering it luftrous and impermeable to liquids. The two former of thefe glazes may be varioufly coloured by the admixture of metallic oxides, as copper for green, iron for yellow, &c. ; but they are neverthelefs tranf- lucent, and fhow the natural colour of the baked clay beneath. Vitreous or Glass-Glazed Wares. Of the firft (Sedlion A.), the vitreous, filico-alcaline, or glafs glazed wares, we have ftated that they were of very ancient date, and in all probability had their origin in the Eaft, in Egypt, India, or Phoenicia ; indeed the difcovery of glafs, which has always been attributed to the latter country, would foon diredl the potter's attention to a mode of covering his porous vefTel of baked earth with a coating of the new material ; but the ordinary baked clay would not take or hold the glaze, which rofe in bubbles, and fcaled off, refufing to adhere to the furface, and it became neceffary to form the pieces of a mixed material, confifting of much filiceous fand, fome aluminous XX IntroduEiion. earth, and probably a fmall portion of alcali, thus rendering it of a nature approximating to that of the glaze, and to which the latter firmly adhered. In fome inftances, on the finer examples, which may probably have been expofed • to a higher temperature in the oven, the glaze and the body of the piece have become fo incorporated as to produce a femi-tranflucent fubftance, analogous to fome artificial porcelains. It has been fuggefted that the glaze may have been occafionally rendered more fufible by the admixture of a fmall portion of oxide of lead, but we have the authority of M. Brongniart, and of Dr. Birch, for ftating that in Egypt, when this ware was being made in its greateft perfed:ion, the ufe of lead in glazing was unknown.^ In its nature this glaze is tranflucent, and accordingly we find that when ornamented with defigns, they are executed diredly on the " bifcuit " or unglazed furface of the piece, which then receives its vitreous covering, through which they are apparent. By means of an oxide of copper the exquifite turquoife blue, " fcarcely rivalled after thirty centuries of human experience," was produced.* The green colour was, perhaps, produced by another oxide of the fame metal ; violet by man- ganefe or gold, yellow by filver, or perhaps by iron, and the rarer red perhaps by the protoxide of copper. We alfo find that bricks and vafes of fimilar glazing, brought to its greateft perfedlion in Egypt, were made by the Babylonians and Aflyrians. Mr. Layard figures examples of moulding for room decora- tions, and patterns or defigns of large fize, executed upon glazed bricks or tiles, from the Palace at Nimrud, each having its appropriate portion of the figure,^ and others bearing 2 Brongniart, Traite des Arts Ce- Verrcrie ne en Egypt. Defer, de ramiques, 2nd ed. Par>, 1854, i. TEgypt Antiq. Mem., /(?;//, ii. /. 17. /. 505. Birch, Ancient Pottery, p. ^ La)'ard, Monuments of Nineveh, 67. foL, Lond., 1 849, /■//. 84, 86, 87. i Boudet, Notice Hift. de I'Art de la Introclu&ion, xxi infcriptions denoting that " This is the great palace of ' Alar- aden-pal.' " ^ Throughout Babylonia the fites of ancient buildings afford fragments of a fimilarly glazed pottery. Thofe brought from Borfippa by the Abbe Beauchamp, In 1790, were analyfed by MM. Brongniart and Salvetat, by whom the glaze was found to contain neither the oxides of lead nor tin, but that it was an alcaline filicate with- alumina, and coloured by metallic oxides/ while a more recent analyfis by Dr. Percy, of Affyrian examples, fhows that with a bafe of filicate of foda, or foda glafs, and oxide of tin, the opaque white has been produced,^ being the earlieft recorded example of " enamelled " ware, and which would be properly clafied under the 4th fubdivifion. It would feem, however, that it was thus ufed as a means of producing a white colour, more than as an habitual glazing. A fmall quantity of oxide of lead was alfo found in the blue glaze on tiles from Babylonia. The three circular walls of the palace at Babylon were, according to Ctefias, covered with richly coloured reprefenta- tions of the hunting expeditions and battles of Semiramis and Ninyas ; and Herodotus tells us that the walls of Ecbatana in Media were painted of feven colours, ftatements confirmed by the difcoveries at Nineveh, and by that of M. Place at Khorfa- bad, where a wall fome five feet in height and twenty long was ftill {landing, and faced with glazed bricks reprefenting men, trees, animals, &c. in colour. At Warka, probably the ancient Ur of the Chaldees, Mr. Loftus difcovered numerous coffins or farcophagi, piled one upon another to the height of forty-five feet, of peculiar form, and made of terra-cotta glazed with a filiceous glaze of bluifh-green colour. They are formed fomewhat like a fiioe, an opening 6 Layard, ii. />. 180. ^ Cat. Mus. Prac. Geology, 8vo. '' Brongniart, Traite, ii. /. 89, 90. London, 1855. xxii IntroduEiion, being left at the upper and wider end for the infertion of the body, and clofed by an oval lid, which, as well as the upper part of the coffin, is ornamented with figures and plants in relief. They are fuppofed to be of the SafTanian period. The metallic luftre in decoration was applied, apparently at an early time, to pottery glazed with a filiceous coating, and appears to have eftablifhed itfelf in Perfia. On fpecimens from Arabia it is alfo found, and its ufe^in combination with this glaze, may poflibly have preceded the manufadure of luftred wares coated with the ftanniferous enamel, by the eaftern potters of the Balearic Iflands, Spain, and Sicily. In Northern India, at Sind, and in Perfia, wares are made at the prefent day of precifely the fame chara6ler as the ancient pottery under confideration. Pieces from the former locality, which were exhibited at the International Exhibition of 1871 are compofed of a fandy argillaceous frit, ornamented with pattern in cobalt blue, beneath a filiceous glaze. Indeed their agreement in technical chara6ler with fome of the pottery of the ancient Egyptians and Affyrians, and with that produced in Syria and Perfia during the 14th, 15th, and i6th centuries, is mofl remarkable. Perfia alfo now produces inferior wares of the fame clafs, fpecimens of which, as well as fome of thofe from India, are preferved in the South Kenfington Mufeum. We thus fee how widely fpread, and at how early a period, the ufe of this, probably the moft ancient mode of glazing, was ellablifhed and brought to perfedion. It was the parent of all thofe wares now known as Perfian, Damafcus, Rhodian, Lindus, &c. ; we fhall further follow their hiftory in the introductory notice to thofe clafTes of pottery in the Catalogue. Plumbeous, or Lead Glazed Wares. Of the fecond fedion (B.) are the filico-plumbeous or lead- glazed wares, the mofl common, and at the fame time, in Europe, l7itroduEiion. xxiii the moft widely fpread branch of the family ; indeed through- out the northern and weftern countries lead, in combination with glafs, feems to have been the earlieft, and until the 1 5th century the only means known of glazing foft pottery. We have feen that Dr. Percy difcovered a certain amount of lead in fome of the blue coloured glazes of Baby- lonia, which he fuggefts as having " probably been employed as a flux ;" if fo, this might have been the gerrn of its general adoption for the purpofe of producing a more eafily fufible, and therefore a more ready and more manageable coating ; but in the eafl it does not feem to have fupplanted the more elegant and purer filiceous glaze. Fragments of Grasco-Roman pottery from Tarfus, lamps from the neighbourhood of Naples, and other examples of a highly glazed pottery from various antique fites, and which has all the appearance of a plumbeous compofition, are preferved in coUedlions, as at the Louvre, Naples, the Britifh Mufeum, &c. ; fome of thefe atteft a very high degree of excellence in model- ling, and in the artiftic application of the vitreous coat, which is tranflucent, of green, brown, yellow, and occafionally of a dull red colour. The pafte of which thefe examples are formed is to all ap- pearance an ordinary potter's clay, generally of a buff colour, and in no way fimilar in character to that of the Egyptian or Affyrian wares, glazed with a true glafs ; and in thefe inftances the adhefion to the furface, and perfedl adaptability of the vitreous coating to the irregularities of the fhaped and moulded pieces, prove its affinity for the pafte of which they are made, and indiredlly, that its compofition is not the fame as that of the Egyptian or Affyrian glaze. This inference is corroborated by an analyfis which, as I am informed, was made by the late Pro- feffor Faraday, who found that a browniffi coloured glaze upon a piece of Roman pottery in the Britiffi Mufeum had lead in its compofition. . xxiv • httroduBion. It is worthy of remark that nearly all thefe rpecimens are found in the fouth of Europe, examples rarely occurring even at Rome ; and, indeed, it is not improbable that the ufe of this glaze had hardly been adopted by the artijftic potters, before their art, together with all others, had degenerated under the lefs refined luxury and wealth of the Lower Empire. The fuper- abundance of the precious metals and other rich material, more appreciated by the powerful than the pricelefs treafures which art had formed from common clay, and which had been the delight of a more refined and fimple ftate of fociety, led finally to a total negled: of the higher branches of ceramic manufadlure. It is not unlikely, therefore, that it may have been intro- duced .by Greek or Oriental potters into Southern Italy. We learn from the Monk Theophilus that the art of decorating fidlile veffels with vitreous colours was pradlifed by the Byzantine Greeks, who would have carried it into Italy .^ This ftatement, in all probability, refers to the lead glazed wares, and not to the tin enamel, the former of which, as we have feen, was known earlier than his time to the potters of Tarfus, Pompeii, &c., and it is reafonable to believe that the art may have been preferved in Byzantium when, if ever entirely, loft in Italy. M. Jacque- mart is of opinion that, in combination with incifed ornament, it never ceafed in that country from the eighth and ninth cen- turies,^*' and indeed it would appear to have been the only glaze known and in ufe, until the introdu6tion or difcovery of the ftanniferous enamel in the fifteenth century ; we find accordingly that the earlieft glazed wares of that country, the Jgraffiatiy the painted, and the mezza maiolica wares, are covered with this defcription of vitreous furface. ^ Arts of the Middle Ages, ii. ch. ^^ Les Merveilles de la Ce'ramiaue, 1 6. Tranflated by Robert Hendrie, 2^ partie, Paris, 1868, livre iii. 8vo. London, 1847. IntrodiiEiion, xxv That it had become eftablifhed in the north of the Peninfula is proved by the fad that a plate dug up at Cividale del Friuli, and now preferved there, is infcribed with Lombard chara6lers fcratched upon the glaze {^^ grafiti Julia vetrina "), and believed to be of the eighth century.^^ In the eleventh century churches built in various places were decorated with difcs and " ciotole " of glazed and painted terra- cotta. The reiearches of the Abbe Cochet at Bouteilles near Dieppe ^^ have revealed the fadt that glazed pottery was in ufe in the North of France in the Anglo-Norman period of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, or perhaps even of earlier time. Examples of glazed and painted tiles of the fourteenth century are preferved in the Britifh Mufeum. As before ftated, this glaze is compofed of filica, with varying proportions of potafh or foda and of oxide of lead, by which addition it is rendered more eafily fufible, but remains tranfparent. To obtain a white furface was, however, defirable, the colour of the pafte beneath the glaze being generally of a dull red or buff, and ill-adapted as a ground for the difplay of coloured ornamentation. To fupply this want, before the invention of the tin enamel, an intervening procefs was adopted. A white argillaceous earth of the nature of pipeclay, was purified and milled with water, and thus applied over the coarfer furface of the piece in the fame manner as the glaze ; again dried, or flightly fixed by fire, it was ready to receive the tranflucent coat, through which the white " flip " or '^ engobe " became apparent. It is eafy to conceive that by fcratching a defign or pattern through this white applied furface to the darker clay beneath, before fixing in the fire, a ready mode of decoration 11 Vin, Lazari. Not. della rac- ^^ Archsologia, xxxvi. />. 266 ; coka Corier. Venice, 1859. xxxvii. />. 417. XXV i Introdii8iio7i . prefented itfelf, without the ufe of colour, to be covered, but vifible, through the glaze ; hence the early incifed or " fgraffiato " ware, one of the primitive modes of decorating glazed pottery. Pafferi ftates ^^ that pottery works exifted from remote periods in the neighbourhood of Pefaro, as proved by remains of furnaces and fragments of Roman time, and tiles with the ftamp of Theodoric ; that during the dark ages the manu- fa6lure was negleded, but that it revived after 1300, and that it then became the fafhion in that city to adorn the church tovv'ers and facades with difcs and " bacini " of coloured and glazed earthenware ; a praftice which had been in ufe at Pifa and other cities as early as the eleventh century. The mythical ftatement that this cuftom arofe from the conqueft of the Balearic Iflands by the Pifan fleets in 11 15, and the ufe of the prize of Majorcan pottery to adorn the churches in grateful commemoration of the vi6lory, has been proved in the main to be incorred,^^ no examples of Morefque ware being traceable in any of the churches of Pifa, Bologna, Rome, or elfewhere. One piece of Perfian or Damafcus ware was found in fitu on a church built in 1107, but all the reft were of a coarfe and probably native manufafture, ornamented with rude paint- ing in colour or " fgraffiato " work, and covered with a lead glaze ; thus confirming the belief that this kind of ware was produced, and in abundant ufe in various parts of northern and central Italy, from the eleventh century, and it is fairly prefumr.ble that it had been fo continuoufly from the eighth, the date of the plate found at Friuli. It is needlefs to fay that it has never fince been loft.^'^ 13 G. Pafferi. Iftoria delle pitture writer, publifhed in the Archaeologia, in Majolica fatte in Pefaro. 8vo. vol. xlii. Pefaro, 1857. ^^ Since the above paragraph was 1^ See a paper on this fubjed by the written, in the fpring of 1871, many IntroduEiion, xxvii Of thefe difhes or " bacinl/' with which the facades and machicolated cornices, as well as the " campaniH " of many churches in various parts of Italy are decorated, much has been faid, and romantic ftatements have bten handed down to account for their origin, more particularly with refpedt to thofe in the churches of Pifa, where they are more abundantly found than in any other city. It is ftated by Sifmondi, in his " Hiflory of the Italian Repubhcs" (i. 354), that the Tyrrhenian fea, being infefted by Moorifh pirates, who conftantly ravaged and devaftated the Italian coaft ; the Pifans, after other efforts, in the year 1 1 13, fitted out an expedition for the deliverance of the many Chriftan captives, then faid to be held in miferable flavery by King Nazaredeck of Majorca ; in which good work they were ftimulated by their archbifhop, who preached a crufade againft the infidel. Sailing in Auguft, the fleet was driven to fhelter from ftorms under the coaft of Catalonia, where it wintered, again ftarting in the following April and fubduing Ivi^'a. Ma- jorca was attacked and taken by affault after a vear's obftinate fragments of glazed pottery have in the South Kenfington Mufeum been difinterred by Mr. Wood during (Nos. 14, 15. '71). The occurrence of the progrefs of his important excava- thcfe fragments fhakes our confidence tions at Ephefus, and are now in the in the opinion that the Pifan b acini are Britifh Mufeum. Among thefe are not oriental, for the Majorcan expedi- pieces of a ware which feems to be a tion was followed by others to the Holy barbarous defcendant of the red Roman Land, whence it is poffible that fome pottery known as Samian ; fome of of thefe difhes were brought and ufed the glazed pieces fhow traces of me- to adorn the churches as memorials, tallic luftre ; others are of Damafcus It is lefs likely that Italian wares'^ould charader, fome fimilar to the frag- at that early period have been exported ment of a bowl incrufted in the church to the Eaft than the contrary. Thefe of Sta. Cecilia at Pifa ; one piece fragments were found at various but is of the Gombron Pcrlian ware, and conflderable depths, and it is remark- there are feveral having y^r^^-'r/o or- able that a portion of a Chinefe celadon namentation, and which coricfpond porcelain difli occurs among them, remarkably with thofe ftill to be feen on (Auguft 1872.) the churches of Pifa, two of which are xxviii IntroduEiion. defence ; the King was killed, his fuccefibr made captive, and about Eafter, 1115, a complete vidory had been gained, the Pifans returning triumphant, laden with rich fpoil. Among the latter was much of the Majorca ware for which the Moorifh potters were celebrated, and which, as we fhall hereafter fee, was highly valued for its beauty and excellence. In pious gratitude, many of thefe difhes were built into the towers and facades of the Pifan churches as thank offerings and memorials of the triumph. But on a careful examination, fome years fince, the writer could find no trace of Majorcan pottery, nor, with one excep- tion, other than a coarfely painted and incifed lead-glazed ware, apparently of native Italian origin. Pafferi, writing in the laft century, ftates that the Duomo and the churches of S. Agoftino and S. Francefco at Pefaro are fo ornamented, and the Badia di Pompofa. They occur alfo at Sta. Maria in Ancona ; in Pavia, at S. Michele, S. Pletro in Ciel d' oro ; at S. Primo, S. Teodoro, and S. Lazzaro, and alfo at S. Lanfranco and Sta. Maria di Betlemme in Borgo Ticino, all churches of the eleventh and twelfth centuries. They are moftly of white ground with arabefques of brownifb yellow {lionato bujo), birds, crofles, knots, ftars, &c., fome having a blue ground, and many fuch without ornament. (V. Lazari, Op. Cit.) At Pifa they are found on feveral churches, and are alfo to be feen at Rome, Bologna, and other places. Occafionally, and indeed frequently, circular and fquare' flabs*of porphyry and ferpentine were ufed on the fame build- ing, concurrently with the glazed earthenware, as on the tower of Sta. Maria Maggiore at Rome ; and, indeed, this mode of enrichment to the archite6ture of the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth centuries is in accordance with that produced by the enamelled difcs and inlaid ftones on proceflional crofles and church plate of the fame period. IntroduEiion, xxix The only inftancc, obferved by the writer, of the occurrence of thefe "bacini" of glazed ware in domeftic architedure, is feen over the windows of the Palazzo Fava in Bologna. This mode of decoration ceafed entirely during the courfe of the fourteenth century. Pafferi inftances the ufe of glaze on tiles upon a tomb in Bologna, oppofite the church of S. Domenico, dated about iioo; and he further ftates, but we know not upon what authority, that it was about the year 1300 that the method of covering the clay with a " flip " or " engobe " of white earth [terra di San Giovanni in Siena), or the coarfer earth of Verona, was firft adopted. Slightly baked, it was glazed with " marza- cotto " (oxide of lead and glafs),^^ applied wet and again fired ; and this glaze was varioufly coloured yellow, green, black, and blue, by iron, copper, m.anganefe, and cobalt. A fimilar method of coating the rough and porous baked clay feems to have been known alfo at a very early period in the north of Europe, and to have been in ufe throughout France, Germany, and England. Enamelled or Stanniferous Glazed Wares. It was found that by the addition of a certain portion of the oxide of tin to the compofition of glafs and oxide of lead, the charader of the glaze entirely alters. Inftead of being tranflucent, it becomes, on fufion, an opaque and beautifully white enamel, the intervening procefs of covering the furface of the clay with a ftratum of white earth before glazing being unnecefTary. It, moreover, was found to afford a better ground for the application of coloured ornament. The pro- ^•^ There feems to be fome confu- occafional addition of common fait j the fion in the compofiiion of marxacotto other ftates that it contained calcina di as ftated by PiccolpafTo and PafTeri. pmnbo, in faft a coperta. We fufpeft From one we learn that it confifted of that thcfe names were frequently fand and feccia (potafh), with the fynonymous. XXX IntroduBion. cefs of application was the fame as for the " flip ; " after immerfion in the enamel bath, and fubfequent drying, the painting is applied upon the abforbent furface, the piece being then fubjedled to the fire, which, at one application, fixes the colours and liquifies the glaze. This is the " enamelled " pottery {emaillee) of fub- divifion 4, by far the more important group of the glazed wares, being fufceptible of decoration by the luftre pigments, as well as by painting in colours of great delicacy, and com- prifing the Hifpano-Morefque, the true Maiolica, and the perfedled earthenware of Italy, &c. We have feen that the firft trace of the application of oxide of tin to produce a white opaque glazed furface is to be met with upon Babylonian or AfTyrian bricks, but we are difpofed to think that it was then merely ufed as a pigment to pro- duce a white colour, and not as an application to pottery, for the produdion of a white opaque glaze, capable of receiving coloured enrichment by painting in other pigments. A corroboration of this idea would feem to exift in the fa6l that throughout Afia Minor, Syria, Perfia, and Egypt, a purely ftanniferous glaze on pottery has never been generally adopted, or taken the place of that fimple and beautiful filiceous coat- ing, fo dexteroufly applied, and with fuch richnefs of effedt, upon the Perfian and Damafcus earthenware. Perhaps ifolated and lying dormant in remote localities for centuries, its ufe may have been learned, or perchance redifcovered by the Arabs, for its next appearance is upon fragments of tiling apparently of their manufacture, or fafhioned under their influence. How it travelled, when and where firft ufed, and to what extent applied, is ftill doubtful. We meet with an occafional fragment, generally upon mural decoration of uncertain date, on various Arab fites, till at length it becomes palpably appreciable in the Moorifh potteries of Spain and of the Balearic Iflands. IntroduSiion, xxxi We fhall renew their confideration under the head of Hif- pano-Morefque Wares. The Baron J. Ch. DavilHer, in his excellent work on that pottery ,^^ ftates that he has not been able to difcover any piece, which could reafonably be afcribed to a date anterior to the fourteenth century, fome two hundred years after the expulfion of the Saracens from Spain. In Valencia, however, anterior to its conqueft by Jayme I. of Arragon, in 1239, potteries had been long eftablifhed, and were of fuch importance that that monarch felt himfelf bound to protedt the Moorifh potters of Xativa (San Filippo) by a fpecial edidt. We muft bear in mind the fa6t that there were two periods of Mahommedan fway in Spain, the firft on the expulfion of the Gothic monarchy by the Arabs, and the eftab- lifhment of the Caliphate at Cordova, in the eighth century (A. D. 711). Of the Ceramic produ6tions of this early period we have no accurate knowledge, but we fhould expedl to find them of fimilar charadler to the filiceous glazed wares prevalent in the Eaft, The fecond period is after an interval of five centuries, in 1235, when the Moors founded the kingdom of Granada, having driven out the Arabs. Then firft appear the wares ufually known as Hifpano-Morefque, for we find the tiles of the Alhambra dating about 1300, the Alhambra vafe, about 1320, and continuous abundant examples of tin glazed wares of Moorifh origin, until the period of the conqueft of the country by Ferdinand and Ifabella, after which the pottery becomes more purely Spanifti and fpeedily falls into decadence. Mr. Marryat * remarks, in reference to the fecond or Moorifti period, that the art of the new invaders had the fame origin as the old, but as we have no fpecimens known to have been of 1^ Hiftoire des Faiences Hifpano- ^^ Hiftory of Pottery and Porcelain, Morefques a reflets metalliques. Paris, 3rd edition. London, 1868. 1861. xxxii IntroduEiion, the earlier or Arabian period, we cannot accept this verdidl as conclufive. Moreover, fome confufion has arifen in claffing together the glafs glazed or filiceous wares, with or without metallic luftre, and the Morefque potteries produced in Spain, which are fo diftindlly charafterized as being enamelled with the oxide of tin. We particularly refer to thofe fomewhat rare examples of early filiceous pottery, fome enriched with metallic luftre, others without, the defigns upon all of which are eminently Arabian or Saracenic, unreadable mock Arabic in- fcriptions occurring among the ornaments. Such are the tiles of early date from various places in Perfia and Arabia. Similar wares, of which there are fpecimens in the Mufeum (Siculo- Arabian, page 37), are fuppofed to have been made by Oriental potters in Sicily, but it is difficult to fay at what period. That ifland was conquered by the Saracens in A.D. 827. Again, there is another variety of pottery of Morefque charader, and ornamentation with vermicular pattern in copper luftre on a feemingly ftanniferous glaze, which is afcribed to Moorifh potters who went to Sicily and eftabliftied works at Calata Girone in the fourteenth century (Siculo-Morefque, page et;). The idea has occurred to the writer, that the exiftence in Spain of tin ores in confiderable abundance may have acci- dentally led to the difcovery or to the adoption of the ftan- niferous enamel, produced by an admixture of the oxide of that metal with glafs and oxide of lead. We have no pofitive proof of its ufe on pottery at an earlier date in any other country, fince the period of the Babylonian bricks. That the wares produced during the early Arabian occupation in Spain, were probably ftliceous, but that the ufe of the tin enamel was adopted by them, or by the Moorifh potters who took their place, after their expulfion in the thirteenth century. Can it be that the fo-called Siculo-Arabian or Siculo-Perfiian wares are really the produdlions of the Arabian potters, perhaps in Spain httroduSiion, XXXlll or Majorca, before the general adoption of the tin enamel by them or by their Moorifh fucceffors ? And may there not alfo be fome foundation for the flory of the Majorcan difhes built into the Pifan towers, and that the fingle fpecimen of " Perfian " ware found by the writer on the church of Sta. Cecilia in that city, which in all probability was placed there early in the twelfth century, may be one of thofe difhes brought from Majorca by the Pifans, at a time anterior to the ufe of the tin enamel in that ifland ? There is generally a foun- dation for fabulous ftories, and it is not unlikely that fome few of thofe trophies were fo applied ; the more fo as the tafte for fuch ar- chitedlural decoration pre- vailed at that period, difcs of red porphyry and granite, or green ferpentine, obtained from ancient ruins, being ufed for the purpofe. At the fame time there can be no doubt that many of the bacini adorning churches in various parts of Italy, in- cluding Pifa, were of na- tive Italian manufadlure, as would feem probable from their compofition and de- figns. Engravings of thefe, and of the fragment of Oriental ware above alluded xxxiv hitroduEimi, to, are publiflied in the Archasologia, vol. xlii, p. 379-383. We are indebted to the Council of the Society of Antiquaries for permifTion to ufe the latter block. The earlieft traces of the ufe of ftanniferous enamel glaze in Europe, known to us, is always in connexion with a decoration of metallic luftre, produced by the redu6lion of certain me- tallic falts in the reverberatory furnace, leaving a thin film upon the furface, which gives that beautiful and rich effedt known as reflet metallique, nacre, cangiante, rubinOj reverherato, &c., and in England as luftred ware. We have feen that on the filiceous or glafs glazed pottery of the Eaft, the origin of which is probably anterior and ufe more general than that of the enamelled wares under confideration, this metallic decoration was praftifed in Perfia and in Arabia, as alfo on fpecimens aflumed to have been produced by Oriental potters in Sicily. From fragments difcovered among the ruins of Eaftern towns long fince destroyed, it is proved to have been known at a very early period, anterior to the extended ufe of the tin enamel. It is to be regretted that we have but uncertain data on thefe points, and are in want of a carefully conduced feries of chemical analyfes, proving the exa6l com- pofition of the glaze on fpecimens of all varieties, and, where pradlicable, of afcertained or approximate date. In Italy the ufe of the metallic luftre was apparently known and pra6lifed previous to the introdu6lion of the tin enamel, for we have abundant examples of early " mezza- maiolica " from the potteries of Pefaro or Gubbio, glazed only with the oxide of lead and glafs, and which are brilliantly luftred with the metallic colours. None of thefe can, however, be referred to an earlier date than the latter half of the fifteenth century. Of whom, then, did the Italian potters learn this art ? No hiftorical record is known to anfwer the queftion, and we are forced to infer that the name by which this luftred ware was LitroduBion, xxxv known at the time, and in the country of its produftion, reflected that of the place from which it was derived. Accord- ingly we find that the coarfer lead glazed luftred ware was known as " mezza-maiolica," while that more nearly refembling its original, by the ufe of the tin enamel, was known as " maiolica." That the Moorifh potters of Majorca conveyed this knowledge, and that the Italians named their ware after that of the ifland, would feem a reafonable conclufion. M. Jacquemart, however, thinks it equally probable that although the Majorcan wares were well known in Italy, this art may really have been communicated by Per/ian potters, or their pupils, coming to the eaftern ports of Italy ; and that the ftyle of decoration on the early Italian luftred wares is more Perfian than Morefque. This would alfo in fome meafure explain why the luftrous colours were ufed at fome potteries anterior to the adoption of the ftanniferous enamel. M. Darcel fuggefts, that after the conqueft of the Ifland of Majorca and of the province of Valencia, at the end of the thirteenth century, it is reafonable to fuppofe that Moorifli potters may have pafled into Sicily and Italy, introducing the metallic luftre and the tin glaze. Either or both have probability of truth, and in fad the fl:anniferous enamelled lufl:red ware of Italy may be confidered as the offspring of thefe parents, after one of which it takes its name. The general term " Maiolica," alfo fpelt " Majolica," has long been and is flill erroneoufly applied to all varieties of glazed earthenware of Italian origin. We have {^.tn. that it was not fo originally, but that the term was reftrided to the luftred wares, which refembled in that refped thofe of the ifland from which they had long been imported into Italy. It is a curious fad, proving their efl:imation in that country, that nearly all the fpecimens of Hifpano-Morefque pottery which adorn xxxvi httrodiiBion, our cabinets and enrich our Mufeums have been procured in Italy, comparatively" few pieces having been found in Spain. Scaliger '^ ftates in reference to the Italian pottery as com- parable with the porcelain of China, that the former derived its name from Majorca, of which the wares are moft excellent. Fabio Ferrari alfo, in his work upon the origin of the Italian language, ftates his belief " that the ufe of majolica, as well as the name, came from Majorca, which the ancient Tufcan writers called Maiolica." Thus Dante writes — -*^ " Tra I'ifola di Cipri e Maiolica." Showing the then mode of fpelling the name of the ifland, and it would feem but natural to diftinguifh an imitation of its produce as " a la Maiolica." Moreover, we know that Moorifh artizans, perfecuted by the King of Leon and Seville, emigrated to the Papal States and elfewhere, and that among them were potters who would carry their art with them, introducing it to countries which offered them a home. The " mezza-maiolica " was the coarfer ware, formed of potter's earth, covered with a white " flip," upon which the fubjed was painted; then glazed with the common '^ marza- cotto " or lead glaze, over which the lufl:re pigments were ap- plied. The "maiolica," on the other hand, was the tin enamelled ware flmilarly luftred. As before ftated, thefe terms were originally reftridled to the luftred wares, but towards the middle of the fixteenth cen- tury they feem to have been generally applied to the glazed earthenware of Italy, all the varieties defcribed by Piccolpaffo in his manufcript work on the manufacture being fo called by him. 1^ Julius C^far Scaliger, lib. 15. ryat, who gives the extrad: in full at Exotericarum Exercitationum ex. 92. />. i 8. Quoted by PafTeri, as alfo by Mar- 20 jj-^f xxviii. /. 82. IntrodiiSiio?i, xxxvii who fays that he never pradlifed or even witnefled the procefs of applying the luftre colours. We think with M. Jacquemart, M. Darcel, Mr. J. C. Robin- fon, and others, that the word maiolica fhould be again reftrided to the luftred wares, although in Italy and elfewhere it is habitually ufed to defignate all the numerous varieties of glazed earthenware, with the exception of the more common " terraglia " and in diflindtion from porcelain. The Germans afcribe the difcovery of the tin enamel glazing, after the night of the dark ages, to a potter of Scheleftadt, in Alface, whofe name is unknown, but who died in the year 1283,"^ and in the convent of St. Paul at Leipzic is a frieze of large glazed tiles, with heads in relief, the date of which is ftated to be 1207. The potters' art is faid to have developed itfelf in that country to a higher degree at an earlier period than in Italy ; rilievo architedural decorations, monuments with figures in high relief, and other works of great artiftic merit having been executed in 1230, at Breflau, where there is a monument to Henry IV. of Silefia, who died in 1290, an important work in this material. We do not know whether the potter of Scheleftadt was ac- quainted with the ftanniferous enamel, but M, Piot,-- as evidence that it was in ufe in the fourteenth century, refers to a work, the '■^Margarita Frecioja^' written in 1330, in which a recipe is given for the compofition of potters' glaze, oftenfibly in ufe at that time, '■^ videmus cum plumbum et ft annum fuerunt calcinata et combufta, quod -poft ad ignem congruunt convertuntur in vitrum^ ficut faciunt qui vitrificant vaja figuli.'' We muft not, however, forget the admirable mouldings and other architedlural ornaments executed in rilievo of terra- cotta, of a durability that has ftood the teft of time, and which 2^ Annalcs Dominicanorum Colmarieus (1283) Urftis. Script, rerum Germ., vol. \\. f. 10. -^ Cabinet de I'Arratour. xxxviii IntroduSimt. were produced in various parts of Italy, particularly Lombardy, at that period ; nor that the neceffity for a glaze in that country was lefs urgent than in the more humid climate of the north, and was met by the compadlnefs of the material and the iharpnefs of the rillevo. Later, at Nuremberg, the elder Veit Hirfchvogel was born, in 1441, living till 1525, and by him the ufe of the tin glaze was known. Specimens afcribed to his hand, and dating from 1470, are preferved in mufeums. At Strehla a pulpit of glazed terra-cotta is of the date 1565, and at Saltzburg is the wonderful chimney-piece of the fifteenth century, ftill in its original pofition in the Schlofs, At that time, alfo, Hans Kraut, of Villengen, in Swabia, produced good works, but it is probable that many of thefe larger examples are covered with an admirably manipulated green or brown glaze, which is produced without the admixture of tin. That the compofition was known at an early period in Germany is proved by the foregoing extradls, but hardly juftifies M. Aug. Demmin's ftatement, that whereas it was in ufe in the fifteenth century in numerous cities of Germany, it was not introduced into Italy until the fixteenth century ! ^^ forgetting Luca della Robbia's firfi: great and admirable work executed In 1438, three years before the birth of Veit Hirfchvogel. In Italy hlfliory has always awarded the honour of its dlf- covery to Luca della Robbia, and however recent obfervation may lead to the affumptlon that its ufe was known In the Italian potteries before his time, there can be no doubt, fuppofing fuch to be the fadl, that his was not merely an application of a well- known procefs to a new purpofe, but that he really did invent an enamel of peculiar whitenefs and excellence, better adapted to his purpofe, and of fomewhat different compofition from that In ufe at any of the potteries of his time. 23 Guide de rAmateur de Faiences et PorceJaines. Paris, 1867. IntroduBion, xxxix Proceeding with the general hiftory of the manufadlure in Italy, we have Teen that in the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth centuries native wares were produced in various places, fome of which ftill exift in the towers and facades of churches, and of a palace at Bologna. Thefe are lead glazed, rudely painted, or coloured green, &c., and in fome inftances "fgraffiato" (fpecimens of which are in the South Kenfington Mufeum, vide that fe6lion, p. 72, No. 14. '71), proving that the ufe of a white " flip," or " engobe," was known in Italy at that period, as affirmed by Paf- feri, who further afferts that in 1300 the art aflumed a more de- corative charafter, under the then Lords of Pefaro, the Malateftas. Having thus attained an even opaque white furface, the develop- ment of its artiftic decoration fteadily advanced. The colours ufed were yellow, green, blue, and black, to which we may add a dull brownifh red, noticed on fome of the Pifan " bacini." Pafferi ftates that the reflexion of the fun's rays from the concave furfaces of thefe " bacini " at Pefaro was moft brilliant, and hence it has been wrongly inferred that they were enriched with metallic luftre. We believe that this effe6l may arife from an iridefcence on the furface of the foft lead glaze, eafily decompofed by the adion of the atmofphere in the neighbourhood of the fea. M. Jacquemart"^ remarks that although the name "Majolica" was derived from the luftred Moorifh wares, there is no doubt that a glazed pottery exifted in Italy previous to the introdudlion of the Hifpano-Morefque, and that the works of the Eaft, particularly Perfian, were the true models of the early Italian faience ; but we fhould doubt the production of enamelled pottery before that period in Italy. The difficulty of diftinguifhing the finer examples furfaced by means of a flip from the enamelled wares, by the eye alone, renders this queflion more doubtful, and even if a careful feries 21 Op. cit., p. 118. xl IntrodiiEiio7t. of chemical analyfes were made, we are without relative dates from which to draw a conclufion. We know that pieces exift, of confiderable merit, which may be afcribed to an earlier period than that on which we find the earlieft date. It is on a votive plaque preferved in the Mufeum of the Hotel Cluny, at Paris ; on this the facred monogram is furrounded by the legend i^ifOlaD0*lrr*Ma0ttOlt0* firr i * ano * 1475. We have always confidered this plaque as of Faenza, under which fabrique it will be again referred to, but it would feem that MM. Jacquemart and Darcel are difpofed to afcribe it to CaiFaggiolo. The fad occurrences by which the French capital has lately been vifited, have precluded the writer from any recent comparifon of the objefts in her mufeums. The next example, two years later in fequence of date, is in the poffefTion of Mr. Cook (Vifconde de Montferrat) ; it reprefents the Virgin feated. on a throne in an architedlural framing, and holding the Sacred Child ; it has all the charadteriftics of a Tufcan origin, and the glaze appears to be flanniferous. We next have the Faenza plate in the Correr Mufeum at Venice, dated 1482, and which will be defcribed under that fabrique, followed by the plaque afcribed to Forli, 1489, and one of Faenza, 1491. Other pieces, dated i486 and 1487, are in coUedlions. But we have no record or dated example of Italian pottery, coated with the jftanniferous enamel, previous to the firil im- portant produ6lion by Luca della Robbia in 1438. M. Jacquemart is of opinion that the ufe of the tin enamel was known on pottery in Italy previous to its application to fculpture by that artift, and in this opinion Mr. J. C. Robln- fon agrees ; but it is remarkable that no record of fuch know- ledge has defcended to us. No enamelled produdl of the early LitroduBion. xli fabriques of Faenza or CafFaggiolo bears an earlier date, nor of that of Pefaro, where decoration by means of the luftre pig- ments is believed to have preceded their apphcation on enamelled wares; whereas the ufe of -the tin enamel by Luca on flat painted furfaces is affirmed by Vafari's ftatement, and by the tondo on the church of Or San Michele, the lunette over a door at the Opera del Duomo, and the tiles on the tomb of Benozzo Federighi, Bifhop of Fiefole, now in the church of S. Francefco de Paolo below Bellofguardo as Florentine evidences ; and the twelve circular difcs, on which are painted allegorical figures of the twelve months, are to be referred to in this Mufeum. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in his catalogue of the Italian Sculpture at South Kenfington, has given a notice of the life and works of Luca della Robbia and his family, and a defcription of the fpeci- mens afcribed to them and poflefled by the Mufeum; the ma- jority of thefe rank as works of fculpture, but among the reft are the tondi here mentioned, a wood-cut from one of which we in- troduce. They are, in fa6l, circular plaques of enamelled pottery painted on the plain furface, with allegorical reprefentations of the months, in all probability by the hand of Luca della Robbia himfelf. We quote Mr. Robinfon's defcription of them from page 59 of that catalogue : — " Nos. 7632-7643. Luca della Robbia. A feries of twelve circular medallions, in enamelled terra-cotta, painted in chiar'ofcurOy with imperfonations of the twelve months. Diameter of each, i foot 10^ inches. " In Vafari's Life of Luca (ed. Le Monnier, p. 67) will be found the following paftage : — " '■ Luca fought to invent a method of painting figures and hiftorical reprefentations on flat furfaces of terra-cotta, which, being executed in vitrified enamels, would fecure them an end- lefs duration ; of this he made an experiment on a medallion, which is above the tabernacle of the four faints on the exterior xlii IntroduSiion, of Or San MIchele, on the plane furface of which he deHneated the inftruments and emblems of the builder's arts, accompanied with beautiful ornaments. For Meffer Benozzo Federighi, Bifhop of Fiefole, in the church of San Brancazio, he alfo made a marble tomb, on which is the recumbent effigy of the bifhop and three other half-length figures befides, and in the pilafters of that work he fainted, on the flat, certain feftoons and clufters of fruit and foliage fo fkilfully and naturally, that, were they even painted in oil on panel, they could not be more beautifully or forcibly rendered. This work indeed is truly wonderful ; Luca having fo admirably executed the lights and fhades, or modellino- of the objefts, that it feems almoft incredible a work of fuch perfedion could have been produced in vitrified enamels ; and if to this artift had been accorded longer life, many other remarkable works would, doubtlefs, have proceeded from his hands, fince but a fhort time before his death he had begun to paint figures and hiftorical reprefentations on a level furface, whereof I formerly faw certain fpecimens in his houfe, which led me to believe that he would have fucceeded perfedlly, had not death, which alm.oft always carries ofl^ the beft, jufl: when they are about to confer frefh benefits on the world, fnatched him prematurely away.' *' Note. — '■ One of thefe pidures may be feen in a room of the building belonging to the fuperintendents of the Duomo. It is over a door on the left of the entrance, and is a lunette compofed of three pieces, reprefenting the Eternal Father in the centre, with an angel on each fide, in an attitude of profound adoration.' " Mr. Robinfon obferves : — " We have here a record of the faft that Luca having, fimultaneoufly with his enamelled terra-cotta fculptures, alfo pradlifed painting in the fame vehicle on the flat, or, in other words, the art of majolica painting. The monumental IntroduEiion . xl iii works before mentioned are now extant to atteft the truth of this account. " From a careful and repeated ftudy of the above-named works on the fpot, and likewife from the internal evidence of the technical qualities of the vehicle, terra-cotta, enamel pig- ments, &c., the writer has now to add to the lift of Luca's produ6lions, in this efpecially interefting branch, the prefent feries of medallions, doubtlefs united originally in a grand decora- tive work. The wood engravings which accompany this notice will give an idea of their general ftyle of defign. Each roundel is a maffive difc of terra-cotta, of a fingle piece, evidently pre- pared to be built into a wall (or vaulted ceiling) of fome edifice. Round the margin of each is a decorated moulding, in relief, of a charaderiftic Delia Robbia type. The furface within the narrow border is flat or plane, and the defigns are painted in two or three grifaille tints on a blue ground, of the ufual quiet fober tint afFedled in all the backgrounds and plane furfaces of the relievo fubjedls. " The fuhjefts confift of fingle figures of contadini or hufbandmen, imperfonating the agricultural operations of the Florentine country, chara6leriftic of each month of the year ; and although invefted with a certain artiftic charm of exprefiion, the various figures, each of which exhibits a different individual character, may be taken as life portraits of the fturdy Tufcan peafants of the day. A band or fafcia forming an inner border round each fubject, is ingenioufly and fancifully divided into two unequal halves, one being of a lighter tint than the general ground of the compofition, and the other half darker, thus indicating the night and the day ; the mean duration of each for every month, being accurately computed, fet off on the band accordingly, and noted in written charafters on the upper or daylight part, whilft the name of the month is written in large capital letters at the bottom in white, on the dark ground xliv^ hitroduEiion. of the nocfturnal portion. The fun pouring down a cone of yellow rays, accompanied by the fign of the zodiac proper to each month, is alfo {^t\\ on the left of the upper part of each margin, and the moon on the lower half oppofite to it. " The execution of thefe defigns exaftly refembles that of the admirable bijlre or chiafojcuro drawings of the great Italian mafters of the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries, two tints of blue being ufed for the outlines and fhadows, while the lights or heightenings are put in with pure white in the fame large and facile ftyle. In the fomewhat lengthy proportions of the figures and other chara6leriftics thefe compofitions difplay a diredl analogy with the ftyle of defign of the earlier works of the mafter in Florence ; a certain refemblance to the manner of Jacopo della Quercia is perhaps to be traced, efpecially in the draperies. " Vafari further tells us that one of the principal w.orks of Luca was the decoration, in enamelled terra-cotta, of a writing cabinet for Piero di Cofimo Medici, the ceiling of which was coved {mezzo tondo)^ and together with the pavement, was entirely in glazed terra-cotta, fo perfe6lly put together that it appeared to be one piece. This cabinet no longer exifts, but there is another allufion to it in a manufcript preferved in the Magliabecchian library (MS. Trattato d' Architettura del Filarete, nel libro 25),^^ written by a contemporary of Luca, who fays ' his (Cofmo's) cabinet {ijiudietto) was moft ornamental, the pavement and the iky {cielo) of enamelled terra-cotta, orna- mented with beautiful figure fubjedts, fo that whoever enters it is ftruck with admiration.' " It is fuggefted, therefore, that thefe medallions originally formed part of the fyftem of decoration of this celebrated cabinet. In any cafe, that thefe roundels are aftually the work 25 " See notes to Vafari, ed. Lc Monnier, pp. 65 and 291." Introdu&ion. XIV of Luca della Robbia appears as certain as anything not abfolutely authenticated can be. '' Piero de' Medici, who, according to Vafari, commiffioned Luca to conftrud the writing cabinet in the palace built by his father, the great Cofmo, died in 1469, having fucceeded his father in 1464, fo that the execution of the work would be fomewhere betwixt thefe dates. Antonio Filarete (MS. already quoted, p. 6 c,), however, feems almoft to indicate that it was Cofmo, and not his fon, for whom the cabinet was conftrudled, and if fo, it might have been executed at a much earlier period of Luca's career. Our medallions, indeed, if we regard the ftyle of the written charadters of the infcriptions, have rather the afpeft of works of the firft than of the fecond half of the fifteenth century.""'^ 26 « jj- vvill not have efcaped notice, only towards the end of Luca's career neverthelefs, that Vafari fays it was that he turned his attention to painting xlvi IntroduEiion. Vafari ftates that Luca, by the appHcation of this invention to plain furfaces, as well as to his admirably modelled rilievos in terra-cotta, ^^ faceva V opere di terra quafi eterne." Luca della Robbia was born in the year 1400 (Vafari fays 1388). His works in marble, terra-cotta, and bronze are remarkable for their claflic purity of fentiment. The well-known frieze of the finging boys in the mufeum of the Uffiziij at Florence, executed about 1435-45, and the tomb below Bellofguardo (1456), are fine examples in the former material ; and the bronze gates of the facrifty of the Duomo in that city, commiffioned in 1464, is his only known and admirable work in metal. His merits as a fculptor were of the higheft order, but he does not appear to have had that Inventive faculty in compofition for which his great rival Ghiberti was remarkable, almoft to excefs. Hence, perhaps, he was lefs efteemed and patronized ; but his force of chara6ler is fhown in the originality of his difcovery or adaptation on a large fcale, and improvement in compofition of the ftanniferous enamel, with which his name muft ever be afTociated. That the nature of the Della Robbia enamel is different from that ufed upon the pottery produced at various fabrics may be (ttn by a comparifon of the two furfaces. The greater degree of opacity and folidity in the former, is a marked variation from that in general ufe ; fo with the furface of his painted tiles. Perhaps the neareft approach is that on the earlier produftions of the Caffaggiolo furnaces. on terra-cotta. The notorious inaccu- them, and that in faft the latter appli- racy, however, of the famous chronicler cation was the refult of early efTays as in refpeft to fimilar ftatements, deprives a goldfmith-enameller on metals, and the objedlion of any weight ; befides, as a Majolica painter." in other parts of the life of Luca, he (The writer would remark that alludes to feme fafts at variance with Vafari's inaccuracy in the above quoted the affumption. It is in every refpedl ftatement is confirmed by the date of more probable that the praftice of the Bellofguardo tomb, erefted about painting in this vehicle was coeval with 1456, only fome 18 years after Luca's Luca's earlieft eifays in enamelled firft recorded work in enamelled fculp- fculpture, if not indeed anterior to ture, and 25 years before his death.) IntroduBion, xlvii We have feen that the earheft dated piece, feemingly of the pro- dudlion of a Florentine or Tufcan pottery, is of 1477, and this would appear to be tin- glazed. With that exception, the earlieft pieces furfaced with the ftanniferous enamel, are afcribed to the Caffaggiolo pottery, and are dated 1 507 and 1 509, fome feventy years fubfequent to its firfl: recorded ufe by Luca della Robbia ; and we have no examples which can with any pro- bability be afcribed to a period within a quarter of a century of its habitual application by him. We cannot, therefore, find the flighteft evidence to difprove the affertion of Vafari and others, that Luca was the difcoverer, to Italy, of this important improvement in the glazing of earthenware vefTels. It is not, however, unreafonable to fuppofe that its compofition may have been communicated to him by one of the Moorifh potters emigrant from Spain, and that, acfting upon this communica- tion, he made a feries of experiments refulting in the perfe6tion to which he attained, and which refult was guarded as a family fecret by two fucceeding generations. A modification of this compofition, perhaps alfo learnt from Hifpano-Moorifii potters, by others, became gradually known and adopted at various fabriques, fpreading throughout the potteries of Italy, France, &c. We are inclined to M. Jacque- mart's opinion that it firft came into ufe at CafFaggiolo, the fabrique eftablifiied under the influence of the Medici family, but cannot agree with that able v/riter on the hifi:ory of the potters' art that at Caffaggiolo Luca learnt the compofition of the enamel ; nor that that fabrique was the earliefl: producing artifliic works in Italy. We agree with Mr. J. C. Robinfon in giving the precedence, or at any rate an equality in point of age, to Faenza, and in afcribing to that place certain figures and groups in alto-rilievo, bearing infcriptions in Gothic letters, the modelling and defign of which are more chara<5leriftic of the north of the Appenines than of the Tufcan Valley. Thefe will be confidered in the introdudlory notices to thofe fabriques. M. d xlviii IntroduEiion. Andrea della Robbia, to whom his uncle's mantle defcended, alfo painted occafionally on plain furfaces, as may be feen on tiles which cover the flat furface of a " lavaho " in the facrifly of the church of Sta. Maria Novella, in Florence (afcribed by Mr. Robinfon to Luca). The works of the Della Robbia family are not a fubjed in this catalogue. We would merely note the fadt that in 1 5 20 their art was in decadence, under the hand of Giovanni, the fon of Andrea, Luca's nephew, and that during the firfl quarter of that century various imitators produced inferior works in the fame ftyle, copying the earlier models of the Delia Robbia, and the works of fome other fculptors. By Giovanni's brother Girolamo it was introduced into France, where the Chateau de Madrid was decorated by him under the patronage of Francis I. One " Niculofo Francifco " Is faid to have taken the art to Spain, and adorned the church of Santa Paolo at Seville with baf-reliefs in the manner of the Della Robbia, from the jRiyle of which Baron Davillier thinks he was a difciple of that fchool.^^ In Italy, Agoftino di Antonio di Duccio, faid to be a pupil of Luca, worked at Perugia in 1459-61, where he executed enamelled baf-reliefs on the facade of the church of S. Ber- nardino, and in S. Domenico. Signor Vincenzo Lazari thinks it probable that by his influence the fabrique of maiolica at Diruta was efliablifhed.^^ Pier Paolo di Agapito da Saflx)ferrato is faid to have erected an altar in this manner in the church of the Cappucini in Arceria, in the diocefe of Sinigaglia in the year 1 5 13. He was alfo a painter. 27 The execution of baf-reliefs, to the ufe of the flanniferous enamel figures, and groups at various fabriques, at thofe potteries, painted and coated with lead glaze, ^ Notizie della raccolta Correr. appears to have been habitual anterior Venice, 1859. IntroduElion, xlix An able modeller, as well as artift potter, Maeftro Giorgio Andreoli, of Gubbio, of whom we fhall fpeak more in de- tail under the heading of that fabrique, alfo appears to have executed works in the manner of the Delia Robbia. The practice of enamelling large works modelled in terra-cotta would feem to have gone out of repute, fallen into decadence, and ceafed in production before the end of the firft half of the fixteenth century ; not perhaps fo much from the fecret of the glaze being known only, as we are told, to the defcendants of the Delia Robbia family, as from the want of demand for works in that material. From the increafed ufe of decorative tiles, and the en- couragement afforded to the production of artiftic pottery, furnaces and hoteghe had been eftablifhed in various parts of northern and central Italy, particularly in Romagna, in Tufcany, and in the lordfliip of Urbino, where the manu- facture was patronized at an early time by the ruling family, as alfo by the Sforza at Pefaro. Here the firft ufe of the metallic luftre would appear to have been developed ; but we have even lefs hiftorical evidence of the date of its earlieft introduction than in the cafe of the tin enamel. Before that great improvement was adopted by any of the potteries in Italy, the pearly, the golden, and the ruby luftre colours were produced at Pefaro, and perhaps at Gubbio, where it fub- fequently attained its greateft perfection. Pefaro being a coaft town of the Adriatic, and one where furnaces had long exifted, would form a ready afylum for oriental emigrants fleeing from perfecution in their own country. It is reafon- able to fuppofe that from them the ufe of thefe metallic pigments was acquired, and accordingly we find early pieces prefumably of this fabrique, the decorative "motif" on which is oriental to a marked degree. Painted wares had been produced anterior to the ufe of the metallic pigments, d z 1 IntroduBion, and among them fpeclmens are occafionally found betraying Perfian influence in their defign. We learn from Pafleri that the Princes of the houfe of Sforza who had purchafed the lordfhip of Pefaro from the Malatefta family, encouraged the development of the art, and that the " mezza miaiolica " continued to improve from 1450. Special privileges were granted in i486 and 1508 to manu- fafturers of Pefaro, whofe wares were then famous, as well as thofe of the other chief cities of the lordfhip of Urbino. The outlines on the " mezza maiolica " of this period were traced in manganefe black or zaffre blue, with which laft the fhadings are alfo indicated ; the flefh is left white. A certain rigidity but truthfulnefs is obfervable in the defign, crude and wanting in relief, but precife and free from timidity. A morefque border frequently furrounds a coat-of-arms, portrait bufls in profile of contemporary princes, or that of a faint or heathen goddefs, the facred monogram, &c., and amatory por- traits of ladies, with a ribbon or banderole, on which the fair one's • name is infcribed, with a complimentary adjedlive as " Bella," " Diva," &c. ; fuch are the principal fubjeds of thefe early hacili. The admirable '* madreperla " lufi:re of thefe pieces, changing in colour and effedl with every angle, at which the light is refledled from their brilliant furface, is the leading chara6lerifl:ic and fpecial beauty of this clafs of wares, which mufi; have been in great requefl; and produced in confiderable quantity. Pefaro and Diruta lay claim to their produ6tion, and each fabrique has its champions. We are, however, in- clined to agree with Pafleri in afcribing the earlier and more important produ6tIons to Pefaro, and are difpofed to confider the Diruta fabrique as a fubfequent and lefs important fource of fupply in refpedl to the quality of the wares. Thefe bacili are nearly all of the fame fize and form ; large heavy diflies of IntroduEiion, li flefh-coloured clay with deep funk centres and a projeding circular " giretto " behind, forming a foot or bafe ; this is invariably pierced with two lateral holes, for the purpofe of introducing a cord by which to fufpend them to the wall, thus proving that they were looked upon more as decorative pieces {piatti di pompa) than for general ufe upon the table ; the back is covered by a coarfe yellow glaze, the front having a furface whitened by flip and painted as above-mentioned. The rim is fometimes ornamented in compartments {a quartiere)^ or with checquered " chevrone," or imbricated patterns, or conven- tional flowers, &c. They are accurately defcribed by Pafleri, in his 7th chapter, who concludes, perhaps fomewhat haftily, from their uniform fize, fhape, ftyle of decoration, and chara6ler of the metallic luftre, that they were by the fame artift, unknown by name, but who worked at Pefaro about the end of the fifteenth century. We fhall confider thefe more in detail when treating of the wares of Pefaro and Gubbio. The larger pieces of that period produced at various places have a certain general refemblance in the clumfy fafhion, the dry archaic ftyle of drawing executed in blue outline, and in the diaper patterns of the border. Glazed wares of polychrome and fubjedl decoration were no doubt produced anterior to the introdudion of the luftre colours, and judging from examples which have come down to us, the forms feem to have been partially derived from Perfian, Hifpano-Morefque, and other oriental originals ; deep difties with angular fides and narrow rims ; others with a wide border or fide floping at a gradual angle from the fmall circular centre. The Gothic element is, however, traceable on fome early pieces of north Italian origin. A more careful inveftigation of the records of Italian families, and the archives of the many towns at which potteries formerly exifted, might throw confiderable light on the hiftory and eftablifhment of the various fabriques and the marks and Hi IntroduSiion. charaderiftics of their produdions ; but at prefent we can only form an approximate opinion by comparifon of the various pieces exifting in public and private colledlions with figned examples by the fame hand. From PafTeri, the earlieft writer on the hiftory and development of the manufacture, we are forced to draw largely, accepting his ftatements unlefs contraverted by tangible evidence or reliable documentary matter, and making allowance for a certain amount of local bias. On thofe fubjedts his information is, in the main, more valuable than that conveyed by the interefting MS. of Piccol- pafTo, the latter work being almoft exclufively confined to the details of the manufad:ure, giving us but fmall inftrudlion, as to the relative dates and produ6lions of the many potteries at which artiftic works were executed at the time he wrote. He was, for his lights, a fcientific potter, but not an hif- torian, or colledor and ftudent of the ceramic produdtions of other times and other " boteghe." We agree in believing with PafTeri that the potteries of Pefaro were of very early date, probably anterior to Gubbio, and think that full weight fhould be given to his ftatement, that the ufe of the luftre pig- ments was introduced from the former to the latter fabrique, where it attained to unfurpaffed excellence, under the able management and improvement of M°. Giorgio, but whether the furnaces of Faenza and Forli were of earlier or fubfequent eftablifhment to that of Pefaro is flill a matter of conjedure, while of Caffaggiolo and others we have no record. Of the antiquity of thefe lail there can be no doubt. But although producing at the latter end of the fifteenth and early in the fixteenth centuries fome of the moft exquifite examples of artiftic decoration, and of the perfe6lion of manufacture in this clafs of ceramics, we are unable to find a fingle record of the ufe of the luftrous metallic tints, or a fingle example of pottery fo enriched, which can, with probability, be afcribed to the Faenza furnaces. The fame remark applies to other pot- IntroduElion, liii teries on the northern fide of the Appenines, and indeed, fpeak- ing generally, its ufe appears to have been almoft confined to Pefaro, Gubbio, and Diruta, ior although fiDme rare examples exift which were probably produced at Caffaggiolo, and elfe- where, they are quite exceptional, and probably experimental pieces. The Piedmontefe and Lombard cities do not appear to have encouraged the potter's art to an equal extent in the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries, neither can we learn of any excellence at- tained in Venice till the eftablifhment of Durantine and Pefarefe artifts at that city in the middle of the latter period. Perhaps commerce did for the Queen of the Adriatic, by the importa- tion of Rhodian, Damafcus, and other eaftern wares, what native induftry fupplied to the pomp and luxury of the hill cities of Umbria ; for it muft be borne in mind that the finer forts of enamelled or glazed pottery, decorated by artifl;ic hands, were only attainable by the richer clafs of purchafers ; more modefl; wares, or wooden trenchers, and anceftral copper vefTels, contenting the middle clafs. The Northern Duchies, as Ferrara, Rimini, Ravenna, &c. alfo encouraged the art, but to a fmaller extent than that of Urbino. It would feem that the ufe of the white ftanniferous enamel did not become general in Italy until fome years after the death of Luca della Robbia, in 1481 ; nor adopted by the potters of Umbria, the great centre of the art, before the end of the fifteenth century. The hiftory of the development, perfection, and decline of the ceramic art of the renaifi'ance in Italy, is fo intimately con- neded with and centred round that of the dukedom of Urbino, that in tracing its progrefs we muft alfo briefly call to memory the fortunes and the failures of that noble houfe. In 1443 what had been but an unimportant mountain fief, was eredled into a duchy, and the houfe of Montefeltro ruled a fair territory in the perfon of the infamous Oddantonio, the liv IntroduBion. firft Duke of Urbino. On his violent deaths in 1444, Federigo, his illegitimate brother, fucceeded to the dukedom. Of en- lightened mindj as well as of martial capacity, he developed the native capabilities of the country, and gathered about him at the Court of Urbino the fcience and learning of the period. He married in 1460 Battifta Sforza, and built a noble caftel- lated palace at Urbino, celebrated by Vafari, and for the em- belliihment of which he invited the leading artifts of the day. The beautiful ftonework tracery of the ftaircafe, of arabefque, or more properly " grotefque " defign, with dancing cupids, trophies, and heraldic fancies, among others the Englifh Order of the Garter, with which he was inverted in 1474, is remark- able ; the " intarfiatura " of the doors, and other fadly injured, but ftill beautiful remains of the decoration of this pidurefque building, atteft the admirable tafte and magnificence of its firft owner. A patron of all art, and a great colledlor,^^ he encouraged the manufacture of the maiolica wares, which flourifhed under his reign. On his death, in 1482, his fon Guidobaldo I., who married in 1488 Elizabetta Gonzaga of Mantua, continued his father's patronage to the ceramic artifts of the Duchy, although much occupied in the Italian wars confequent on the French invafion by Charles VIII. He loft Pefaro and Faenza to Cefar Borgia in 1502, who in the follow- ing year furprifed Urbino, plundering the palace of valuables to a large amount. In 1503 Guidobaldo was reftored, and refided there till his death in 1508. He alfo was a Knight of the Garter of England, invefted in 1504. Pafferi ftates that fine maiolica (by which he means that covered with the tin 29 It is recorded as charafteriftic of contains 979 leaves of parchment, form- this prince, that the only fhare of the ing together a thicknefs of nearly a foot, fpoil he would receive on taking the and requiring two men to carry it. city of "V olterra was an illuminated (Denniftoun's Memoirs of the Dukes of Hebrew Bible, now in the Vatican ; it Urbino.) is of large fize, 23 in. by 16 in., and IntroduEiion, Iv enamel) was introduced into Pefaro in 1500; and there is fome reafon to believe that the new procefs came from Tuf- cany. It differed materially in composition and manufadlure from the " mezza majolica " wares/** to which it was very fuperior, and was known as " Porcellana/' a name applied at that period in Italy to the choicer defcription of enamelled earthenware.^^ PafTeri alfo ftates that in the inventory of the ducal palaces a large quantity of painted " majolica " vafes were included under this name. The fuperior whitenefs of the enamel, more nearly approaching to that of Oriental porcelain, was probably the reafon for its adoption ; but we muft not confound the term as ufed in this fenfe with its technical meaning in reference to a decorative deiign known as " a porcellana." The introdudlion of the new enamel, which afforded a better ground for painting, did not caufe the ufe of the bright metallic colours and prifmatic glaze to be relinquifhed at thofe potteries where it had become eftablifhed, but it appears to have Stimu- lated a development in the artiftic produ6lions of other places, the wares of which, before that period, were lefs attradive. The " botega " of Maeftro Giorgio at Gubbio feems to have been at this time the great centre of the procefs of embellifhment with the golden and ruby metallic luftres ; and, indeed, we have little or no knowledge of artiflic pottery produced at that fabrique which is not fo enriched. From fome technicality in the procefs of the manufacture, fome local advantage, or "^ We think there muft be fome inftead of being reftrided to its earlier error in Pafferi's ftatement that the fignification, viz., the luftred, painted, glaze of the " mezza -majolica " con- and incifed wares, coated with a " flip" fifted of forty parts of oxide of or " engobe," inftead of a ftanniferous tin, and that of the finer ware, or enamel. " porcellana," of fixty ; or that, after ^^ Campori. Noiizie della Majolica the general ufe of the tin enamel, the c della Porcellana di Ferrara. Modena, term " mezza-majolica " was applied to 1 871, p. 39. an inferior quaUty of the fame kind. Ivi IntroduSiion, fome fecret in the compofition, almoft a monopoly of Its ufe was there eftabllfhed, for we have the evidence of well-known ex- amples, that from the end of the firft, to the commencement of the laft quarter of the fixteenth century, many pieces painted by the artifts of Pefaro, LJrbino, and Caftel Durante, were fent to Gubbio, there to receive the additional enrichment of the luftre colours. Pieces, referred to more particularly in the notice of their refpedtive fabriques, figned in blue by the artift Francefco Xanto and others, have been fubfequently luftred at Gubbio, and again figned in the metallic pigment by the " Maeftro " of that " botega." At Diruta alfo its ufe appears to have been extenfive, though not to fo exclufive a degree, nor on wares of fuch high charader, as at Gubbio, neither are we enabled, by the pofTeflion of examples, to conclude that the works of other fabriques were fent to Diruta for the additional embellifhment. This relic of Moorifh and Perfian tafte, tranflated from Pefaro, appears to have declined as rapidly at the potteries of that city as it became developed at Gubbio. The crude drawing of the earlier ware improved but flowly ; in 1502 tiles executed for the Palace at Pefaro were but of forry defign ; but it developed by the introdudlion of half tints, the colouring of the drapery, and in the compofition of the groups of figures, infpired by the works of Timoteo della Vite and other artifts of the Umbrian fchool. At Pefaro the art appears to have attained its highefl perfedlion at the botega of the Lanfranco family, about 1540-45. The eflablifhment of the Ducal Court at Urbino naturally drew more favour to the potteries of that city, and of its near neighbour Caftel Durante. The latter of thefe appears alfo to have been a feat of this induftry from very remote times, and not only to have furnifhed large quantities of glazed earthen- ware, but alfo artiftic works of the higheft merit. On this fubje6l we learn much from the work of Signor Giufeppe IntroduEiion. Ivii RafFaelli/^ who gives important hiftorical information, derived from local documents and regifters, and an extenfive lift of artifts and potters engaged at various periods in the work. Caftel Durante not only produced fine wares at home, but artifts of great ability emigrated from her, eftabliftiing themfelves at various places. Hence originally came the Fontana family, the moft important producers of the higher clafs of decorative pottery at Urbino. At Venice Francefco Pieragnolo in 1545, accompanied by his father, Gian-Antonio da Pefaro, formed a " botega," but his wares are not among the earlieft dated pieces made in that city, where we know that M°. Ludovico was producing admirable works five years previoufly, and M°. Jacomo da Pefaro in 1542. A member of the Fontana family, Camillo, younger brother of the celebrated Orazio, went to Florence, and another M^ Camillo to Ferrara in 1567, by the requeft of the then reigning Duke, Alfonfo II.; in 1600 we find '^ Maeftro Diomede Durante " had a pottery at Rome, producing pieces painted by Gio. Pavlo Savino, in the ftyle of the Urbino grotefques on white ground, which had been brought to fuch perfection by the Fontana family. Another artift of this family, Guido di Savino, is ftated to have previoufly efta- bliftied himfelf at Antwerp. At Urbino the ftiaped pieces, the vafes, cifterns, &c. were of large fize, admirably modelled, and richly " iftoriata " with fubjedls from facred and profane hiftory, poetry, &c., the produce of the celebrated Fontana " botega " being, perhaps, the moft important. Here alfo worked the able artift Francefco Xanto, from 1530 to 1541 (latterly in the pottery of Francefco Silvano), fo many of whofe painted pieces were fubfequently decorated with ruby and gold luftre at Gubbio. 32 Mcmorie delle Majoliche Durantini. Fcrmo, 1846. Iviii IntroduSimt. From 1520 to 1540 the art conftantly advanced in this Duchy and had retained great perfedlion till 1560. It is probable that the potteries at Cartel Durante were of earlier foundation than thofe at Urbino, and, from their firft eftablifhment to the decadence of the art, fome of the moft important and produdive furnaces of the Duchy. Here feveral ^' boteghe " exifted, one of which was under the diredlion of the Cavaliere Cipriano Piccolpaffo, who, himfelf an artift, and a ProfefTor of Medicine, was doubtlefs well advanced in the chemical knowledge of his day. He worked about 1550, and has left the im- portant and interefting MS., entitled " Li tre Libri dell' Arte dell Vafajo," ^^ before referred to, and now in the Library of the South Kenfington Mufeum. It is to be regretted that this work, valuable and inftrudtive as it is on the fubjed: of the procefTes of produdion and decoration, and containing many illuftrative defigns by the hand of the author, gives us fo little hiftorical information on the development of the art in the Duchy of Urbino, and ftill lefs in other localities of Italy, many important potteries being entirely ignored. PafTeri draws largely from this MS. Guidobaldo I. was fucceeded in the dukedom by his nephew, Francefco Maria Delia Rovere, in 1508, who, incurring the refentment of Pope Leo X., v/as obliged by Lorenzo de' Medici to retire from his duchy into Lombardy, but was re- inftated in 15 17. Rome was facked in 1527, and hiftory accufes that Duke of having permitted the horrible ad without interfering to prevent it. He died from poifon in 1538 at Pefaro, whither he had retired after a reverfeful life and reign. His Duchefs was the excellent Leonora Gonzaga, daughter of Francefco Marquis of Mantua. _ She built a palace near Pefaro, 33 This MS. was printed and pub- editions with engraved copies of the lifhed at Rome in 1857, and a tranfla- numerous defigns. tion in French at Paris in 1841, both IntroduSiion. li IX known as the '^Imperiale," richly decorated by able artlfts, among whom was Raffaelle dal Colle, whofe defigns were alfo adopted for the maiolica ware. The frequently repeated error of afcrlbing the adlual painting, as alfo the making defigns for this ware, to the great Raffaelle Sanzio, may probably have arifen from the fimilarity in the Chriftian names of thefe artifts. The development of the manufacture in the Duchy of Urbino may be confidered to have attained its culminating point about 1540, after which, for fome twenty years, it continued in great excellence both as regards the " ifl-oriati," and more par- ticularly in' the fhaped pieces decorated with the fo-called " Urbino arabefques," on a clear white ground ; fubjeds painted in medallions, furrounded by grotefques of admirable in- vention and execution, after the ftyle known as " Raifaellefque." But excellent and highly decorative as are the finer produds of this period from the furnaces of the Fontana of Urbino, or of the Lanfranchi of Pefaro, to the true connoiffeur they want the fenti- ment, and expreffive drawing, the exquifite finifli and delicacy, the rich colour, and the admirable defign of the earlier works produced at the Cafa Pirota In Faenza, at Forli, Caftel Durante, Siena, and Caffaggiolo, in the latter years of the fifteenth and the firft quarter of the fixteenth centuries (1480 and 1520), and by M°. Giorgio at Gubblo, many of which rival in beauty the exquifite miniature illuminations of that palmy period of Italian art. The fervice in the Correr Mufeum In Venice, fuppofed to have been painted by an unknown artift of Faenza, and dated 1482, Is of high quality; we pofi^efs In the South Kenfington Mufeum works by his hand, particularly a plaque or tile, on which is a reprefentation of the Refurredlion of our Lord (No. 69, p. 531), worthy of being ranked with the higheft productions of pi6torial art. The borders of grotefques on the plates of this earlier period differ greatly from thofe of the Urbino factories of the middle time, being generally grounded on dark blue or yellow, and executed with great delicacy of Ix IntroduEiio7t. touch and power of colouring ; the centres of the fmaller pieces are ufually occupied by fingle figures, fmall medalhon fubjedls, portrait heads, amorini, fhields-of-arms, &c. ; frequently they were intended for " amatorii " or love tokens. Some of the moft careful and highly finifhed produdlions of M°. Giorgio are of this early time, before he was in the habit of iigning with the well-known initials M° G° ; the earlieft fo figned being the admirable St. Francis tazza in this Mufeum, dated 15 17. We may therefore affirm that the choiceft works in Italian pottery were produced during a period which extended from 1480 to 1520 or 1530; thence till 1560 was its meridian, although fome fine works were produced at Urbino by the Fontana till 1570; before that time the ruby luftre had been loft, and foon after rapid decadence of defign and execution reduces all to painful inferiority. Guidobaldo IL, who had fucceeded to Francefco Maria in '^S2>^^ wanted the force of charadler and nice appreciation of the higher literature and art which had diftinguifhed his father ; but he was a great patron of the ceramic produdtions of his Duchy, and fought to improve the defigns ufed by painters on pottery, by the introdudlion of fubjeds of higher charadler and compofition. With this view, lavifh of expenfe, he bought original drawings by RafFaelle and the engravings of Marc Antonio from that matter's defigns. He alfo invited Battifta Franco, a Venetian painter, highly lauded by Vafari for his knowledge of antiquity, and who fays of his drawings, " nel vero per fare un bel difegno Battifta non avea pari," that he was unequalled. The Duke ufed to make prefents of fervices to con- temporary princes and friends. One, given to the Emperor Charles V., a double fervice, is mentioned by Vafari, the vafes of which had been painted from the defigns of Battifta Franco ; another, from the Duchefs to Cardinal Farnefe. Franco is ftated to have remained, and died in the Duke's fervice. IntroduBio?t. Ixi Raffhelle dal CoUe prepared defigns, and cartoons were ordered from the great artifts of Rome, as recorded in letters addrefTed by Annibal Caro'^'^ to the Duchefs Vittoria in 1563, and by II Cafa as mentioned by PafTeri. A fervice was alfo fent to Philip II. of Spain, which it is faid was painted by Raffaelle Ciarla and Orazio Fontana, after the defigns of Taddeo Zuccaro. Another fervice, of which pieces are extant, was given by the Duke to the Frate Andrea da Volterra, his confefibr. For the Spezieria, or medical difpenfary, attached to his own palace, he ordered a complete fet of vafes and drug pots ; for thefe, defigns were prepared by B. Franco and Raffaelle dal Colle, and executed at the botega of Orazio Fontana, by whom fome of the pieces were painted. They were fubfequently prefented by Duke Francefco Maria II. to the Santa Cafa at Loreto, where the greater part of them are ft ill preferved. They are defcribed in D. Lugio Granuzzi's work ; ^"^ and fome of them were engraved by Bartoli. The ftory tells us that fo highly were they efteemed by Chriftina of Sweden that fhe offered to buy them for their weight of gold, after a grand Duke of Florence had more prudently propofed an equal number of filver veffels of like weight. We fhall again refer, and more In detail, to thefe fervices, fpecimens of fome of which have defcended to our time. Orazio Fontana, the great artift potter and painter of Urbino, worked for the Duke from 1540 to 1560, and carried the art to the higheft perfedtion ; for a more detailed account of this family the reader is referred to the introdudlory notice on the Urbino fabrique. Pafleri ftates that Orazio had no equal in the execution of his paintings, the diftribution of his 3^ Vide Annibal Caro Lettere, vol. iii. in Loreto dall Arciprete D. Lugio ^5 Relazioni iftorica della Santa Cafa Granuzzi. Loreto, 1838. Ixii IntroduBion, colours, and in the calculation of the effedl of the fire upon them in the produdlon of his wares. He alfo quotes various contemporary authors who fpeak of the excellence of the maiolica of this period.^^ The extravagant expenditure of the Duke rendered it ne- ceflary for him to contra6b his eftablifliment, and Raffaelle dal Colle left his fervice. Orazio Fontana and Battifta Franco were dead, and works of an inferior clafs only were produced from the defigns of the Flemifh engravers. From 1580 the decline of the art was rapid. It met but fmall encouragement from Duke Francefco Maria II., who fucceeded in 1574, except during his refidence at Caflel Durante, where it ftill, though feebly, furvived. He 'abdicated in favour of the Holy See, and died in 1 63 1. The rich colleftions of art ftill remaining at Urbino became the property of Ferdinand de' Medici, who had married the Duke's granddaughter, Vittoria, and were removed to Florence. Artiftic manufadtories had, in addition to thofe of the Umbrian Duchy, greatly increafed in various parts of Italy under the encouragement of powerful local families ; but none appear to have attained to higher excellence than thofe of Tufcany, where, we agree with M. Jacquemart in thinking, that the tin enamel was firft ufed in Italy. This opinion is confirmed by PalTeri,^^ who ftates that " Majolica fina " was known in Florence long before it was manufactured at the Umbrian potteries. At Caflfaggiolo, under the powerful patronage of the Medici, and at Siena, fome of the moft excellent pieces of this beautiful pottery were produced, rivalling, but not fur- paffing, the fine examples of Faenza. 36 Pafleri, Op. Cit., pp. 34, 35,46, 37 Jftoria, p, 27, ed. Pefaro, 1857. 47, 57, &c. IntroduEiion, Ixiii The Tufcan pieces are remarkable for their rich enamel, for the force and brilliancy of the colours, and for the execution and defign of the grotefque borders and other decoration ; a deep rich blue, a peculiar opaque but bright red, and a brilliant yellow, are chara6leriftic pigments. The exiftence of the former fabrique has been made known to us only by the infcription of the name on fome few pieces preferved in the cabinets of the curious. From their ftyle, and the mark accompanying the infcription, we are enabled to detedt many examples, fome of which bear concurrent testimony in the fubjecfls connedled with the hiftory of the Medici family, with which they are painted. The well-known plate on which a painter is reprefented engaged in executing the portraits of a noble perfonage and his lady, who are feated near, and which were fuppofed to be intended for Raffaelle and the Fornarina, which beautiful example is now in this Mufeum, acquired from the Bernal Colledlion, is a fine fpeci- men of the work of perhaps the moft able artift engaged at this pottery. (No. 17 17, p. 119.) At Siena alfo admirable works were produced, but we are difpofed to think that their infpiration was derived from CafFag- giolo, whence alfo her potters probably received inftrudtion in the application of the ftanniferous enamel. Some pieces of the latter end of the fifteenth century are with probability afcribed to Siena, and dated pieces as early as 1501. Tiles alfo from the fame fabrique are remarkable for the excellence of their grotefque borders, on an orange yellow ground, having centres painted with great delicacy, fome unufual examples having a black ground to their decorative borders. Rome and the South of Italy do not appear to have pro- duced meritorious works in this field, during the period of its greateft excellence in the Northern and Tufcan ftates, and it is not till the difperfion of the artifts, confequent upon the abforption of the Umbrian Duchy into the Pontifical States. M. e Ixiv IntroduSiion. that we find a Diirantine eftablifhlng a pottery at Rome, and producing in 1600 an inferior repetition of the grotefque ftyle fo admirable in the hands of the Fontana, half a century earlier at Urbino. The decadence was rapid ; an increafed number of inferior potteries produced wares of a lower price and quality ; the fall of the Ducal houfes which had fo greatly encouraged its higher excellence as a branch of fine art, to- gether with the general deterioration in artiftic tafte, alike tended to its fall. PafTeri laments the tafte which denounced maiolica as vulgar, and fupplanted it by Oriental porcelain, then becoming more attainable ; but we muft bear in mind that the wares of Italy had really become inferior and coarfe, from the caufes above narrated, and although he naively and fl:rongly exprefles himfelf againft the preference given to thofe wares decorated with Chinefe paintings, " no better in defign than thofe on playing cards," and thus fhowing " the degene- racy of an age when the brutal predominates over the intel- lectual faculty of man," ^^ he perhaps did not make allowance for the fadt, that fpecimens of the good period of the art, alone really admirable, were only in the hands of the great, and that the defigns of the immortal RafFaelle, as copied by the later maiolica painters, were but poorly reprefentatiye ; moreover, the fuperior hardnefs and excellence of Oriental porcelain over glazed earthenware could but be apparent, and the worthy Abbe was perhaps too much biafied in favour of his beloved pottery, then only colleded by virtuofi, and preferved in mufeums. His influence, and that of others, prompted a revival in the production of native decorative earthenware in various parts of Italy, as alfo in the refl of Europe. The efforts made to imitate true porcelain, were reflected by improvements in the qualit) and decoration of enamelled earthenware, and in the laft _^ 3^ Pafleri, eh. xx. IntroduEiion. Ixv century we find potteries in various parts of Piedmont and Lombard^, Venice, Genoa and Savona, Urbino and Pefaro, Siena, Caftelli, Florence and Rome, producing wares of greater or lefs artiftic excellence. But although careful drawing is occafionally found, as on fome of the pieces painted by Fer- dinando Maria Campana, at Siena, from the prints of Marc Antonio, &c,, and fome charming defigns with borders of amorini among foliage, and fubje6l pieces of great merit from the Caftelli fabrique ; and although the " technique " of the manufadlure is alfo of great excellence, the ornamentation wants that mafculine power of colouring and vigour of the renaiflance, fo ftrikingly apparent upon the better productions of the older furnaces, and the admirable delicacy and richnefs of effe6l to be feen upon the earlier works. The endeavours made throughout Europe to difcover a method of making porcelain, fimilar in its qualities or approach- ing to that imported from China, had commenced in the fix- teenth century. In this diredlion alfo royal encouragement was of the greateft value, and we find that earlieft in the field of difcovery was, as naturally might be expedted, that country in which the enamelled earthenware had previoufly reached its higheft perfection. Under the patronage of the Grand Duke Francis I., about 1580, experiments were made which at length refulted in the production of an artificial por- celain of clofe body and even glaze. The exiftence of fuch a production, and the hiftory of its origin, have been revealed to us only within the laft few years, and we are indebted to Dr. Forefi, of Florence, for having made this difcovery, fo in- terefting in the hiftory of the ceramic arts. He had noticed and collected fome pieces of a porcelain of heavy nature and indifferent whitenefs, decorated in blue, with flower and leafage pattern of fomewhat Oriental ftyle, but at the fame time un- miftakably European, on fome of which pieces a mark occurs confifting of the capital letter F, furmounted by a dome. The Ixvi IntroduEiion, earlieft recorded European porcelain had heretofore been that produced by Dr. Dwight, at Fulham, in 1671/'' and that of St. Cloud in France, about 1695, but the fpecimens found by Dr. Forefi were manifeftly not attributable to either of thefe or any other known fources. Further refearches brought to light a piece of the fame ware on which the pellets of the Medici coat were fubftituted for the more ufual mark, and led to a fearch among the records of that houfe. Dr. Forefi was rewarded for his trouble by the difcovery that the above- named duke had adually caufed experiments to be made, and had eftablifhed a private fabrique in connexion with his labora- tory in the Boboli Gardens. The Magliabecchian Library yielded an important manufcript compilation, by fome perfon employed by the Duke, giving the nature of the compofition, and details of the produdion of this ware. The marks on the pieces explained the reft. The Medici arms and the initials F.M.M.E.D.I.I., reading " Francifcus Medici Magnus Etrurias Dux Secundus," on one -important piece now in the colledlion of the Baron Guftave de Rothfchild, of Paris, clearly attached it to his reign, while the letter F, the initial of the 39 In the patent granted to John fpecimens carefuDy mounted in filver ; Dwight on 23rd April 1 671, occurs thefe were then known as "Damas" the palTage, " The miftery of tranf- or " Damafcus " ware, under which parent earthenware, commonly known term we believe that the Rhodian as by the name of porcelaine or China well as the Syrian varieties were in- and Perfian ware, as alfo the millcrie eluded. In the notice upon that fec- of the Hone ware vulgarly called Co- tion of the Catalogue it will be feen logne ware," &c. It is a queflion that we propofe to reftore this appel- whether the "Perfian ware" here lative to thofe wares generally, in lieu fpokcn of is the "Gombron" ware, or of the lefs corredl one, " Perfian," by a true Kaolinic porcelain made in, or which they are now known. The imported from, Perfia. The beautiful pieces in filver mounts, of the date of coloured earthenware now ufually 1 596, though apparently of the Rho- knovvn as Perfian and Rhodian, was dian variety, were doubtlefs then highly prized at that and an earlier known as " Damas " ware, period in England, as proved by extant IntroduBion. Ixvii city, and the dome of her cathedral, of which fhe was fo proud, equally pointed to the place of its produ6lion. Another exceptionally fine and interefting piece has recently been acquired in Italy by Signor Aleflandro Caftellani. It is a fhallow bafin, in the centre of which the figure of St, Mark, with the lion, is painted in the ufual blue pigment, and in a manner which ftamps it as the work of a mafter's pencil. What makes this fpecimen particularly interefting is the exiftence of a monogram, compofed of the letters G. and P., which is painted on the volume held beneath the lion's paw, while on the reverfe of the piece the ufual mark occurs, as given in the accompanying facfimile.'**' It has been fuggefted that this monogram may be that of Raffaelle's great pupil, Giulio Pippi detto Romano, and that, as it has been ftated that he occa- fionally painted upon enamelled earthenware, it may be con- fidered as a work of his hand. We ftiould, however, be more difpofed to look upon it as a parallel inftance to that recorded '^ We are indebted to Signor Caftellani for this facfimile. Ixviii IntroduEiion. among the marks (No. 8) of the Faenza fabrique, where the monogram and the rebus ufed by Garofalo are painted on the reverfe of a fragment of that ware. That the defigns were from the hands of thofe mafters is probable, and that their execution on the wares was by the hands of able ceramic painters is equally fo. There is, however, no fubftantial reafon why Giulio Romano may not have painted the piece in queftion, as the defign being executed fimply in the one blue colour would not neceffitate that technical knowledge of the application of the enamel pigments requifite where feveral are employed, except that unfortunately Giulio Romano died in 1546, whereas the Medici porcelain does not appear to have been perfedled before 1580. Further refearches, recorded by M. Jacquemart,"*^ have brought to light, from the laboratory book of the Duke Francis, details of the experiments, which continued from 1575 to 1587, and where it is recorded that about 1581 they fuc- ceeded in making a pafte containing a fmall quantity of kaolin from Vicenza. Although we poflefs fpecimens as well as historical data of this Florentine porcelain, it would feem from inveftigations by the Marquis Giufeppe Campori, that Venice and Ferrara may claim an even earlier difcovery of this art, which he believes to have been known in the former city as early as, or previous to 1 5 19, and in the latter, under Duke Alfonfo II., in 1561. For further remarks on this fubjedt the reader is referred to the introdudlory notice on the Ferrara fabrique. We allude to this porcelain,"*^ although not among the claffes of wares to which this volume is confined, becaufe it is ^1 Gazette des Beaux- Arts, i ft Dec. of all hitherto difcovered and re- 1859, Merveilles, 2^ ptie, p. 135, et corded by Dr. Forefi in his pamphlet Jeq- " Sulle Porcellane Medicie." Firenze, ■12 Only twenty- five pieces of this 1869. (Mr. Chaffers, in his laft edi- rare porcelain are com prifed in the lift tion, 1870, only gives nineteen.) Of IntroduBion, Ixix fo important an epifode in the narrative of the rife and progrefs of ceramic induftry in Italy ; and from its exceptional nature, one at leafl of the fpecimens being abfolutely decorated by an artift whofe handiwork is to be recognifed upon pieces of the Urbino enamelled earthenware. The fine " Brocca," 1 5 inches high,'*'^ belonging to the Baron Guftave Rothfchild, is furmounted by an elegantly formed handle, fpringing from grotefque winged maiks, modelled in relief. The body is decorated with two belts of grotefques, divided by a narrower one, on which are mafks and fcroll ornaments ; beneath thefe is a band divided into arched panels or compartments, in each of which is a flower in fomewhat Perfian tafte. Thefe grotefques are executed with great freedom and force, and at the fame time with a careful finifb and delicacy, and in the manner of an unknown painter who worked at the botega of Camillo Fontana. It remains to us only to notice the produdlions of the prefent day, many of the more meritorious of which are only imitations (in fome inftances, we regret to fay, produced for fraudulent purpofes) of the more excellent works of an original period of art ; and to give fome account of the mode of manufadlure, the forms and ufes of the pieces, and the manner of their decoration. The firft fuccefsful attempt at re-producing the Italian enamelled pottery of the renaiffance from original models was, we believe, made at Doccia, the manufadtory belonging to the Marquis Ginori, near Florence. The greater number of thefe thefe, three examples are ^in the Souih this lift may be added the bafin now in Kenfington Mufeum, five in that of the hands of SignorAleflandroCaftellani, Sevres, three belong to Baron Guftave the only piece bearing a monogram, de Rothfchild of Paris, two to the ■^ This fine piece is admirably illuf- Queen of Portugal, Of the plates, the trated by an etching accompanying M. ownerlhip of which was unknown to Dr Jacquemart's paper in the Gazette des Forefi, one belongs to the Rt. Hon. W,E. Beaux-Arts, 1859, I'oL \v. p. 2S6, znd Gladftone and one to the writer. To in his larger work on porcelain. Ixx IntroduEiion, pieces were firft made for an unprincipled dealer of that city, who fupplied the models, and by whom, and his agents, they were more or lefs fcratched, chipped, and otherwife " dodlored " to look like old, and impofed upon unwary purchafers at high prices. The writer recolle(5ts fome of thefe fpecimens which were, years fince, offered to him at Leghorn by an Englifh tradefman of repute (himfelf probably deceived), to which a family hiftory had been attached, their reputed owner, the Marquis , being under the neceflity of parting with them, &c. Since that period the produdions of Doccia have improved, the luftre pigment has been re-produced,^* and thefe revivals have been juftly admired at various international exhibitions of art and induftry, as legitimate works of the manufadory. But a ftill better imitation of the metallic luftre of Gubbio has been produced by an artift of that city; and at Siena fome excellent copies of tiles and other pieces have been made ; fo alfo at Faenza. Bologna, too, has copied the rllievos of Delia Robbia, and as with thofe produced at Doccia, may be pur- chafed new of the makers, or found, fcratched and dirty, in various curlofity fhops throughout Europe, ready to pafs for old, fome of the worft being occafionally figned as by Luca to enhance their Intereft. It is to be regretted that fome few of fuch, as well as admirably executed terra-cottas, have found their way Into public mufeums under a falfe pafTport. At Naples reprodu6lions of the wares of Caftelli are well executed. In France the excellent reprodu6lions of Perfian and Rhodian wares by Deck, and fome good Imitations of the Italian enamelled and luftred pottery by various artlfts ; and In ** Some experiments recently made perfedlion, have given promifing re- by Mr. De Morgan, of Fitzroy Square, fults. to reproduce the ruby luftre in greater IntroduEiion, Ixxi England the pieces produced by Minton, Wedgwood, and other manufafturers, have led to modifications and adaptations, refulting in an important development of this branch of artiftic pottery. CHAPTER 11. Manner and Materials of Production, Forms, Decoration, Uses, &c. Abfira5t from the MS. of Piccolpajfo. E are fortunate in pofTefling a manual of the Italian potters' art of the fixteenth century, in the manufcript by the " Cavaliere Cipriano Piccolpafli Durantino," as he figns his name on the title page of his work. Nearly all the information on this branch of the fubjedl, conveyed to us by PafTeri, and fubfe- quently by Sig. Giufeppi Raffaelli, and other writers, has been gathered from that MS., written in 1548. We think we cannot do better than go at once to this fountain head, and epitomize the information it conveys. After a *^ prologo," in which our worthy author defends himfelf from the invidious remarks of others, he tells us how the earth or clay brought down by the river MetaurOy was gathered from its bed during the fummer when the ftream was low, and by fome was made into large balls, which were flowed in holes Qerrai) purpofely dug in the ground ; by others it was pre- vioufly dried in the fun ; here it remained to mellow and purge itfelf from impurities, which otherwife would be injurious. This fame method of gathering the material for the foundation of the Ixxii IntroduBion, wares was adopted in the March of Ancona, the Romagna at Faeiiza (noted for its vafes), Forli, Ravenna, Rimini, and alfo, as he is informed, at Bologna, Modena, Ferrara, and in Lombardy, and other places. At Venice the earth of Ravenna and Rimini is worked, although they frequently ufe that dug at Battaglia, near Padua, but for the better fort that of Pefaro. He alfo tells us that in Corfu the brothers Giovanni and Luzio T^iJeOy of Caftel Durante, made ufe of a clay gathered from the fides of a mountain after rain. In the March of Ancona and at Genoa, the clay was fome- times dug {di cava)^ as was alfo the cafe in Flanders : that is to fay, at Antwerp, where the art had been introduced by one Guido di Savino, Durantino^ and was ftill kept up by his fons ; whilft at Lyons it was furnifhed by the Rhone. At Spello, in Umbria, a white earth called terra creta is gathered by digging parallel ditches. In Italy the earth of a light colour is better adapted for making vafes, and finer forts, being lefs heavy ; whereas the more folid red clay is ufed for coarfer wares, tiles, &c. The (natural) " bianco allattato " is procured by mixing the earth (of Spello ?) with water, and pafTmg it in a liquid flate through fieves, &c. ; this is ufed as a coating over certain vafes once baked (an engohe or flip). Our author enters into further details of the method of gathering the potters' clay where there are no rivers, by digging a fucceffion of fquare pits conneded by a channel, in the de- prefTions between hills, into which the earth, wafhed by fhowers of rain, is colledted and refined in its pafTage from pit to pit. The earth for inferior wares is colledled on a table and well beaten with an iron inftrument, weighing twelve pounds, three or four times, kneading with the fingers as a woman would do in making bread, and carefully removing all impurities ; it is then formed into mafTes, from which a piece is taken to work upon the wheel or prefs into moulds. If the earth is too " morbida " it is placed upon the wall or Introdu&ion, Ixxiii houfe top, on fieves, through which it is wafhed by the rain, and gathered in old broken vafes, &c., placed beneath. For making wares " all' urbinate " (meaning probably with a white ground) the dug clay ought to be white, for if of a blue colour it will not take the tin glaze ; this, however, is not objec- tionable if it is to be covered with a flip of " terra di Vicenza " (a white clay), a method which he terms " alia caftellana." But it is the reverfe with the clay gathered from the beds of rivers, the blue in this cafe being of the better quality. We are told that nearly all kinds of work can be executed upon the potter's wheel {torno), excepting pieces of angular or oblong fliape ; and a lifl; is given of the forms which can be made ; namely : — "Large and fmall fhallow bowls on low feet, with or without rims. J Large and fmall jugs, with L or without fpouts. {Large difhes and vafes, formed after pieces in filver. Bottles or cruets for oil, vinegar, and water. Flaflcs for wine, vinegar, and water. Drug pots, and jars for con- ferves. Pots for ointments, pomades, &c. Tazzas for fweetmeats. Cups on feet, called "pia- dene " in Venice. Flat plates. Plates with funk centres, with or without feet. Scudelle ~\ ScudelUni J Boccali Fogliette Bacile Bronzo con or Jo e/enza con bocca e/enza cavati daW argento acetOy ed Fiole da tener o, acqua. Fiafchi da vinOy aceio, ed acqua - Albarelli da fpezierie e da con- fezioni. Lettovari ed unguenti 'Tazzoni o vogliam Confettiere - Ongarejche dette in Vinegia Piadene. Fiatti ftrati o vogliam piani Piatti con fondoy piede e/enza - Ixxiv IntroduBion, Tondi con il fondo e/enza Saliere a fongo Tazzine o vogliam ciotolette Diverft vaft cavati daW antico Vafi a 'per a ed a palla - Vafi da due corpi Vaft a torre - Wide bordered plates, with or without funk centres. Circular falt-cellars. Small cups. Various vafes, after the an- tique. Pear-iliaped and globular vafes. Double-bodied vafes. Tower-fhaped vafes. It is difficult for us now, to apply thefe names with accu- racy to the varioufly fliaped pieces, and the more fo, as we are informed, that in our author's time various names were given by different artifts and at different potteries to the fame form. Thus the " Vafo a pera " was alfo known as " Vafo da due maniche " and " Vafo Dorico ; " and the body of fuch a vafe was by fome made in one piece, by others in two or three, making joints at the lower part and at the infertion of the neck, and uniting them by means of lute {harhatina). Thefe vafes and jugs with pyriform bodies, moulded handles, and fhaped fpouts, or lips, were known as " a Bronzo antico " (Fig. i), their forms, doubtlefs, being derived from the antique bronze veffels difcovered in excavations. The fhaped and pendent lips, we are told, are firft formed upon the wheel as a projedling mouth or rim, the fides of which are cut away by means of a piece of wire, leaving the fpout of the required outline, and fhaping and finifhing it off dexteroufly with the hand affifted by pieces of wood z2^^dL fiecca. Some of thefe pieces have a ftopper fitting into the neck by a fcrew, the worm of which is worked upon it by means of a piece of wood (/^fr«) formed with projeding teeth, the in- IntroduBion, XXV Fisr. terlor of the neck being furntfiied with a correfponding funken worm. The details of all thefe methods are illuftrated on the third table of his atlas of plates. After telling us that the alharello (Fig. 2), or drug pot, univerfally known under that name, is made of different fizes and always of one piece, our author defcribes the manner of forming the Vajo fenza bocca (Fig. 3), a fort of puzzle jug with herme- tically fixed, cover on the top and an opening beneath the foot, from which an inverted funnel rifes infide the body of the vafe. To fill it, the piece muft be in- verted, and the liquid poured into the funnel at the foot, and may be again poured out at the fpout, when required, in the ordinary way, the vafe having been placed upright. We then have a minute defcription of the potter's bench and wheel, with exadt diredions for its conftrudion, which is fimple and effective, not differing materially from that in general ufe ; telling us alfo what forms of pottery are made upon that variety, or addition to the table of the wheel, called " fcudella," which differs from the ordinary flat circular dilk, known as the " mugiuolo " only in having a femi-globular piece of wood attached to its furface. It is hardly neceffary to give another lift of the forms made upon one or other of thefe tables, but we may follow our author in his defcription of that fet of five, or fometimes nine feparate pieces, which, fitting together, form a fingle vafe (Fig. 4). Thefe fets, known as " fcudella da donna di parto " Fig. 3. Ixxvi IntroduEiion, or " vafi puerperal]," were made for the ufe of ladies in their confinements, and confift of the following pieces: — (i.) The broth bafin or Scodella^ on raifed foot. Over this fits the lid (2), which alfo does duty as a plate {'Tagliere) for the roll or flice of bread ; inverted over this is the drinking cup. (3.) Onga- refca, upon the foot of which fits the fait cellar, Salter a (4), furmounted by its cover (5). Piccolpaflb tells us that they were fometimes alfo made of nine pieces, but he does not give the particulars of their arrangement. Single portions of thefe are to be found in colledlions, but the writer is not aware of any one complete fet having been preferved. In figure 30 a. b. of his atlas we are furnifhed with the diameters and height of the pieces generally made at the author's pottery, which were in all probability the ufual dimenfions in vogue at the time he wrote, but need not be repeated in this notice. Ufing either the mugiuolo or the Jcudella^ the mafs of clay, placed upon the diflc, is revolved by the wheel and fafhioned into form with the hands, affifted by varioufly fhaped pieces of flat wood {Jiecche) and moulding tools of iron (^Jerri)^ all of which are figured in his defigns. The forms of the feggers ^^ {cafe) and the compofition of the clay of which they were made, as alfo of the tagli^punte^fmarelle, pironiy &c., varioufly formed tripods and fupports for holding the pieces to be fired, are given us in detail and accompanied by defigns. The clay confiflis of a mixture of the red earth ufed for coarfer wares, and the white, which is referved for vafes and finer pieces. Of this mixture the feggers are formed upon the wheel, with openings cut through the fides and bottom. *5 Seggers are cafes made of fire-clay tefled from dirt or accident in tlie and pierced with holes ; in thefe the furnace, finer wares are baked, being thus pro- IntroduSiion. Ixxvii Shaped pieces with ornaments in relief, mafks, fpouts, handles, &c. are formed in moulds made of plafter of Paris {gejjo) upon the original models. Upon this fubje(ft our author refers to the 8th book of the " Pirotechnica " of S. Vaunuccio Beringuccio, but he neverthelefs gives us the method adopted by himfelf. The mould being ready, the potter's clay is formed into a cheefe-fhaped mafs, of a diameter fuitable to the fize of the mould ; from this flices are cut by means of a wire worked over two pieces of wood of the thicknefs of the required flice, and placed at either fide of the cheefe of clay. A (lice of even thicknefs being thus obtained it is prefled by the hand into the hollows of the mould ; that for the other fide of the piece is then fteadily preiTed over the clay which occupies the corre- fponding mould, and the excefs exuding from the edge between is neatly cut away. The foot would be fimilarly formed in another mould, and fubfequently attached to the bowl by means of lute {barhatind). This lute is made of the finer quality of clay, much worked and allowed to dry, then mixed with a certain quantity of the fhearings of fine woollen cloth, kneaded with water, and diluted to the confiftence of thick cream. To make fhaped vafes or ewers {hronzi antiche)^ a mould is formed to each fide of the piece, uniting longitudinally at the handle and fpout ; the clay preffed into each of thefe is neatly cut from the edge by means of the archetto^ a wire ftrained acrofs a forked flick, and joined to the correfponding fide with harbatina^ by which alfo the handle, formed in another mould, is attached to the piece, the infide being fmoothed at the joint by means of a knobbed flick [baftone). The pieces known as " abborchiati," fuch as falt-cellars with ornaments in rilievo, are formed in the fame manner, as are alfo the " fmar- tellati " or tazze, &c. formed after the manner of pieces in beaten metal {repoujfe) with bofies and radiating compartments in relief. Of thefe manv exifl in colledlions, the majoritv Ixxviii IntroduEiion. decorated with yellow and white grotefques, relieved by green, &c. on a dark blue ground, and with central medallions painted with heads or figures of the young St. John and other faints or cupids, on yellow ground, are ufually, and perhaps rightly, afcribed to the fabrique of Faenza. It is, however, clear, from the drawing given by PiccolpafTo (Tav. II, fig. 44), that fuch pieces were alfo made at Caftel Durante, and it is perhaps difficult to diftinguifh between thofe produced at one or the other fabrique. They were alfo made at Gubbio. The bafl?:et-like pieces {canefirelld) were fimilarly moulded. Having told us in his firfl: book the nature of the clay and the manner in which it was formed into fiiape by turning or by moulding, PiccolpafTo in his fecond book gives the receipts and methods of preparing the glaze and colours, beginning with the " marzacotto," the filicate of potafs, or glafs, which is the foundation of all glaze. He begins by telling us that, when in November and December the wines are racked from the lees, thefe laft [feccia) fhould be gathered on filtering bags and made into balls, which, being dried, are burnt with the addition of a few dry fticks in a place at fome diftance from the town, on account of the bad fmell which they emit ; they are furrounded by a low wall of brick or ftone, and the pure white afh is colleded in jars or barrels, flightly moiftened to make it adhere together, and referved for ufe. This is the potafh or alcaline element, and is preferred to that made by burning the tartar {grepola) colled:ed by fcraping from the wine cafks and burnt upon large ijnglazed pans placed over the furnace, although this laft is ufed by thofe who make vafes " alia Caftellana " (? fgraffiato ware). The next element is the fillceous fand, beft procured from San Giovanni, near Terina, beyond the Arno in Tufcany ; the which is white and clear as filver, heavy and free from im- IntroduSiion. 1 XXIX purity, and is known as " rena di San Giovanni." Anotlier kind, but of lefs excellent quality, comes from the Lake of Perugia ; it is not fo white. In Venice and at Padua they ufe a red- coloured fand from Udine, while at Verona and in Corfu certain ftones with clear filvery centres are burnt and reduced to powder for the purpofe. Of thefe ingredients — Rena (fand) - - lbs. 30 F eccia {^otz.^ - - „ 10 to 12 are intimately mixed together, and kept in earthen jars ready for fufing. The preparation of the " Bianchetto " is next defcribed. Take of the beft Flanders tin [ftagno) as much as you require, and melt it in a clean iron or earthen veffel, from which it is to be poured into one of wood, and kept rapidly ftirred with a wooden peftle ; it will be converted into cinders (oxide of tin) ; another method is to fqueeze the melted metal through a cloth. Then lay a fheet of paper on a common earthen pan, and fpread the oxide, covering it with a broken difh or pieces open at the fides, that the fire may enter when it is baked. For the " Verde " or green colour, take fome pieces of old copper and expofe them to the fire in a fiiallow pot ; it is better when it becomes of a red colour than when black, which proves it to be too much burnt, and requires to be mixed with alternate fi:rata of fulphur and fait and again placed in the furnace. So prepared and powdered it is known as " ramina " or " rame adufl:o." Then take — Antimonia - - lb. i or 3 Ramina - - - „ 4 „ 6 Piombo {hrujciato) - „ i „ 2 well mixed and pounded together. The antimony comes from Siena, and from the Maremma and Mafia, but that received from Venice is the befl:. Ixxx IntroduBio?t, The " Zallo," or darker yellow, is produced by the ruft of iron, the beft being that fcaled from off old anchors ; this is to be burnt in an earthen pot. Some afterwards foak it in urine, and others burn it with fulphur, as above defcribed for the copper. Ofthefe— Ferracia - - lb. i 2 or i J Piomho - - 3> ij 5 31 2 Antimonia - - 3, i 3 33 2 Some add a little feccia ; the whole is then well pounded to- gether and placed on paper in a difh. The " Zalluhno," or paler yellow, is made with — Antimonia - - lb. i or 2 Piomho - - - 33 I2" 3J 3 Feccia {once una) ~ oz. i „ i Sal comune „ - „ i „ i Thefe are all the made or compounded pigments ufed in the art; the natural ones are: Zaffara, called alfo "azzurro," for producing a blue colour, and which is brought from Venice ; and Manganefe, which is found in the neighbourhood, or brought from Tufcany. We are then told the manner of conftruding a reverberatory furnace, in which the tin and lead can be oxydized, and which is built of brick with an earth called " fciabione," probably a fort of fire-clay. It confifts of an elongated fquare ftru6ture, divided longitudinally into two compartments, in one of which is placed the fire, while the other is occupied, on a higher level, by a fhallow tray or trough made of tufo^ a volcanic fl:one, or of brick work, to contain the metals, upon and over which the flame of the burning wood is made to play in its paflage to the draft hole at the end. The metals are always mixed in the proportion — Tin {Stagno) - - lb. i Lead {Piomho)- = „ 4, 6 or 7 IntroduEiio7t. Ixxxi according to the quality required and the nature or purity of the tin. Thefe furnaces are capable of oxydizing from loo to 200 lbs. at one firing ; and the mixture of oxides when prepared is called " Stagno accordato." Lead alone oxydized is known as " Piombo abbruciato." As the oxide forms upon the molten metal it is drawn off by an iron inftrument and collected in a clean copper vefTel. The (artificial) " bianco allattato," or milky white, which was invented by the Duke Alfonfo d'Efte, of Ferrara, although wrongly called " bianco Faentino/' white of Faenza, is compofed of 35 or 40 parts of tin to 100 of lead, both of which muft be of the beft quality, according to the proverb " Piombo tedefco, ftagno fiandrefco." The proportions of ingredients ufed at Urbino for the colours, &c. differ but flightly from thofe given above, and at Citta di Caftello in the Marches, and many other places, varying quantities of the fame fubftances are ufed to produce the pig- ments, glaze, &c. We do not, however, think it neceffary to re-print all thefe details, which by our pradtical author's own admillion are varied according to the quality of the ingredients and the experience and pra6tice of the " maeftro," but merely give the proportions for making the " Marzacotto alia Caftellana" when tartar is ufed inftead of " feccia," namely, feven parts of the burnt tartar to thirty of fand ; and again a Venetian recipe for a tinted glaze, probably that which we find on the Venetian wares of the middle of the fixteenth century, viz. : — Feccia (potafh from wine lees) - lbs. 20 Rena (filiceous fand) - - :» 40 Azzurro (zafKr) - - oz. 8 Ramina (oxide of copper) - j, 4 At Venice alfo they frequently made ufe of" cenere di levante " inftead of " feccia," than which they were much flronger ; thefe probably were the afhes of marine plants, imported from the Ixxxii IntroduBion, Levant, and contained foda for their alcaline bafe. They alfo added fome " tuzia aleflandrina," a fublimate from the calamine ftone ufed in making brafs, to the ingredients for producing the yellow pigment " zallulino." In the Marches bol-armenian was ufed in the preparation of " zallo." The conftrudtion of the furnaces is the next fubjedl for con- fideration. They were built of brick, and of an elongated quadrilateral plan, divided into two ftories by an arched floor, pierced to allow of a free circulation to the heat ; the upper chamber, which is higher than the lower, is furnifhed with four fmall openings on the upper part of either fide {vedette)^ and nine fimilar ones in the vaulted roof; the lower chamber has a well, or deprefiion, funk about one foot beneath the furface, to receive the afhes from the fire, and both it and the upper one have an arched opening or feeding door {hoccd) at one end. The dimenfions ufual at Cafliel Durante were fix feet long by five wide, and fix high, but in Venice they were larger, for, fays Piccolpafix), " I have feen one at the houfe of M°. Francefco di Pier ten feet wide by twelve long, outfide, having three openings to feed the fire." In the upper chamber the wares are placed for baking, the finer forts being enclofed in the feggers {cafe) piled one above another, and the coarfer arranged between, fupported by pieces of tile, &c., and fo packed as to fill the chamber as much as poffible without impeding the free current of the fire. This is the firfi: baking, and at the fame time the pigments, prepared as previoufly defcribed, are fubmitted to the a6tion of the fire in the upper part of the furnace. The opening to the upper chamber is then roughly bricked and luted up, leaving only a fmall orifice [bocchetta) in the upper part. The fmall lateral openings {vedette) are alfo clofed, and thofe in the roof loofely covered with pieces of tile. The vafes containing the mixture of fand and feccia for making the marzacotto are then placed upon IntroduEiion, Ixxxiii each other under the furnace at the further end (probably in the lower or fire chamber). All being prepared, and invoking the name of God, " ufo Chriftiano," with the fign of the crofs, take a handful of ftraw and light the fire made of well-dried wood placed in the lower chamber, and which muft be gradually in- creafed for four hours, taking care that it is never pufhed too much, left the pieces run, or become too hard to receive the glaze. The furnace fhould be of a clear heat all throughout, and fo continued for about twelve hours, drawing away the afties from below with the " cacciabragie " or rake. When fufficiently baked let the fire burn out, and remove the cinders that all may become cool. The narrative changes at this exciting moment, and we are afforded an accurate defcription of the various mills {mulini) ufed for grinding the glaze and colours at Urbino, Venice, and other fites of the manufa6ture, and which confift of fixed funk tubs, at the bottom of which is a fmooth flooring of flint ftones accurately joined ; upon this bed Aides or works a fmaller ftone difc {macinelld)^ with an eccentric circular motion, produced by its being fixed upon the end of a bent perpendicular axle worked with a lever by hand power, or with cog and fpindle moved by a water-wheel (one of which he had feen at Fuligno) or draught animal. Before lighting the furnace the ingredients for the marza- cotto had been placed at the farther end of the fire chamber underneath ; on taking out it will be found fufed into a mafs ; from this the containing vafe muft be broken away, and the glafs itfelf crufhed in deep wooden mortars, pulverized, fifted, and wafhed. To make the ordinary white enamel or " bianco comune " take of — Mar-zacotto - - - lbs. 30 32 or 31 Stagno {accordato)^ mixed oxides of tin and lead {vide ante) - ,,12 1 2 „ 1 1 bs. 17 16 or 8- J5 20 20 j> 10 }} 12 13 3J 6 JJ 8 9 33 4 Ixxxtv IntroduEiion, and for its " coperta " or outer glaze — P/«?;;/^o (oxide of lead) - - lbs. 17 16 or %\ Rena (fand) Feccia (potafh) - Sale (common fait) In each cafe the ingredients are to be fufed together, pounded and ground in the mill. As in the preparation of the colours, fo we find that at Urbino and other fabriques the proportions of thefe ingredients were varied according to their quality, the charadter of the wares, and the habit of the maejiroy a larger quantity of the oxide of tin being ufed to produce a purer white enamel, as at Ferrara, where for the Marzacotto Ferrarefe take — Stagno - - - - lbs. 6 6 or 7 Rena - - - - a S S >y 5 Sale - - - - 33 3 9 ^y 9 Feccia - - - - 33 5 4 33 6 mixed, melted, pounded and milled ; to 24 lbs. of this compofi- tion add 24 lbs. of Stagno^ 24 of Rena^ and 7 of fait, and again mix, fufe, and reduce to fine powder in the mortar and the mill. It is not neceflary to quote from our author the many various recipes he gives, the preparation and compofition of which are all founded on the fame principles, except in the cafe of ufing a " flip " or " engobe " of white earth, as pradtifed at Citta di Caftello, Fuligno, &c. In thefe cafes the piece, after the firfl baking, is dipped into a bath of white earth of Vicenza, which has been milled into a creamy confiftence with water. It is then again flightly baked, and ready to receive the glaze, compofed of 9 lbs. of marza- cotto and 3 oi ■piombo. By many, a fmall quantity of zaffara is added to the mixture in the varying proportions of 3 ounces to from 15 to 60 lbs. of bianco. Introau&ion, Ixxxv A black pigment is compofed of — Rame arjo (burnt copper) lb. i or o or o Manganeje - - „ i „ i „ i .3 oz. Rena (fand) - - „ 6 „ 1 2 ,, 1 2 P/o»?<^i? (oxide of lead) - „ 10 „ 12 „ 14 Zaffara nera - - j, o „ i „ 2|- 2 " And now I will give you the ^ fbiancheggiati,' " that is made in " Lombardy, bearing in mind that the earth of Vicenza is ufed, as has been faid of the colours of Caftello — Rena - - lbs. 5 Piombo - lbs. 10 making the defign {dipingaft) on the white earth, when they fhall have had the earth of Vicenza ; I would fay with a ftyle of iron of this kind (gives defign), and this drawing is called 'fgraffio'" (p. 41). This is an interefting paflage, connecting as it does thefe incifed wares with the fabriques of Lombardy, to which, from the character of the defigns upon the earlier pieces, we have always afligned them. Neither need we follow our amorous maeftro through all the poetic rhapfodies of his 42nd page, in which he tells us that he has undertaken the work to relieve his mind from conftant thought of his beloved lady, whofe various charms he compares, in high-flown eulogy, with all that is glorious in nature and in art ; " for," fays he, " the more I feek to free myfelf from amorous thoughts by the combination of a piombo and a fiagno to my foul the beautifully proportioned features of my * bella amata' conftantly appear, refledled, as it were, in the various colours ; but I know no luftre that would paint her golden hair, or black that is not inferior to that of her beauteous lafhes. The flafh of her divine eyes is comparable to nothing but the fcintillation of the fun's rays. The beautiful * bianco di Fer- rara ' appears black, harfh, and red when placed befide her fmooth and delicate arm ; and for her fmile ! art is incapable Ixxxvi IntroduBion, of producing any obje6l that could caufe a fradlion of the happhiefs which it conveys." Oh ! admirable potter, whofe art not only fafhioned the cold clay into forms of beauty, and clothed them with colour ^' rich as an evening fky," but drew poetic fimile from earthy mixture in mentally painting her charms, which hand could not portray. How gladly would we pofTefs one of thofe love tokens, thofe tondiniy with Cupid in the midft, or hearts united by the filken ribbon or the piercing dart, or inefficient portrait of your " bella incognita," upon which you muft have expended all your artiftic power to make worthy of her acceptance and of the reward of that " dolciffimo rifo." In his third book he goes into further details of the glaze and colours, manner of painting, firing, &c. The " bianchetto," which is only once baked, and the other colours, being removed from the furnace, are triturated with water on a " piletta," or hand colour mill, or by means of a peftle and mortar, to reduce them to a fine powder, and pafTed through a horfe-hair fieve. Some grind them on a flab of porphyry, which is even better. The green pigment may be baked two or three times. The " zallo " and the " zallulino," after once or twice baking, are covered with earth and again baked in the hotteft part of the furnace. The white enamel glaze, having been properly milled, and fined through a fieve, is made into a bath with water to the confiftency of milk. The pottery baked in bifcuit is taken out of the furnace, and after being carefully dufted with a fox's tail, is dipped into this bath of glaze and immediately withdrawn, or fome of the pieces may be held in the left hand, while the liquor is poured over them from a bowl. A trial piece fiiould fhow the thicknefs of glove leather, in the adhering coat. The " invetriatura " having been thus applied, and the Introdu&ion, Ixxxvii pieces allowed to dry, are now ready to receive the painting. This is executed with coarfer and finer brufhes or penelli^ made of goats' and afTes' hair, and the fineft of the whifkers of rats or mice; the ordinary wares being held in the left hand or on the left knee, and the finer in wooden cafes, lined with tow, to pre- vent rubbing. A different brufh muft be ufed for each colour. The painters generally fit round a circular table, fufpended from the ceiling, which turns round, and upon which the different pigments are placed. The outlines and fhadows are painted with a mixture of zallo and zaffara nera in the proportions of 2 parts of the former to ^ and i-| of the latter, the firfl mixture producing the lighter tint known as " mifla chiara," the fecond a darker colour, the " mifta fcura." With the former the fketch is made, and the fhadows put in ; with the other you retouch and finifh. In the abfence of zaffara nera make a mixture of equal quantity, compofed, one half of good zafHr and one half of manganefe, to add to the zallo. For a tree, dead flefh, flones, and certain roadways in full light, take of — Zallulino, 1. Bianchetto, 3 oi* 4 parts. For timber or woodwork, and fome roads, with the flones reddened, Zallo y I. Blanche tto 3 i| or 2. For the fky, the fea, fleel, and other iron, &c. Zaffara 3 i. Bianchetto^ 2 or 3. For ploughed land, flreet, ruins, and ftone work, Mijia chiara, i. BianchettOy 2. For green fields, certain foliage, or fhrubs, in funlight, ZallulinOy i. Raminay 1. For the hair, ZallulinOy 1. Zallo y i. Ixxxviii IntroduBion, The painters, neverthelefs, vary thefe proportions, and the pigments are ufed lighter or darker, according to what they require. PiccolpafTo ftates (p. 48) that as yet a red colour is unknown to their art, but that he has feen it ufed in the " bottega di Vergiliotto in Faenza," beautiful as cinnabar, but it is deceitful or uncertain. It is made by grinding bolo-arminio with red vinegar, and painting over the zalluUno. This may probably be the rich red, notable upon fome of the wares attributed to Faenza, and alfo abundantly ufed at Caffaggiolo. Certain precautions, we are told, are neceffary in ufing the bianco ferrarefe^ which is apt to have air bubbles, being applied twice as thick as the [ordinary enamel, and, moreover, can only be painted over with the black and blue zaffir, the former for outlines, the other for fhading, uiing only zalluUno and zallo for finifhing the fubjedl. From the excellent Ferrara white invented by Duke Al- fonfo, we are led to confider the method of glazing ordinary common pans and other veflels. Piombo (oyixdLQ of lead) - lbs. 3 21 or 20 Rena (fand) - - „ 2 7 jj 8 Ferraccia (oxide of iron) - oz. \\ lbs. i „ i this being, in fadl, nothing more than the ordinary yellow coloured lead glaze ufed for the infide of common red earthen- ware in England and elfewhere. To return to the painted pieces, thefe, after being dried in a clean place, taking care that the " bianco " is not chipped or rubbed off, are painted with zalluUno on the outer edge, and are then ready to receive the " coperta " or outer glaze ; the compofition of this, correfponding with the enamel, has been already given (p. Ixxxiv), and it is milled and prepared in every way like the " bianco." The bath, fmiilarly prepared. IntroduEiion. , Ixxxix mull be more liquid, as a thinner tranflucent coating only is required over the colours ; into this the pieces are dipped, precifely as in the former procefs, and being again dried, are ready for the final firing. For this purpofe the furnace, after being well cleaned, is lined under the arching with a luting, compofed of " fciabione," a fort of fire-clay mixed with afTes' dung, and iron fcales from the blackfmith's. The furnace is then filled with the wares in their feggars, &c., in which the pieces are fupported by points or proni-, tripods, triangles, &c., made of clay, as on the firft baking, and the fire applied in the fame way by the lower chamber. Care is required in packing the furnace, that it be full without overcrowding, and that a free current be left for the heat to pafs among all the pieces, filling fpaces not occupied by the feggars with crude wares, colours to be baked, &:c., as before. After prayer and thankfgiving to God commence the fire, not, however, without obferving the ftate of the moon, for this is of the greateft importance. Thofe who are old and expe- rienced in the art ftate that you fhould avoid firing at the waning of the moon ; the fire will want in brightnefs, as the • moon wants in fplendour. Avoid alfo doing it at the period of the aquatic figns of the zodiac, as this is very perilous. The heat is to be increafed little by little, avoiding fmoke in the furnace, and after about eleven hours of firing open one of the fide " vedette," and fee if all is bright and clear within. This do alfo with the others, and fhould one part be lefs heated than another, place additional fuel at that end, opening the upper orifices in the roof, that the draught may be increafed in that diredion. When all is equally fired, allow it to go down, but in order to examine whether it has fucceeded, take the " vedetta," a long iron rod, at the end of which is a focket, in which place a piece of dried willow wood ; introduce this at the lateral openings and it will take fire, illuminating the interior, and enabling you to examine the ftate of the wares. xc IntroduSiion, Our author iinifhes his third book by referring to a feries of defigns in his atlas, illuftrative of the ftyles of decoration ; they are as follows : — Trofei. — Arms, muficaj inftruments, books, tools, &c., fpread over a coloured ground ; of very general ufe, particularly in the ftate of Urbino. Rabefche. — Arabefques of oriental derivation, after damafcened work, generally upon a light ground, and more in ufe at Venice and Genoa. Cerquate. — Wreaths and diapering of oak branches, and acorns ; much ufed in the Duchy of Urbino, in compliment to the reigning family, Delia Rovere. Generally in dark yellow on a blue ground, and frequently encircling a central medallion. Grotefche. — Male and female figures, with foliated limbs and in grotefque combinations, with animals, &c. ; on white, and on coloured grounds. Foglie. — Leafage covering the furface. Genoa and Venice. Fiori. — Flowers intertwined, with birds in camdieu. Venice. Frutti. — Fruits mixed with foliage, fimilarly ufed. Foglie da dozzena. — A coarfer variety of foglie on inferior wares. Much made at Venice. Paeji. — Landfcapes, with buildings, &c. Alfo frequent at Venice and Genoa. Porcelan. — Light fcroll-work, foliated and with flowers, in blue on a white ground. Tirata. — Strapwork or interlacings, mixed with light foliated fcrolls on a white ground, with or without a central white ornament. Sopra Bianco. — More accurately called " bianco fopra bianco," Grecian honeyfuckle, and various ornament painted in a white pigment on a white ground. duartiere. — Foliated decoration, in equal compartments, radiating from the centre. Introdti&io7i. xci Groppij con fond'i e fenza. — Strapwork interlaced to form figures, or to enclofe medallions with bufts, &c., on a darker ground, and intermixed with foliated ornament. Candelliere. — Grotefques arranged with fymmetry, generally about a central foliated ftem. Much ufed in the Duchy of Urbino. In a fupplement Piccolpaflb gives us an account of the maimer of making majolica^ and it will be obferved that throughout his narrative he has never applied that term to the painted and glazed wares produced at his own ^^ botega," or at any of the others to which he refers. He tells us that he feels he ought not to omit the account of it, which he has received from others, although he has never made, or even witnefTed the making of it himfelf (" non ch' io ne abbia mai fatto ne men veduto fare "). " I know well," he fays, " that it is painted over finifhed works ; this I have feen in Ugubio, at the houfe of one Maeftro Cencio," except that the portion of the defign which is to receive the luftre colour is left white at the firft painting ; thus, a figure in a grotefque whofe extremities are to be luftred will only have thofe parts painted which are to be coloured, leaving thofe extremities merely iketched in outline on the white ground ; thefe, after the colours have been fet by firing, are fubfequently touched with the luftre pigment, compofed as follows : — Rojfo da Majolica. 'Terra RoJJa - - - oz. Bolo Arminio - - „ Feretto di Spagnia - - „ Cinabrio - - - ,, A. B. 3 6 I o 1 3 o 3 xcii Introdu&ion. To the fecoiid mixture B (called " majolica d' oro ") is added a " carlino " of calcined filver, grinding them all together, then place them in a pipkin, with a " quattrino," ^^ and fill with red vinegar, in which they are to macerate until the latter is all con- fumed ; it is then again ground up with more vinegar, and applied with a brufh to thofe parts of the defign to be luftred. The procefs of firing differs from the former one, inafmuch as that the pieces are not enclofed in feggars, but are expofed to the diredt adlion of the flames. The furnace is differently conftruded, the fire chamber fquare in form, having no arched roof pierced with holes, but only two interfering arches of brick to fupport the chamber above, the four corners being left as openings for the free current of the flames. Upon thefe arches is placed a large circular chamber or vefTel, formed of fire-clay, which fits into the fquare brick ftrufture, touching at the four fides, and fupported on the interfering arches beneath, but leaving the angles free. This inner chamber is pierced in all diredtions with circular holes, to allow the flames free pafTage among the wares. The method of building thefe furnaces is kept guarded, and it is pretended that in it and the manner of firing confift the great fecrets of the art. The Jcudelli are packed with the edge of one againfl: the foot of another, the firft being fupported on an unglazed cup. The furnaces are fmall, only from three to four feet fquare, becaufe this art is uncertain in its fuccefs, frequently only fix pieces being good out of one hundred ; '^ true the art is beautiful and ingenious, and when the pieces are good they pay in gold." Only three varieties are produced, golden, filver, and red ; other colours can only be given by the other method. The fire is increafed gradually, and is made of palli or dry willow branches ; with thefe three hours firing is given, then, when ^6 Small copper coin. IntroduEiion, xciii the furnace fhows a certain clearnefs, having in readinefs a quantity of dry broom {ginejire o vogliam fpartid) ceafe ufing the willow wood, and give an hour's firing with this ; after, with a pair of tongs remove a fample from above. Others leave an opening {yedettd) in one of the fides, by which a fample or trial, painted on a piece of broken ware, can be removed for examination, and if it appears fufiiciently baked, decreafe the fire. This done, allow all to cool, then take out the wares, and allow them to foak in a leffive of foap-fuds, wafii and rub them dry with a piece of flannel, then with another dry piece and fome afhes (of wood) give them a gentle rubbing, which will develope all their beauty. " This is all, as it appears to me, that can be faid about the majolica, as alfo about the other colours and mixtures that are required in this art." The foregoing is an abftrad or epitome of this curious and interefl:ing manufcript, which gives us a perfedl idea of the manner, and comparatively fimple appliances, under which thefe beautiful and highly decorative examples of the potter's art were produced in Italy during the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries. The rationale of thefe procefi^es are clear enough, and require no comment, but we may perhaps remark, that whereas the fixing of the glaze and colours in the ordinary pro- cefs is merely produced by a degree of heat fufficient to liquefy and blend them, in the cafe of the metallic refledion a difl^erent efFed is requifite, and different means adopted. The pigments confift partly of metallic falts, which being painted on the wares, after expofure to a fimple heat for fome time, have then direded upon their glowing furface the heated fmoke given off by the fagots of broom ; this fmoke being in fad carbon in a finely divided fl:ate, has great power, at a high temperature, of xciv IntroduEiion, reducing metals from their falts ; painted on the wares thefe are thereby decompofed, leaving a thin coat of mixed metal, varying in colour and iridefcence from admixture with the glaze and other caufes, and producing the beautiful effe6ls fo well known. The various names by which the Italian pottery of the renaiffance has been known, have in fome inftances arifen from, as they have alfo led to, error. " Faenza ware," doubtlefs, had its origin from the town of that name, although its French equivalent " faience," may either be a tranflation of the Italian, or may, as has been fuggefted, be derived from a town in Pro- vence, called " Faiance " or " Fayence," a few miles from Cannes and Frejus, where potteries are ftated to have exifted from an early period. We fhall recur to this fubje(5t under the fabrique of Faenza. "Urbino ware" and "Umbrian ware" explain themfelves as allufive to thofe important iites of the manufadure, while the name of " Raffaelle ware " was doubt- lefs derived from the fubjedls after his defigns, with which fo many pieces were painted^ and from the grotefques after his manner, A very beautiful drawing of his fchool, and which has been afcribed to Raffaelle's own pencil, is in the Royal Colledion at Windfor. It is for the border of a plate, and confifts of a continuous circular group of amorini, dancing in the moft graceful attitudes. Scripture fubje6ls are perhaps more general upon the pieces of early date, particularly thofe of Faenza, on which defigns from Albert Diirer, Martin Schon, and other German painters are found, executed with the greateft care ; fuch fubjects were alfo ufed at CafFaggiolo. The fpirit of the renaiffance awaken- ing a paffion for the antique, declared itfelf in the numerous reprefentations from Greek and Roman hiftory and mythology, fcenes from Homer, the metamorphofes of Ovid, and the like, which formed the main flock fubjeds for the wares of the Umbrian fabriques, excepting always the facred hiftories de- httroduEiion. xcv lineated fo admirably by Orazio Fontana and others, from the defigns of Raffaelle and his fcholars. It was among the artifts of this Duchy that the habit of writing the fubje6t on the back of the piece chiefly prevailed, and the prefent catalogue will give fufficient fpecimens of curious fpelling and ftrange latinity without further quotation. Tranfmutation of fubjed is not rare, as the burning of the " Borgo " for the Siege of Troy, and others. Nor need we here give illuftrations or enter into many details of form, as they will be abundantly fupplied in the body of the catalogue. They appear to have varied con- fiderably at different localities of the craft, partaking of a claffic origin, mixed with fome orientalifm in the earlier, and Gothic forms in the more northern pieces ; but upon all the exu- berance of fancy and rich ornamentation chara6leri{lic of the Italian " cinque-cento " is made evident, as it is upon the furni- ture, the bronzes, and the jewellery of that artifliic period. There can be little doubt that the maiolica and finer painted wares were looked upon at the time they were produced as objefts of ornament or as fervices " de luxe." The more ordinary wares or dozzinale were doubtlefs ufed for general domeftic purpofes in the houfes of the higher claffes, but the finer pieces decorated by better artifts were highly prized. Thus we find that fervices of fuch were only made for royal or princely perfonages, frequently as prefents from the reign- ing prince of the State in which they were produced. So alfo at Sevres and at Meiffen, although it does not appear that the Italian fabriques were maintained and in the ex- clufive hands of royalty, except, perhaps, in a few inftances. Some of the choiceft fpecimens in our cabinets were fingle gift pieces ; fmall plates and Jcodelle^ which it was then the fafhion for gallants to prefent, filled with preferves or confetti^ to the ladies of their choice. Many of thefe are of the form known as tondino, fmall, with a wide flat brim, and funk M. g xcvi httroduEiion. centre ; in this the central medallion is generally occupied by a figure of Cupid, hearts tied by ribbon, or pierced by arrows ; the fede or joined hands, and fimilar amatory devices, or with a fhield of arms and initial letters. The borders are painted with grotefques and trophies, among which fonnets and mufic fometimes occur, and medallions with love emblems, portraits, and armorial bearings. Thefe amatorii pieces alfo occur as large plates and deep faucers, hacinetti or tazze and fruttierey the furface of which is entirely covered with a por- trait of the beloved, accompanied by a ribbon or banderole, on which her name is infcribed, with the complimentary accompaniment of " bella," " diva," " paragon di tutti," &;c. Other fuch pieces are decorated in the manner of the tondiniy curious amatory fentences and emblems being intro- duced among the ornaments. Jugs, vafes, and other fhaped pieces were alfo decorated in a fimilar ftyle. A curious ex- ample, formerly poiTefled by the Marquis d'Azeglio, is figured in Delange's " Recueil " (pi. 8), it is a bell made of this pottery, and infcribed " Bella dei Belle." The number of fuch pieces in this Mufeum renders it quite unnecefTary to quote the naive fentences from others. All objects for table ufe : inkftands, ornamental vafes, and quaint furprifes ; fait- cellars of curious forms ; jugs of various fize and model ; drug pots and flafks in great variety ; pilgrims' bottles, vafques, and cifterns {rinfrejcatoio)^ candelabra and candlefticks, rilievos and figures in the round ; in fhort, every obje6b capable of being produced in varied fancy by the potter's art ; even to beads for necklaces, fome of which are in the writer's pofiefiion, decorated with knot work and con- centric patterns, and infcribed feverally andrea • bella = MARGARITA ' BELA * = MEMENTO * ME ' ; thcfc, the Only CX- amplcs hitherto recorded, are finifhed with confiderable care, and are probably of the earlier years of the fixteenth century. I?ttroduEiion, xcvii There is little doubt that many of the pieces oftenfibly for table ufe, were only intended and applied for decorative pur- pofes, to enrich the ihelves of the " credenza," " dreflbir," or high-backed fideboard, intermingled with gold and filver plate, Venetian glafs, &c. Such pieces were known as " piatti di pompa," or fhow plates, and among them are fome of the moft important and beautiful of the larger difhes and bacili, as well as the more elaborate and elegant of the fliaped pieces. CHAPTER III. Collections. Italy. COLLECTIONS of the finer examples of Italian Maiolica and enamelled pottery muft have been formed in various royal and noble palaces at the time of their produftion, fpecimens re- ceived as prefents and others purchafed in encouragement of the art, being without doubt prized and guarded for their ornamental excellence. Perhaps the moft extenfive may have been that of the Dukes of Urbino, which eventually in great part would feem to have reverted to the Medici family, at Florence, on the marriage of Vittoria, granddaughter to Francefco Maria II. with Ferdinand de' Medici, after the Duchy had been abforbed into the Pontifical States. It probably is the remainder of that colledlion which now forms fo rich an aflbrtment of the wares of the Urbino fabriques, belonging to g 2 xcvdii IntrodiiEiion. the Italian Government, and exhibited in the Mufeum of the Bargello, in Florence. We fhall enter into a more detailed confideration of this colledlion under the head of the Urbino fabrique. Perhaps from the fame cabinet came fome of thofe fine Urbino pieces, which are faid to have been procured from Cofmo III. de' Medici, by his friend Sir Andrew Fountaine, and which now form portion of the rich colleClion at Narford Hall. The vafes of the '' Spezieria," attached to the palace at Urbino, ordered by Duke Guidobaldo II. of the Fontana family, were prefented by Francefco Maria II. to the Santa Cafa at Loreto, where they are ftill in great part preferved. (See ante^ p. Ixi, and Urbino.) Until within the laft ten years many of the Italian palaces contained fpecimens of thefe wares, which had been in the poiTeffion of the families from the time of their produdion, but the greed of colledlors and the demands for public mufeums ftimulated the activity of dealers throughout Europe, and almoft every houfe in Italy has been ranfacked for its ceramic treafures. The need or cupidity of the owners, or the ne- ceffities of the divifion of property after death, have in too many instances caufed them to part with thefe heirlooms; fo much io^ indeed, that England and France individually pofTefs more fpecimens of thefe wares than remain in the native land of their production. The decline of tafte for objedts of the " cinque-cento," which fupervened upon their decadence, followed by troublous times, and the devaftating wars of the laft century, caufed many of thefe pieces to be ftowed or hid away in lumber clofets, or cellars, and it is only within the laft quarter of a century that many of them have again been brought to light. Such was the cafe at one of the Roman palaces, where an oval ciftern of the largeft fize and higheft quality of Urbino ware, two fmaller ones, and feveral large difhes and other pieces, among IntroduSiion, xcix them a fine luftred Xanto, were, not many years fince, unearthed from a cellar. Some few amateurs and antiquaries, as PafTeri, gathered ftray pieces, while others continued to adorn the in- habited or defolate fhow rooms, the plates being frequently mounted in frames, and hung as pictures on the walls. The Bargello Colledlion at Florence is the only important one in that city. A few pieces ftill remain in fome of the palaces, as a fine Urbino difh in the Corfini, and fome plates of a fervice painted by Xanto for the Strozzi family, now in pofTeffion of the Marchefe Carlo of that name. Count Gafton Larderel alfo has a cabinet. Important examples are frequently in the hands of the principal dealers, but are neceflarily ever on the wing. MefTrs. Forefi, Gagliardi, Egidii, Rufca, and the too well known Freppa, &c. have had fome of the moft valu- able pieces through their hands. The palaces of Rome have not efcaped the general fack. The Villa Albani formerly had a rich colle(51;icn, but moft of thefe Mr. Barker, fome years fince, made his own. The Prince Giuftiniani Bandini had one of the fineft M°. Giorgio's which have defcended to us, but it and its companion Xanto became the property of Baron Parpart. In the Barberini palace is an oval vafque of the largeft fize, and fome other pieces. Monfignore Cajani has fome examples, particu- larly the rilievos afcribed to M°. Giorgio, which formed a framing to the altar piece of the Rofario, the centre of which is in the Frankfort Mufeum. Mrs. and Mifs Lockwood, long refidents in the eternal city, pofTefs in addition to a choice cabinet of oriental and other porcelain, an interefting feries of Italian wares. Madame Gauthier and M. Dutuit alfo poflefs fome fpecimens. Naples and the South of Italy have but little except of the later wares of that city and of Caftelli. Signor Aleflandro Caftellarii has a choice collediion, fince re- moved to Rome, but we fear only a fleeting pcireffion. IntroduBion» Arezzo pofTefles in the city mufeum a room full of ex- amples, among them a very fine early Faenza plate, fome by Xanto, and other good fpecimens of Caftel Durante and other fabriques. At Pifa Is the cabinet of Signor Tofcanelli. At Siena is the colledion of Signor Aleflandro Saraceni ; among the reft a fine plate with the monogram of Orazio Fontana. At Volterra there are fome examples in the Cafa MafFei. At Gubbio the Rangbrafci are faid to poffefs fpecimens ; from La Fratta, near Perugia, the Mavorelli CoUedlion has been added to the Caftellani. Count Baglioni, at Perugia, we believe, has a cabinet ; but that of Signor Tordelli, at Spoleto, has been recently difperfed. At Fermo, we believe that Sig. RafFaelle de Minicis ftill retains his examples, but Urbania no longer pofTefTes thofe of their hiftorian, Sig. Giufeppe Raffaelle. At Ferrara, in the Strozzi palace, about twenty pieces are framed, but fo fixed as to be examined with difficulty. The Gallery at Modena poftefies fome from the Caftle at Ferrara. At Pefaro is a large collection at the Hofpital for Incurables, bequeathed to that inftitution by the Cavaliere Mazza, among which are fome fine examples. They have been enumerated and defcribed by Sig, G. J. Montanari, in his " Lettera al Ch. Sig. L. Bertuccioli." Bologna, in the Mufeum of the Univerfity, has a choice colledtion, made chiefly under the guidance of Sig. Frati, and to which we have had frequent occafion to allude. The Delfette Colledion, fo ably catalogued by Sig. Frati, has been entirely difperfed, but the tiled flooring of the Marfigny Chapel in S. Petronico is now well cared for. httroduEiion. * ci At Venice the Correr Colledion. has the important feries of early Faenza plates, dated 1482, by the artift who figns with a monogram compofed of the combined letters T . B. An exquifite ewer by Giorgio, and other fine fpecimens defcribed in the excellent catalogue by its late lamented director, Sig. V. Lazari. Our country- man, Mr. Rawdon Brown, has fome pieces, and the tiles in a chapel of S, Sebaftiano are noteworthy. Brefcia, in the Mufeum, has a Giorgio, and others are in the Palazzo Bronomi. Milan, in the Brera, has a few fine examples, and in the Library of the Trivulzio Palace. Spain. At Madrid there are fpecimens in the Difpenfary of the Efcurial, and At Seville, La Cartuja contains the colledlion of M. Pick- mann. Germany. Drefden. In the Japan Palace there are fome 180 examples, but the wares of Italy of the better period are but poorly reprefented in that rich affemblage of ceramic productions. Berlin has a large number of pieces in her mufeum, but when feen by the writer they were placed without any regard to arrangement, many of the finer examples being almoft out of fight, and inferior late wares occupying ' the beft pofitions. The colleftion greatly needs claffification and a catalogue. Ludwigfberg pofiefi^es the examples mentioned by Goethe, and Hanover, that bequeathed by the late M. Keftner, fo long refident at Rome. cii IntroduElion, Brunfwick, in the ducal palace, alfo has an extenfive col- ledion which fuffered much breakage and lofs confe- quent upon the wars of the firft empire. It ftill has fome fine pieces, but the fame want of arrangement and catalogue exifts as in the other German mufeums. Sigmaringen, in the mufeum, and near CafTel, at the Wilhelmfhohe, are a number of pieces, as alfo at Wilhelmfthal. Switzerland. Thun. At Chateau Hiineg, on the border of the lake, is the rich colledlion formed by the late Baron Parpart, who purchafed the remarkable Giorgio from Prince Bandini,^^ and whofe lovely villa is a mufeum of maio- lica, Drefden porcelain, glafs, and other art objedls, attefting to the excellent tafte of their lamented colledlor. Geneva. The Baron A. De Rothfchild has an exquifite ewer by M°. Giorgio, and other examples among his art treafures at Pregny. Holland. The Hague, in the well-known colledion of china, pofTefTes a few good pieces of Italian ware, particularly a Caftel Durante circular diih finely painted. Sweden. Stockholm pofTeffes fome good examples in her mufeum, fome of which are illuftrated in Delange's folio work. ^7 This noble difh, which was fold price nearly doubling that amount, for Mdme. Parpart, at 880/., has fmce We rejoice chat it is now in England, been acquired by Sir R. Wallace, at a IntroduEiion, ciii Rujfm alfo has fpecimens in the houfes of fome of her wealthy nobles, among the non-refident of whom are fome of the pofleflbrs of rich colledlions in other countries. France. The Louvre Colledion is rich in number, amounting to over 650 pieces, among which are many of the greateft beauty and intereft. It has been ably catalogued by M. Alfred Darcel, whofe work is frequently referred to in thefe pages. The Hotel Cluny is alfo rich in its Italian pottery, having many pieces of note, which are referred to. Some highly interefling fpecimens were preferved in the rich Ceramic Mufeum at Sevres, but it is greatly to be feared that the neceffity of its removal to efcape the danger of French and German projediles during the late war, may have fubjedled it to a lefs immediate, but not lefs fatal, viiitation ; and that the return of wounded and miffing fpecimens, par- ticularly among the higher ranks, may be painfully extenfive when reinftated on its former fhelves ; no longer, alas, to be fuperintended by its lamented cuftodian the late M. Riocreux. The private colledions, like many of thofe in England and Italy, have been greatly fcattered v/ithin the laft few years. Thofe of Debruge Dumenil, SoltykofF, De Sellieres, Pourtales, Vifconti, Rattier, and Louis Fould have pafTed under the audlioneer's hamm^er, while that of M. Sauvageot is abforbed, by his bequeft, into the Louvre. There yet remain many which are very rich, among them may be particularly mentioned thofe of the Barons Saloman Alphonfe and of Guftave de Rothfchild, the laft, one of the fineft in Europe ; Prince Ladiilaus Czartorifky ; M. Bafilewfki, Jofeph Fau, M. Leroy Ladurie, Baron Dejean. M. Ch. civ IntroduSiion. SchaefFer has a fine colledion of Perfian and Rhodian ware, and Baron J. C. Davlllier is rich in thofe, as alfo in Hifpano- Morefque, as well as pofTeffing fome important pieces -of Italian pottery, referred to in this volume. There are examples alfo in the poffeflion of MM. — Comte d'Armaille. Dodor Belliol. Le Blanc. Bonafe. M. Bonnet. Cherubini. ComteiTe de Cambis. Fayet. Alfred Gerente. Paul Gegnault. Meufnier. Comte de Montbrun. Edouard Pafcal. Poucet. Marquis de Saint-Seine. D'Yvon. At Rouen, M. Dutuit has a rich cabinet of Italian pottery, and there are fpecimens in the mufeum of that city. ENGLAND. The choiceft colledlion of Italian pottery in England, and perhaps in the world, is that in the Britifh Mufeum ; although not extenfive (about i6o fpecimens) it is remarkable for the artiftic excellence of the fpecimens, the many pieces figned by the painters, and the illuftration of almoft every period and fabrique of the art. The nucleus of this colle6lion is a piece which came into the Mufeum by bequeft of Sir Hans Sloane, its original founder. At the difperfion of the IntroduEiion, cv Bernal Colledlion the attention of the Truftees was dire6ted to this branch of ancient art, in which our National Mufeum was fadly deficient, and we owe to the knowledge and keen perception of Mr. A. W. Franks, the accumulation of this invaluable feries, the which, moreover, he greatly enriched by numerous donations from his own cabinet. More important in regard to numbers, and perhaps equally fo with refped to choice fpecimens, is the South Kenfington Colledion, of which this is the catalogue. The writer well recolleds the confutation held, and the examination of the firft piece about to be acquired for the new Mufeum (the fine St. Francis plate by M°. Giorgio), by the amateurs and con- noifTeurs to whom it was fhown at Marlborough Houfe in 1854. The Bernal fale followed, and the Soulages Colledlion was acquired by purchafe.^ But we are indebted to the un- tiring energy and acute difcernment of Mr. J. C. Robinfon for the feleftions made from the Bernal and various other fales, and for the important examples purchafed by him in Italy and elfewhere. In the Mufeum of Economic Geology are a few examples illuftrative of the application of natural materials to art pur- pofes, fome of which are interefting, and are referred to under the refpedlive fabriques to which they may belong, and in the Soane Mufeum is a quoted fpecimen. Private Collections. As in France and Italy, the difperfion of private colle6tions has been painfully frequent during the laft few years in England. With the exception of Mr. Fountaine's, no fpecial colle6tions of maiolica or Italian pottery exifted in England half a century ago. Horace Walpole, at Strawberry Hill, had feveral fine pieces in his extenfive and very mifcellaneous alTemblage, as was the cafe at Stowe and fome other noble cvi IntroduEiion. manfions. The difperfion of the Strawberry Hill colledlion was an event, and prices were deemed high, although perhaps not one fourth, or in fome inftances one tenth, of what they would now realize. The fale of the contents of the Duke of Buckingham's feat at Stowe alfo brought many choice fpecimens into the market, and ferved to enrich other cabinets, particularly that of Mr. Ralph Bernal, at whofe death his alfo was brought to the hammer. This fale was a great event ; no fuch extenfive and choice colle6lion had ever been difperfed in England, and it occurred at a moment when the attention of antiquaries and connoiffeurs was keenly diredled towards the arts of the Italian renaifTance. The truftees of the Britifh Mufeum, and the Committee of Council on Education, then forming the mufeum at Marl- borough Houfe, had their attention direded to this unufual opportunity for enriching the national colleftions ; amateurs and dealers, antiquarians and dilletanti, flocked from all parts of England and the Continent, the colledtion being fo rich in all the various categories of art obje6ls. Competition was great, and prices far exceeded thofe of Stowe and Strawberry Hill. Some of the choiceft fpecimens in the Britifli and the South Kenflngton Mufeums were acquired on this occafion, the greater part having been purchafed by our Go- vernment. Since that period many other cabinets have been difpofed of in London, as the Montcalm, the Uzielli, the Marryat, and others. The Marquis d'Azeglio, changing his tafle for maiolica to the porcelain of his native country, fold his colle6lion in Paris, and that of Mr. Barker has pafTed into the pofTeffion of Mr. Cook of Richmond (Vifconde de Mont- ferrat), with the exception of fome few pieces. Mr. Addington alfo has parted with his fine examples, as alfo has Mr. Morland. The oldeft, and at the fame time the richeft, private collec- tion of Italian pottery in this or in any other country is that IntroduEiion. cvii belonging to Mr. Andrew Fountaine, of Narford Hall, in Nor- folk, and its wealth is enhanced and fupported by an equally rich aflemblage of the wares of Oiron or Henri Deux, of PalifTy, of Nevers, and of the enamels of Limoges. This royal and noble company has a chamber exclufively devoted to its difplay. Mr. Marryat, in his Hiftory of Pottery, defcribes the room in which it was then contained, but within the laft few years the prefent owner has built a larger one for its reception. The old odlagon, now entirely filled with Oriental porcelain, opens from the fmaller drawing room, which forms a wing to the larger, at the end of which an oblong o6lagon, of increafed fize, has been conftrudled. It is entirely of ftone and metal ; and here the colledion is ranged on fhelves around, niches above affording convenient placement for the larger Italian and Nevers vafes, while encircling the floor, the great PalifTy and Urbino cifterns, &c. form a fitting bafement. As in the fmaller odlagon, it is lighted from above, and com- municates with the drawing room by a door formed of one large flieet of plate glafs. It is not neceffary to enter into any detail of the numerous remarkable examples which this room contains, as they are fre- quently referred to in the following pages under the various fabriques to which they are affigned, but fome notice of the hiftory of the colledion may be given. Its original founder. Sir Andrew Fountaine, inherited Narford Hall from his father, who had built it, and who had there cultivated the friendfhip of Pope, rendering his houfe " the rendezvous of living genius and a repofitory for works of art and learning." Sir Andrew tra- velled much, long refiding in Italy, where he was in great favour with the Grand Duke Cofmo III. de' Medici, in the earlier part of the laft century. From him it is believed that Sir Andrew may have acquired fome of the finer fpecimens of Limoges and Ne- vers, as alfo probably of the Italian pottery. His love for art was CVIU hitroduEiion, greatly in advance of the period, extending, as it did, to objeds of this clafs, then comparatively little appreciated, a circumftance which, aided by his own knowledge, enabled him to form a rich colleftion. Returning to England, Narford became a mufeum of pidures and other works of art, where Sir Andrew cultivated the fociety of the learned, and enjoyed the friendfhip of Swift, who mentions him in the Journal to Stella in terms of high regard. He died in 1753.^^ The colle6tion has been, moreover, greatly added to by the prefent owner, who, altering and enlarging the houfe, availed himfelf of the opportunities offered by the fale of the Bernal and other cabinets of note, to make important additions to its art treafures. The following amateurs poffefs more or lefs extenfive col- ledtions of the wares which form the fubjeft of this volume, many of whofe fpecimens are referred to in its pages : — Amhurft, A. T., of Brandon. Attree, C. Bale, C. Sackville. Berney, the Rev. T. Bohn, Henry. Campbell, Sir H. Hume. Cook, F. (Vifconde de Montfer- rat). Coope, Oftavius. Corier,;W. Coutts, Baronefs Burdett. Diamond, Dr. Dillon, Frank. Falclce, Ifaac. Falkener, E. Fifher, R. Ford, Mrs. Fortnum, C. Drury E. Franks, A. W. Gosford, Earl of. Henderfon, John. Holford, R. S. Hollond, Robert. Hope, Mrs. H. T. Huth, Louis. Langford, Capt. Layard, A. H. Locker, F. Lombe, Evans. Magniac, H. Maguire, H. Mayer, Jofeph, of Liverpool. Mills, J., of Norwich. Mitchell, W. Morgan, Oftavius, M.P. Napier, R. 4S Chalmers' Biographical Dift. Swift's works, fee Index. See alfo Bowles' ed. Pope, vol. v. p. 302 ; IntroduEiion. cix Nefbitt, Alex. Norfolk, Duke of. Pallifer, Mrs. Bury. Parker, Montagu, of Chudleigh. Philips, Mark. Ram, Stephen. Reynolds, C. W. Rothfchild, Baron Lionel de. Rothfchild, Baron James de. Rothfchild, Sir Anthony de, Bart. Schreiber, Lady Charlotte. Stanhope, H. Scudamore. Spencer, Earl. Staniforth, Rev. T. Swaby, J. Tabley, Lord de. Taylor, Rev. Montagu. Talk, J. A. Wallace, Sir Richard, Bart. Wedderburn, Mr. PERSIAN, DAMASCUS, AND RHODIAN WARES, &c. N the introdudlory chapter we have traced the origin or parentage of this feilion of wares to the glazed pottery and artificial femi-porcelain of Egypt, and we have feen that in Affyria and at Babylon filiceous glazed tiles were ufed for wall decoration. Whether in Perfia and in India a fimilar manufailure exifted at that early period, we have at prefent no exadl: knowledge, but we are told by the Count Julien de Rochchouart in his interefting " Souvenirs d'un Voyage en Perfe," that he poflefl'es a brick, glazed of dark blue colour, with cuneiform cha- radters in white, which was found among the ruins of the ancient city of Kirman. The mofques of the I2th century in that country, particularly that at Natinz, are covered with glazed tiles, of the moft perfect work- manfhip and artiftic excellence, of coloured and luftred decoration. Later examples — of the earlier years of the 17th century — fpecimens of which are in the Mufeum (No. 624), are alfo beautiful, and the faftiion, though in a degenerate form, is revived in that country at the prefent day. In India, fragments are found among ancient ruins, and at the Mufee Oriental, or Exhibition of Oriental Objeits on loan, a moft interefting colle6lion fhown in 1869 at the Palais de I'lnduftrie, frag- ments of architeilural ornament in high relief, covered with a rich glaze, from the ruins of an early Indian temple, were exhibited. The piece of glazed pottery fuppofed to have been of ancient Hebrew origin, and which was found by Monfieur de Saulcy to the eaft of the land of the Moabites,' and now preferved in the Louvre, is alfo of this nature. 27238, 1 "Journal afiatique," 1855, vol. x. pp. 418-9. A Perfian^ Damafcus^ and it is fuggefted by M. Jacquemart that the Ifraelites may have ac- quired the art in Egypt. If not previoufly known in Perfia, it would have been learnt from the AfTyrian potters at the conqueft of that country by Cyrus. In Arabia again, it appears at an early date, but whether acquired by that people from the nations whofe countries they overran like a locuft cloud, or previoufly exiftent, we are yet to learn. The tiles on Mahomet's Tomb and Mofque at Medina of the year A.D. 707, one of which was in the Mufeum at Sevres, are glafs-glazed, and not ftanniferous. The tide of Mahometan conqueft in the early part of the 7th cen- tury fpread from Mecca through Syria, Afia Minor, and Perfia ; and, again, under the difciples of Omar, through Egypt and Northern Africa to Spain, and other parts of Southern Europe. With the exception of thefe laft, the other countries were the native feats of this form of ceramic induftry from the earlieft ages, and it is quite as reafonable to fuppofe that thefe nomads learnt the art from thofe they conquered, as that they were its teachers, and, like the Jews of old, employed the fubdued people to ere6l thofe buildings, and to fabricate thofe objedts which they required, and which it may be queftioned whether they were themfelves then capable of executing. Abforbing by converfion, or enflaving the unconverted, they were all-powerful to apply the arts of every place and every people to their need, and their religious fervour difplayed Itfelf in the ere6lion of gorgeous buildings for its obfervance, and colleges for its culture. On thefe were lavifhed all the refources of the arts they had at their command, and we find that in Egypt fome of the earlieft mofques had Coptic Chriftians for their architedls, and at Damafcus and elfewhere Chriftian buildings were converted to their use. We believe, moreover, that where a large building was erefted, potters and defigners of tile decoration were taken from elfewhere to the work, and the neceflary fimple furnaces there ereiled ; not that tiles would be carried from Damafcus or from Cairo to decorate the mofque at Jeru- falem (alfo in great probability originally a Chriftian ftrudlure), but that the potters were conducted to the fpot, there to fabricate their wares for that purpofe. A great impetus was thus given to all the conftru6live arts, and of whatever blood, Arab or Syrian, Egyptian or Perfian, the defigners of thefe admirable works may have been, they have perhaps never been furpafled in decorative excellence. At Nice, in Anatolia, the minaret of the mofque erefted about 1389 is thus ornamented. At Konieh (the ancient Iconium), in Afia Minor, the mofque, built from 1074 to 1275, is alfo partly lined with tiles, in both cafes, we believe, of filiceous and not of ftanniferous glaze. Broufta has tombs perhaps of the 13th century. Conftantinople is rich in examples of various date. and Rhodian Wares^ &^c. 3 and Damafcus, Jerufalem, Cairo, and Perfia have been already referred to. When fuch works were executed at large centres, it is reafonable to fuppofe that potteries for veflels of domeftic ufe and ornament were alfo eftabliflied, although this would not follow to the fame extent.^ We have every reafon for believing that Damafcus was an important feat of fuch induftry, and gave its name to wares imported into England in the Elizabethan period, under the name of " Damas " ware, — but of this more anon. The Arab tide, overflowing the northern fhores of Africa, welled into the Balearic Iflands and to Spain. Sicily, and various fpots in Southern Italv were occupied, and the conquerors, known as Saracens, brought with them the arts they had adopted. Of the pottery veflels of thefe firfl: invaders of the 8th century we know nothing, but of their ftyle and mode of decoration we have the mofque at Cordova, which was commenced in the 8th century by Abd-el-Rhama, king of that city. We have already alluded to the hiftory of the conquefl: of the piratical king of Majorca by the Pifans in 1115. He was, in all pro- bability, an adherent of the Moorifh princes of the Almohade dynafl:y, which conquered the Arab or Saracen fucceflxDrs of Abd-el-Rhama, who came to an end under Mutamel-al-Allah in 1038. With that period commences the hiftory of the Hifpano-Morefque wares, to which clafs the reader is referred. In conne6tion with this Pifan expedition, we have alluded in the hiftorical notice, to a piece of pottery found by the writer over a door of the church of Santa Cecilia in that city, and which was the only example he could difcover, of the many bacini built into the towers and facades of the churches, which was not of native Italian manufafture, and which being purely " Arab " in charailer, may poflibly be a piece really brought as a trophy from Majorca at that period, and built into the church. It is of courfe only prefumable, but the church having been confecrated in 1107, and the viilory gained only eight years after- wards, it might well be expe£led that the new edifice would be adorned with fome of the fpoil ; moreover, the piece is clearly of very early date, and there was every appearance of its having been inferted in the wall, in which part of it yet remains, at the time of the completion of the building. It might therefore, without any overftraining of probability, be an example of the earlier wares made by Arab or Saracenic potters previous to the Moorifh occupation in 1090, only twenty-five years ^ The writer has himfelf found pieces of veflels of this ware, fome, to all appear- ance, of very early date, and at confiderable depth, on the fites of nearly all the more important cities of Syria and Egypt — as Damafcus, Baalbec, Tyre, Sidon, Caefarea, Jerufalem, Petra, and in Egypt at Aflbuan, and elfewhert. A 2 4 Perjia?i^ Damafcus^ prior to the Pifan invafion of the ifland, and who may probably have continued to work under their new mafters. This piece is figured at page 383 of vol. xlii. of the " Archaeologia," in a paper by the writer on the fubjecl of thefe Pifan bacini. It is compofed of a grey-white fandy and porous pafte, covered with a thick and perfectly tranflucent glaze of turquoife colour, under which the pattern of arabefque fcroll- work is painted black upon the furface of the clay, on which there is no appearance of a ftanniferous engobe ; the back is of a paler turquoife with a continuous concentric corkfcrew fcroll in the fame black. A curious inftance of the appreciation of this pottery in Italy is its application as telTerae to form mofaic, an inftance of which may be feen in the cathedral at Ravello near Amalfi. On the Epiftle Ambo, con- ftruded about a.d. 1130, pieces of oriental pottery are inferted, for a tracing of one of which the writer is indebted to Mr. A. Nefbitt ; " the ground is yellowifh white, the charaders (illegible) and ornaments olive green, the glaze very good ; " the greater part of this mofaic, and alfo fome in the cathedral of Salerno, is made up of pieces of oriental faience of green, blue, and various light colours, fome ftiowing interlacing patterns beneath the glaze. But to return to the fubjecl of this divifion, which is formed of the varieties of pottery known under the names of Perfian, Damafcus, Rhodian, and Lindus wares, and of certain pieces believed to be of Sicilian origin, and which have been denominated Siculo-Arab. Thefe, compofing a large family, may be clallified after De Brongniart as — SiLICO-ALCALINE SiLICEOUS OF GlASS-GLAZED WaRES, the leading characSferiftics being 1. A pafte compofed of a fandy and a white argillaceous earth, and fome alkali or flux, greatly varying in their relative proportions, and producing degrees of finenefs, and hardnefs, from a coarfe fandy earthenware, to a femi-vitrified tranflucent body, the latter being in fadt a kind of porcelain of artificial pafte. 2. A glaze formed as a true glafs, of filiceous fand and an alkali (potafli or foda), with the addition in fome cafes of a fmall quantity of oxide of lead or other flux. Such is the general, but by no means the conftant, definition of the component ingredients, of all the varieties rightly clafl'ed together as members of this group, for there can be no doubt, that great variations occurred in their compofition at diff'erent periods and places, and fome examples of the finer kinds of Perfian, Arabian, and perhaps of Da- and Rhodian Wares^ &c. mafcus wares arc met with in, or under, the glaze of which, the oxide of tin has been ufed to produce a white and more even furface. A care- fully condudled feries of chemical tefts is much needed, but after an attentive examination of feveral pieces of the fineft quality of prefum- ably Damafcus wares, the writer is led to think, that the pafte, care- fully feledled and prepared, was covered by a thin wafh or flip of ftanniferous compofition, upon which the defign was painted, and again covered with a rich tranflucent glafs-glaze. I. Persian. N the fubje6l of thefe wares, ancient and modern, a large amount of information is conveyed to us in the work of the Comte de Rochchouart, who, during a refidence of some years in Perfia, gave great attention to its ceramic pro- du6lions of former and of prefent times. After eftablifhing the fadt of the former produflion of at leaft four diftincl kinds of Kaolinic porcelain,' he minutely defcribes ancient varieties of faience, of which the polychrome pieces are the more rare, the blue and white lefs fo; he defcribes one uncommon variety, believed to have been made at Cachan, as having a pafle of red earth covered with a ftan- niferous enamel of great beauty, and painted in cobalt under a glaze {fous couverte), highly baked ; they ring like metal. We do not re- colle£l having feen an example of this variety. Marks imitating thofe on Chinefe porcelain occur on pieces painted in cobalt blue on white. He confirms the obfervation that fome of the more highly fired ancient pieces, have become femi-tranflucent like an arti- ficial porcelain, but it is only the efFe6l of the baking which has partially vitrified the pafte. He further tells us that the ancient faience of Perfia is as admirable, as the modern is deteftable, notwithftanding it retains a degree of oriental elegance. The induftry at prefent is carried on at Nahinna, where pieces in Chinefe ftyle and others are made, and always marked ; at Natinz, where pottery has been made for fome hundred years, and where fome of the fineft was produced, it is now inferior; two kinds are made, white and blue, and polychrome called ^ This, and the evidence of M. Mechin, ought to fettle the dilpute in favour of M. Jacquemart's reading of Chardin's ftatement in his " Voyage en Perfe " that in his time (about 1650) porcelain was made in that country; a fa> Earth of Bibi-cher-Banon . . , . . 8 ?> Oxide of Lead . . . . . . 4 j> The enamel for this is compofed of — Oxide of Lead . . . . . . 3 parts Oxide of Tin . . . . . . 1 „ Pounded Glafs . . . . . . 5 >> Gum adragante . . . . . . i j> the baking takes twelve hours. The above-mentioned would form an opaque white enamel, and could only be ufed to paint over, and cannot be the compofition for that tranflucent glaze which is so apparent on this oriental faience. He believes the procefs now in ufe to be fubftantially the fame as the ancient, but that they were better baked. There can be no doubt that the in- gredients varied greatly at different times and places, and we fufpedl that the above recipe was much modified. We do not derive any information from M« de Rochchouart on the fubjeit of the luftred wares, except in his defcription of the tiles of the mofque of Natinz of the I2th century; nor do we learn anything of that variety of creamy white pottery having the fides pierced through the pafte, but filled with the tranflucent glaze, and which is believed to be the Gombrdn ware of Horace Walpole's day. But he gives interefting information on the fubjedi of the tiles ufed for decoration, of which the fineft are thofe mentioned above ; thofe of Ifpahan, and of the period of Shan Abbas (1585-1629) being alfo admirable for their exquifite defign. This induftry has revived, and is increafmg in ufe for mural decoration, and we are furniftied with receipts for the feveral pigments ufed at the manufailories. M. Mechin, who made feveral journeys to Perfia, fpeaks of the great rarity of the luftred pieces, very few of which he met with; one a flafk, blue ground, covered with foliage, trees, &c., among them the neehrvend^ a fort of low-growing and fhade-giving elm, much prized in Perfian gardens, is in the writer's poffeffion. M. Mechin alfo pro- cured a large wine-jar, covered with figures of horfemen, &c. in relief, on creamy -white ground, diapered with arabefques in metallic luftre. In illuftration of the former knowledge of thefe wares in England, we are informed by Mr. A. Neft^itt, that in an upper room at Drayton and Rhodian VFares^ &^c. Houfe in North Hants are portraits, in panels of the wall, of a man and a woman in Pcrfian coftume, by whose fides are long-necked bottles " of unmiftakeable Pcrfian luftre porcelain," with patterns of exadlly the fame kind as thofe on luftred plates in Mr. Nefbitt's, and the writer's pofleffion. Thefe portraits would appear to be of the latter half of the 17th century, about which time the houfe belonged to Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough, who was a great traveller, and Mr. Nefbitt thinks they may probably have been conne6led with him. The Perfian glazed pottery known to us may be divided into : A. Wares, generally highly baked, and fometimes femi-tranflucent. Pafte, fine and rather thin, decorated with ruby, brown, and coppery luftre, on dark blue and creamy white ground. The examples of this ware in collections, probably date from the middle or latter part of the i6th, to the firft half of the 17th century, but luftred tiles exift of much earlier time. Of this variety there are two fmall cups in the Mufeum (Nos. 7485, 7495). The fineft examples are in Mr. Henderfon's rich collection; one of which, a vafe, is mounted in gilt filver of Italian i6th century work. M. Charles Schefer of Paris has a flafk and other pieces ; Mr. Franks and Mr. Nefbitt alfo have fpecimens. B. Wares, of fine pafte, highly baked, femi-tranflucent, of creamy • colour and rich clear glaze, running into tears beneath the piece of a pale fea-green tint. Its chara6leriftic decoration confifting of holes pierced through the pafte, and filled in with the tranf- parent glaze : the raifed centres &c. are bordered with a choco- late brown or blue leafage, flightly ufed. This is fuppofed to be the Gombron ware. An example is ftill a defideratMu to the Mufeum. Mr. Henderfon poffeflTes eight of the fineft known of thefe rarities, which are admirably rendered in the photographs of his colledlion (pi. xi.). Mr. Franks has fome pieces, and the writer one. C. Wares, frequently of fine pafte, and highly baked to femi- tranfparency : the ground white ; decoration of plants and animals, fometimes after the Chinese, in bright cobalt blue, the outlines frequently drawn in manganefe, fome pieces with reliefs, imitation Chinefe marks alfo occur ; this variety is perhaps more recent than the others. Although M. Mechin and others have brought fpecimens of this kind from Perfia, it is to be regretted that none have yet been fecured for the Mufeum. In thefe, again, Mr. Henderfon is rich, and Mr. Franks has examples. One in the former cabinet is painted with the fubjedt of difciples of Zoroafter worftiipping the fun, rifing from behind a cloud. Perjian^ Damafcus^ We have at prefent no fixed data by which to aflign any of the early wares with coloured decoration, comprifed in the two following groups, to a Perfian origin, although there can be little doubt that fome fuch pieces were produced in that country. Neither have we included the variety mentioned by M. de Rochchouart, which would probably occupy a pofition between the wares under letter C, and thofe of poly- chrome decoration. M. Jacquemart, in the firft part, " Orient," of his " Merveilles de la Ceramique," gives a moft interefting chapter on thefe wares. He is of opinion that thofe we have claffed under letter B., which he, with fome juftice, confiders to be a true artificial porce- lain, are of very early date, anterior to the fabrication of Kaolinic porcelain in Perfia, and that from them China may have imitated their mode of decoration known as "« grains de riz" a mode in ufe alfo in the later Perfian w^are, as feen on fpecimens in this Mufeum. The luftred decoration he confiders was derived from the Mufliilman Arabs, but executed by Perfian artifts, as proved by the defigns, in which Saflanian traditions are apparent. He inftances an example of a lufl:red bafin, having coppery arabefques on the blue ground of the exterior, and on the infide, among plants, &c., the figure of a bull, while under the foot is a cyprefs tree — emblems of the religion of Zoroafter. The cyprefs, however, is equally a Mahometan emblem ; it is frequently reprefented on Perfian luftred ware, and alfo on wall tiles in various mofques. The writer has obferved many fuch, fome are in the church of the Annunciation at Nazareth, and on the richly-coloured glafs of a beautiful window in the El Akfa at Jerufalem. It is alfo frequently feen on the Rhodian pottery. The ornamentation of thefe purely Perfian wares has no refemblance in defign to the polychrome pieces or tiles. M. Jacquemart confiders both the groups A. and B. as anterior in date to the fabrication of the Kaolinic porcelain in Perfia. Whereas the third group, C, decorated with cobalt blue on a white ground, though femi-tranflucent, and like the others, approaching to an artificial por- celain, is of later date and Chinefe infpiration of defign, fometimes bearing marks in imitation of the Chinefe. A flafk in the pofiTeffion of the writer is of this variety ; it is virtually an artificial porcelain pafte, perhaps engobe^ with a thin wafti of tin enamel, over which the defign, eminently Perfian, but fliowing a certain Chinefe influence, confifting of groups of deer among foliage, &c., is outlined with manganefe^ arid filled in with cobalt on the white ground, and which is covered by a rich tranflucent filiceous glaze ; beneath is the mark (No. 5, p. 13). This piece was brought from Perfia by M. Mechin. and Rhodian Wares^ &^c. 2. Damascus. E affign this name as of the root or chief centre of a large clafs of wares, which were alfo made, in all probability, in Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Afia Minor, &c., and among which pieces of Perfian manufadture may be included, J from our want of exaft knowledge of their technical differences ; a certain general chara6ler pertaining to the whole clafs. There can be no doubt that Damafcus was an important producer of this pottery which was known to the commerce of the i6th century as *' Damas " ware, and we have examples, in filver mount- ings, of the period of Oueen Elizabeth.^ We know, moreover, that Timour Bey took with him from Damafcus in 1402, " men who made bows, glafs, and earthenware," and that at Timour's banquets at Samarcand, food was ferved in veffels of " gold, filver, earthenware, glafs, and porcelain ; ^ " and accordingly we learn from Vambery that wonderfully beautiful tile work is to be feen in the mofques of Bokhara and Samarcand. Conftantinople and Cairo may alfo have been centres of the manufacture, but the former, if not the latter, was perhaps a ftem from the Damafcus root. We would fuggeft, therefore, the propriety of reviving the term " Damas " or " Damafcus ware " for this family, of which the true Damafcus and Rhodian are only local varieties, in preference to the mifapplied general name of " Perfian," by which they have been known. The pafte varies in quality more than in kind, being of a grey white colour and fandy confiftence, analogous to that of the Perfian wares* The decoration is more generally rich in colour, the ground white, blue, turquoife, tobacco colour, and lilac, fometimes covered with fcale work, with panels of oriental form or leafage, large fprays of flowers, particularly rofes, tulips, hyacinths, carnations, &c., the colours ufed ^ Loans Ex. Cat. : Nos. 3280, i, p. 292. Damafcus ware was known in France in the 14th and 15th centuries, as evinced in the inventories of thofe periods. Thus: 1380. Inventory of Charles V, •' Ung petit pot de terr-e enfagon de Damas. Ung petit pot de terre a biberon fans gamy f on y de lafafon de Damask 1416. Comptes royaux. Hotel de la Royne. " A Regnault Morel pour iin pot de Damas plein de gingetnbre njert, etcS^ 1420. Inv. du Due de Bourgogne. " Ung pot de terre de towvrage de Damas blanc et bleu, garnie le pie, et cowvercle^ qui ejl de j a/pre, d'' argent dore, un anfe de ferpent d^ argent dor 6.'"'' ^ See " Clavigo's Travels," tranflation, Bohn's Series. Alfo Cherefeddin, trandated by Petis de la Croix. Delf, 1743. 10 Perjia?t^ Damafcus^ being a rich blue, turquoifc, green, purple, yellow, red, black. The forms are elegant ; large bowls on raifed feet, flafks or bottles bulb- fhaped with elongated necks ; pear-fhaped jugs with cylindrical necks and loop-handle ; circular difhes or plates with deep centres, &c. An interefting example of the higheft quality of this ware is in the writer's pofl'eflion, and is defcribed and figured in colour in vol. xlii. of the " Archseologia," pi. xx. p. 394. It is a hanging lamp made for, and obtained from the mofque of Omar at Jerufalem, or, more correftly, the Dome of the Rock, figned and dated June 1549 (the period of the reftoration of the mofque by Soliman the Great) by " the painter, the poor, the humble Muftafa." It has alfo been illuftrated in Delange's folio work on Majolica. Two leading varieties are known in coUedlions : A. Damajcus proper. Known by its evennefs of furface and rich glaze, with fubdued but harmonious colouring, certain tones of which are peculiar to this variety, as a dull lilac or purple, replacing the embofled red, fo confpicuous on the Rhodian, and ufed againft blue, which is of two or three fhades, the turquoife being frequently placed againft the darker tone ; a fage green is alfo chara6leriftic. The difhes of this variety ufually have the outer edge fhaped in alternating ogee. This kind is much more uncommon than the following : B. Rhodian or Lindus. The greater number of pieces known in collections as *' Perfian ware " is of this variety. It is to Mr. Salzmann that we owe the dif- covery of the remains of ancient furnaces at Lindus, in the Ifland of Rhodes, from the old palaces of which he colle£led numerous examples. Local tradition declares that a pottery exifted at that fpot under the influence of the knights of Rhodes, who prefumably brought thefe potters into the ifland from the Syrian main-land. Other neighbouring iflands have also furnifhed examples, and the palaces of Italy have in this direction (as in that of the Damafcus, luftred and other Perfian potteries) yielded a richer harveft of accumulated treafures than can be procured in the land of their original production. This variety, although extremely beautiful, is generally coarfer than the former, and the deco- ration more marked and brilliant. A bright red pigment, so thickly laid on as to ftand out in relief upon the surface of the piece, is very charaCteriftic, and in many cafes is a colour of great beauty ; the pre- dominant decoration of the plates confifts of two or three fprays of and Rhodian Wares ^ &'c. 1 1 rofes, pinks, hyacinths, and tulips, and leaves, fometimes tied together at the ftem, and fpreading over the entire furface of the piece in graceful lines J the border frequently of black and blue fcroll w^ork. Ships, birds, and animals, are alfo depicted; and a fhicld of arms occurs on fomc pieces. In addition to the above, it is prefumable, as has been before faid, that many tiles, and probably formed pieces for domeftic ufc, were made on the fpots where important buildings were creeled, and fo decorated; the potters or tile-makers having been brought from elfewhere for the purpofe. It is, however, in our prefent ftate of knowledge difficult to clafs them into diftindl fedions of the Damafcus family. 3. Anatolian. |NOTHER very diftindt and perhaps more recent clafs, confifts of thofe wares frequently found in coUedlions, as cups and faucers, fprinklers, perfume vafes, covered bowls, and the like, generally pieces of fmall fize. The ground is ufually white, fometimes incifed with crofs lines by means of a piece of wood fcratching the foft pafte, a gay decoration of many colours, among which a brilliant yellow is confpicuous, in fcale work, lattice and diaper patterns, flowers, &c. Its glaze is frequently not brilliant, but rather rough on the furface ; but the pieces are well baked. It is afcribed to the fabrique of Kutahia in Anatolia. There are not, we believe, any examples of this ware in the South Kenfington Colledion. 4. Siculo-Arabian or Siculo-Persian, HERE is yet another variety of this fedtion which is fome- what exceptional, approaching as it does in compofition to the firft divifion of the Perfian wares, and on the other hand to the decoration of the earlier pieces of the Hifpano-Morefque. It is compofed of a fandy pafle of the kind general to this fedion, is decorated either in black outline, relieved or filled in with blue, painted directly on the pafte, and covered by a thick tranflucent glaze of a creamy tone, running into tears at the bottom of the piece ; or glazed entirely with a tranflucent dark blue glafs, over which the decoration is painted in a rich luftre colour, varying between the golden and ruby tints of the Italian Majolica, and differing confiderably from thofe upon the Hifpano- Morefque wares. There is a ftrong refemblance in the technical cha- radleriftics of fome of thefe pieces, though different in colour, to the fragment obtained from the church of Santa Cecilia at Pifa by the writer (see ante^ P- 3)- 12 Perjian^ Damafcus^ Both kinds are frequently decorated with imitation Arabic infcrip- tions,^ as upon the Spanifh wares ; fuch is the cafe with the examples of the firft variety in this Mufeum, as also with the luftred blue vafes exhibited by Mr. Falkener who brought them from Sicily, and upon two jars of the albarello form in the writer's pofleffion. One of fimilar Ihape is figured by M. Delange in his folio work, and two, brought from Calata- Girone in Sicily by M, Signol, are in the Sevres mufeum ; one of thefe is figured in Mr. Marryat's book (p. 9), who alfo gives a mark occurring on an example of this pottery.^ All the pieces have been brought from Sicily. M. Jacquemart confiders it to be of Perfian origin, while others fuppofe it to be the work of the Saracenic or Arab potters during their occupation of Sicily previous to 1090, or of their Moorifh fucceflx)rs of a later period. It muft however be borne in mind that a Siculo-Morefque pottery, apparently enamelled with the oxide of tin, has alfo defcended to us, afcribed to the fabrique of Calata-Girone, and which is intermediate in character between the luftred pieces under confideration, and the true Hifpano-Morefque wares, under which fe6lion it is defcribed. Marks rarely occur on thefe varieties of pottery. Infide a pot, with cover, fpout, and loop handles, in Mr. Franks's Collection, which is decorated exter- nally in red luftre on a rich blue ground, and inter- nally on the white, is the name of the maker, "Hatim," which is given in facfimile (Mark No. i). Mr. Marryat at p. 318 of the third edition of his work gives an ornate Greek crofs as occurring on pieces of Lindus ware in the Huth Colle<5tion, and which is thought to be the mark of the crofs of the order of St. John at Rhodes (No. 2). ' The infcriptioii on one of Mr. Falkener's jars is readable, and has been deci- phered by the late Mr. Stanley Poole. It reads : — " To our lord the conquering king warring for the faith, Mueiyad el Manfoor, may his glory endure." The faft of this infcription being in readable Arabic, would, if the piece was really made in Sicily, be a ftrong argument in favour of its early date. ^ This mark is afTigned by miftake to this group of wares. It occurs on an early Italian luftred plate in the Louvre (No. G. 29), clafled by M. Darcel among the pieces of what he terms "Fabriques Italo-Morefques " ; hence, no doubt, the error. and Rhodtan Wares ^ &^c, 13 In Mr. Franks's CoUedllon is a bottle with pierced fhoulders and painted with flowers, as pinks, &c., in green, blue, and red ; it is a piece of good period and quality and may be of Rhodian manufac- ture, if not from a Syrian pottery. On it occurs the accompanying mark, which is fmgular in its refemblance to that on the Chafaggiolo wares (No. 3). Two (hallow bafms of Modern Perfian faience in the fame colleftion, of fairly good quality, one of which is decorated with a rude landfcape in blue on the white ground, and infcribed on the back thus, which reads, Hafm Ali, 1261, correfponding to our A.D. 1845 (No. 4). The other, alfo with a fort of landfcape in character of the willow pattern, is marked at the back, which reads, Muhamed Ali, 1278, corre- fponding with A.D. 1861 (No. 5). Thefe may probably be examples of the fa- brique at Nahinne. On a flafk, already referred to (p. 8); deer among foliage in cobalt blue on white ground, in the writer's pofTeffion (No. 6). The principal colleftions of the Perfian and Damafcus wares are : in France, thofe of M. Schefer, who pofleffes rare examples of luftred Perfian and pure Damafcus, and M. Davillier ; and in England, thofe of Mr. Henderfon, whofe rich cabinet contains the fineft fpecimens of luftred Perfian, of the Gombron, Damafcus, and Rhodian wares ; Mr. Louis Huth, who purchafed the fine colleillon of the Baron de Mon- ville, and many of the Salzmann pieces ; Mr. A. W. Franks ; Mr. A. NefiDitt ; Mr. Frank Dillon ; and the writer. Some of the fpecimens from thefe colledlions are well fio-ured in Mr. Marryat's " Hiftory of Pottery and Porcelain," third edition, 1868 ; and in a fet of photographs from works of art in his colledlion, privately printed by Mr. Henderfon, a copy of which he prefented to the Art Library at South Kenfington. 14 Perjian^ Damafcus^ The use of Tiles for Wall Decoration. lEFORE quitting this fubjeft, it may be well again to dire6): the reader's attention to that important application of this kind of glazed pottery, which has been feveral times re- ferred to in the foregoing pages, and which has been in ufe more or lefs throughout the Eafl: from a period of remote antiquity. Indeed, there is perhaps no inftance in which the fuperiority of Oriental tafte in furface decoration is more diftinftly fhown, than in that of the ufe of enamelled, or more properly fpeaking, filiceous glazed tiles, as a covering for external and internal wall fpace. We have already feen how fragments of fuch embellifhments have been yielded by the ruins of AfTyria and Babylon, by Arabia in the feventh, and Perfia in the twelfth century ; that in the eleventh, Kooniah, and in the fourteenth, Anatolia, afford inftances, and that Damafcus, Jerufalem, Cairo, and Conftantinople all have brilliant examples of this admirable application of the potter's art. It is hardly within the province of thefe pages, to do more than refer generally to the various works illuftrative of the architecture of thofe places, in fome of which engravings are given, conveying an idea, although a very poor one, of the wondrous rich effe61: of thefe tile-faced walls. The diftreffing ftate of ruin or neglect into which many of the tombs and mofques, fo beautified, have been reduced or permitted to fall, greatly detrads from their effect, although not without its charm to the painter's eye ; and it is refreihingto fee them, as at Conftantinople, in a fomewhat better ftate of prefervation. In that city there is admirable work of this kind in the old palace of the Seraglio, where the writer noticed tiles, remarkable for their fize and for the perfedlion of their manufacture. Some of thefe, nearly 2 feet fquare, are covered with the moft elegant arabefque diapering of foliage and flowers intertwined, among which birds and infedls are depicted. Thefe may probably have been the work of a Perfian potter. But it is in the Tomb of Soliman the Great, built in memory of his fon, Muftapha, in 1544, that the effeft of this mode of decoration can be ftudied to better advantage. Here the entire walls of the interior, are faced with tiles of admirable diaper patterns, within borders of equal elegance, adapted to the form of the wall which they panel, and following the fubtile outlines of the window openings, which, filled in with gem-like coloured glafs between their intricate tracery, produce an effeCt of the greateft richnefs and harmony. So alfo are the windows of the Mofque of Soliman the Great — but to return to the Tomb — beneath the dome, occupying the place of a frieze upon and Rhodia?t Wares^ &c. 1 5 the panelled wall, a large wide band of dark blue forms a belt or ribbon three or more feet in width, upon which the graceful lines of the bold and admirably formed infcription of paffages from the Koran, in Arabic charafters of pearly whitenefs, fhow in the ftrongeft relief. . We know nothing in decoration, more efFecSlive and more harmonious, than thefe tile-clad walls of the mofques and tombs of Conftantinople, Jerufalem, Cairo, &c. It is clear that as the tile work follows the outline of the window openings, it muft have been fpecially made to correfpond with the architect's defign, the border pattern alfo follows the window form, being adapted to its curves and angles with confummate fkill. Mr. Frank Dillon has made fome excellent fketches of various examples of fuch decoration from perfonal obfervation, and polTefTes fpecimens ot thefe tiles, fome of which he liberally prefented to the South Ken- fington Mufeum (Nos. 478-9). An exceptional wall tile is mentioned and figured by M. Jacquemart (Merveilles de la Ceram. pt. i. p. 245), on which the Sacred Mofque of Mecca, the Caaba^ is reprefented in a bird's- eye view. This was brought from Egypt by M. Jomard, who believes it to have come from Zorende or Kirman. A nearly fimilar plaque exifts in the Mofque of Santa Sophia, at Conftantinople, at which the writer was only permitted a pafling glance. In the 12th and 13th centuries, and probably before, as certainly fince, in Perfia and Arabia tiles enriched with metallic luftre were ufed for covering the walls. Some of thefe, which, from his defcription, feem to be of fimilar kind to thofe of the Mofque of Natinz, mentioned by M. de Rochchouart, are in the coliedlion of M. Ch. Schefer, the eminent Orientalift of Paris, and in that of Mr. Henderfon. They probably formed part of a frieze or upper border, and have a flat furface diapered with arabefques, birds, &c., in luftre colour, upon which an infcription in large Arabic charac- ters ftands in relief, and is coloured blue. Some portions of luftred ftar- fhaped tiles in this Mufeum (No. 625, fragment 8) may be of the kind •with which the panel was diapered. We do not find any trace of this ufe of luftred pottery in Cairo, Syria, or Conftantinople ; and, although occurring in Perfia, it feems to have made fmall lodgment elfewhere, but reappears in Spain. The application of glazed pottery for deco- rating wall furface feems never to have taken root in Greece or Italy (although we learn from Mr. Nifbett that flabs of glafs of various colours were ufed by the Romans for that purpofe),' where Mofaic had eftabliftied itfelf long anterior to the advance of Oriental influence ; and even in the moft palmy days of the production of Italian majolica and painted pottery, nothing of this kind was attempted by her artifts ^ In a paper read before the Society of Antiquaries in February of this year. 1 6 Perjian and Damafcus Wares^ &^c. beyond an occafional flooring — with the exception of Luca della Robbia, who not only covered ceilings with tiles between the beauteous relievo fubjeils on the fpandrils and the centre, as itQn at San Miniato and the Pazzi Chapel at Santa Croce in Florence, a chapel in San Giobbe at Venice (of his fchool), &c., but executed roundels and arch fillings of tiles, painted with fubjefts on the flat furface. Such are that on Or' San Michele, referred to by Vafari, in the Opera del Duomo at Florence, and the roundels in this Mufeum. Germany made great ufe of tiles for facing floves, and other purpofes, in the i6th century — but their infpiration was not Oriental — and, again, the well known Dutch tiles, much ufed in England during the lafl century, but ornamented on a falfe principle of decorative art. We have already alluded to the revival of their ufe in Perfia. In the Indian Court of the Inter- national Exhibition of the prefent year (1871), were fhown examples of Zenana windows and wall tiles from Sinde, of recent manufacture, and of precifely fimilar character in body and glaze to the clafs of wares now under confideration. They, moreover, fhow another mode of deco- ration, that known as '■^ pate surpdte" in which the defign is painted on the furface of the clay in a flip or " engohe " of lighter colour underneath the glaze, a manner of ornamentation found upon early Chinefe porce- lain, and upon that afcribed by M. Jacquemart to Perfia. Thefe tiles, together with fhaped pieces of the fame Indian ware, are very interefting, being without doubt the modern reprefentatives of a very remote manufadture, and having the clofeft affinity with the ancient Egyptian glazed pottery. Whence they were derived or which the parent ftock, is a queftion, the anfwer to which we are not at prefent in a pofition to do more than guefs at. In France and England repro- du6lions have appeared, many of which are excellent from the talent of their painters, or from the technical qualities of their manufa6ture. Among the objects of this clafs, fhown at the Exhibition of the prefent year, are fome good fpecimens by more than one manufacturer : thofe produced by the MefiTrs. Minton, copied or derived from Oriental originals, are particularly beautiful. PLATE. PORTRAIT OF A PRINCE. Pirjian, iGt/i Century. CATALOGUE. Ancient Persian, 57^3- ^59- LATE. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; in the centre a medallion profile head of a Periian prince ; border of fcale work, and oval com- partments, with carnation buds painted in blue on the white ground. Ancient Perfian. Diam. lo^ in. Imperfedl. Bought, 4J. 6d. This is a curious example, and interefting from its bearing the portrait of a prince or high perfonage, habited in the Perfian coftume, and executed with great care. We fhould be difpofed to aflign this fpecimen to the latter half of the i6th century. (See engraving.) 7485. '61. CUP. Siliceous glazed earthenware, luftred. Decorated infide on a white, outfide on a blue ground, with cyprefs and other trees in ruby-gold metallic luftre. Perfian. i6th or 17th century. H. i£ in., diam. 3 in. Bought, 131. This is a brilliant example of the luftre pigment, and the blue ground is of great richnefs of colour. The glaze and general quality of the piece are very good. The greater number of pieces of this luftred ware have been found in Italy. M. Mechin informed the writer that he had carefully fought them in Perfia, and could find but few examples, which he procured at Ifpahan. Thefe two fpecimens were purchafed 1 8 Ancient Perjian, by Mr. Robinfon in Italy, one at Urbino, the other at Naples. M. de Monville, years fince, procured eight or ten cups in Italy, which were fubfequently fold for 5/. each. Mr. Nefbitt procured four plates at Naples, Mr. Franks found his fine bowl in Italy, and the writer purchafed two cups in Florence. 7495. '61. CUP. Siliceous glazed earthenware, luftred. Decorated infide on a white, outfide on a blue ground, with palmettes, and foliation in ruby-gold metallic luftre. Perfian. 16th or 17th century. H. if in., diam. 2f in. Bought, yj. Gd. 6^5. '68. TILES, Bowls, &c. Siliceous glazed ware. Eleven fragments of various patterns, fome luftred. Colledled from ancient ruined buildings in Perfia. Ancient Perfian. Various dimenfions. Bought, 8/. This feries of fragments was brought from Perfia, as were thofe under the numbers 163 to ib^m, by M. Mechin, who procured them from the ruins of ancient buildings in that country. Thofe with metallic luftre are from Rhe'i or Rhages, a ruined city of large fize, at about a couple of leagues from Teheran, which was deftroyed between five and fix hundred years ago. No. I. The bottom of a bowl, painted with a feated figure of a female, the face of a peculiar falmon tint, drefs green, and border of chequered work in grey, green, and dark red on a white ground. No. 2. Bottom of a bowl : a cyprefs tree, between a man and a woman on horfeback ; her horfe is blue, and fhe wears a green drefs, fpotted blue ; his horfe is violet and his drefs blue ; two vultures below, ground white. No. 3. Bottom of a bowl : divided into compartments by dark blue ftrap-work, with red fquares between ; on the green ground of each divifion a bird is painted white. No. 4. Small fragment of a vefTel : buft and head of a woman in a green drefs, bordered red. Ancient Perjtan. 19 No. 5. Bottom of a bowl : part of two horfes, one red, the other grey ; on the former a woman drefled in blue ; ground white. All the above have an Arabian charafter in the heads and coftume ; they are probably of the fame period and manufacSlure ; the glaze has the appearance of being over a ftanniferous engohe. They are with little doubt of Perfian make, as the fa6l of having reprefentations of human and animal life depicted upon them, would be conclufive evi- dence that they are not the work of Arabian artifts. Although not admirable for drawing, they fliow a very high degree of excellence in the technical qualities of glaze, colours, &c., and are probably of early date. No. 6. Piece of a tile : on the white ground is a woman's head, in golden metallic luftre. No. 7. Portion of a difli or bowl : white ground, a woman's head, and other ornament in metallic luftre. The heads have the fame afpedl, and the glaze feems to have a foundation of the oxide of tin ; they may probably be of the fame period as the Nos. i and 5. No. 8. Portion of a ftar-fliaped tile : white ground, divided into compartments, with Moresque ftyle of ornament, in metallic luftre. A blue border furrounds the whole, with mock Arabic infcription, in luftre. The glaze may probably be of ftanniferous foundation, unlefs it is over an engobe of white clay. This may, perhaps, be of as early a date as the 13th or 14th century. No. 9. Portion of a tile : light yellow ground, with branches of vine, grapes, a goldfinch, &c., in relievo, carefully outlined, and painted in colours. This is very fuperior in execution to the foregoing pieces, and pro- bably of lefs ancient date (i6th century ?); it is admirable for the beauty of the colours, the careful execution, and the even glaze. No. 10. Portion of a bowl : of turquoife colour, having part of an infcription in old Arabic characters, in relief j the glaze is filiceous, a tranflucent glafs, and the piece is probably of very early date. No. II. Star-ftiaped tile: of turquoife colour and glafs glaze, pro- bably more recent than the laft. By the kindnefs of Profeflbr Church, who has examined portions of the glaze of thefe tiles, I am enabled to ftate that Nos. i to 5 are covered with an enamel containing " tin in diftindl:, but not large quantities, and no lead." That on Nos. 6 and 7 " contained abundance of both tin and lead." While No. 9 " contained no trace either of tin or lead." 20 Ancient Perjtan, 163 to 163W. '69. TILES (12 fragments). Siliceous glazed earthenware; two polygonal, with luftred diaper, and blue infcribed border; the reft ftiowing parts of equeftrian figures hawking. Perfian. L. of largeft fragment, 7 J in.^ W. 4I in. Bought, 4/. 1 2s. The fragments of tiles, Nos. 163 to i6^m, are of various periods, and moftly duplicates of thofe comprifed under No. 625, and broken pieces from fimilar ones to Nos. 623, 624, &c. ■83. '53. WALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Diapered with flowers and foliage in white, green, yellow, blue, and manganese black. Perfian or Syrian. i6th century. Square, W. 7 in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) The colours, particularly the yellow and blue, are very rich. It is difficult, for the reafons given in the introdudlion, to fix with any pre- cifion the locality of produce of thefe tiles. This example may, with equal probability, have come from Cairo, Broufla, Damafcus, Con- ftantinople. Jerufalem, or Perfia. 187- -as- WALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Portion of a border ; painted with flowers on a dark red ground, and in leaf-fliaped panels on a white ground. Pro- bably Perfian of the i6th or 17th century. Square, W. 7 J in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion.) This is rather an unufual fpecimen, and of fome elegance in the fubdued but harmonious efFe£l of the colours. WALL TILE. Fl(,;UR£ OF A HORSEMAN IN RELIEF. l\-rjui/i, \-]t]i Ct/itiiry. AncieJit Perfian. 21 6:>4. '68. WALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Turquolfe ground. An equeftrian figure bearing a hawk, in relief. From the ruins of the palace of Shan Abbas II. Per- fian. 17th century. 7^ in. by 55 in. Bought, 6/. Similar to No. 623, but, as in all the other examples, with fome flight variations. (^2^. '68. WALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. On a blue ground furrounded by flowers and foliage referved in white and pencilled with black, is a figure of a horfeman in relief, in Perfian cofliume, and holding a hawk on his hand. From the ruins of the palace of Schan Abbas 11. near Ifpahan. Perfian, 17th century. 7^ in. by 5I; in. Bought, 6/. Schan Abbas II. reigned in Perfia from 1642 to 1666, and, as I was informed by M. Mechin, thefe tiles were found among the ruins of his palace, called " Ferabad," in the neighbourhood of Ifpahan, which was deftroyed by the Afghans in 1721. They have been fuppofed, but without fufficient authority, to reprefent that monarch. One example, in the pofleflion of M. Davilier of Paris is enriched with metallic luftre. as alfo the fragment of another. (See engraving,) 1^9- '69- TILE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Embofied group of white pinks, outlined black, and touched with purple and green on dark blue ground. Perfian. 17th century. L. yi in., W. 5^ in. Bought, 2/, 4J. 2 2 Ancient Perjian, 1 60. '69. TILE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Embofled group of purple and white flowers, and green leaves on blue ground. Perfian, 17th century. L. yf in., W. 5f in. Bought, il. 4J. 161. '69. TILE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Embofled group of Iris and other flowers, purple and white, with green leaves on blue ground. Perflan. 17th century. L. 7§ in., W. 5f in. Bought, i/. \is. A very elegant group of flowers. (See engraving.) 162,. '6g. TILE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Embofled yellow flowers with red centres and green leaves on blue ground. Perfian. 17th century. L. 7;|, in., W. 5 J in. Bought, l/. 12S. The tiles Nos. 159 to, 162 are beautiful in their colour, and the grace- fully naturaliftic treatment of the flowers. They are probably of the fame feries, and from the fame fource, as thofe having figures of a horfe- man in relief bearing a hawk on his hand, and which were procured from the ruins of the palace of Schan Abbas II. (See No. 623, 624.) The great mofque at Ifpahan, known as the Meijid-Shan, was built by Schan Abbas I. known as the Great, who reigned from 1585 till 1629, and is covered with glazed tiles. WALL TILE. EMBOSSED GROUP OF IRIS AND 01HER FLOWERS. Perjlan, i -jt/i Century. (iGi. Y.9.) Modern Perjian, 23 Modern Perjian. 3843- '53- UP. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Coarfe fcrolls in blue, on white ground. Modern Perfian, H. if in., diam. 3J in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) 3858- 'S3- SAUCER. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Coarfe blue ornament, outlined with black on white ground. Modern Perfian. Diam. ^^ in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion.) 3866. '55. BOWL. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Alternate panels of dull blue and white, flowers in the latter. Modern Perfian. H. 3 in., diam. 6\ in. Bought. (Bandinel Collec- tion.) 3884- '53- CUP and Saucer. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Panels of blue and white with flowers in black outline. Modern Perfian. H. of cup, if in., diam. 1 in. Diam. of faucer, if in. Bought. (Bandinel CoUedion.) 24 Modern Perjian, 37^2' 53- SALT Cellar. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Circular ; turquoife ground with a lozenge pattern in black. Modern Perfian. H. i^ in., diam. 2}, in. Bought. (Bandi- nel Colledlion.) Probably manufa6tured at Cachan, where about 100 men are occu- pied in making thefe wares of turquoife colour with figures in black. 377^- 53- SHALLOW Bowl. Siliceous glazed earthenware. White ground, flowers and panels outlined in black, and filled In with dull blue. Modern Perfian. Diam. 9^ in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) 3824- '53- BIRD Fountain. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Turquoife glaze with palmette ornaments outlined in black. Modern Perfian. H. 4 in., width including fpout, 5J in. Bought. (Bandinel Collection.) In this example the ornament is roughly fketched in black oudine on the furface of the " bifcuit," and is covered by a tranfparent glaze of turquoife colour. It alfo, as No. 3762, is probably from Cachan. 3^^3' ^53- PLATE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Rudely painted with flowers and a bird in blue on a white ground, chequered border. Modern Perfian. Diam. 8J in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) FLASS PamaslLS (?) Fijtccn'.h or StxUciuh Ceai;,) y Modern Perftan. 25 3^91- 53- SALT Cellar. Siliceous glazed earthenware. White and blue, with two cavities for fait. Modern Perfian. L. 4£ in., W. 2 in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) 3894- '53- BOWL. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Painted with ornaments and flowers in blue and black, diapered with perforations filled in with glaze. Modern Perfian. H. 4 in., diam. 8^ in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledtion.) A piece of very coarfe workmanfhip, probably of the manufadlurc of Teheran. 2891. 's?>' CUP, or Salt Cellar. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Blue flowers on white panels. Modern Perfian. H. i^ in., diam. i^\ in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) J Damafcus Ware, 70. '66. ILASK. Siliceous glazed earthenware. With long neck, having a projecting bofs of turquoife colour, on which is a row of ftars in dark blue. It is diapered with turquoife crefcents, and white car- nation buds ; on the fhoulder is a collar or belt, marked by 26 Damafcus Ware, blue and white lines, and painted with inverted white flowers and turquoife leaves. Damafcus (?). 15th or i6th century. H. 15^ in., diam. 6f in. Bought, 48/. This charming piece is a model of delicacy and elegance in form and coloured decoration ; the latter is fubdued, but like the majority of the earlier pieces, and thofe afcribed to the fabrique of Damafcus, is ex- tremely harmonious. The Rhodian wares feldom attained to this purity of ftyle, and, indeed, it is probable that the richer polychrome decora- tion was of later introdu6lion than the date of this piece. It probably is of the fame make as the bottle No. 6785, although far fuperior to it in beauty of effeft. (See coloured plate. ") 6785. '60. FLASK. Siliceous glazed earthenware. With long neck, having a projeding bofs of turquoife colour ; the white ground is decorated with oval, leaf-fhaped ornaments in dark blue with turquoife centres, and furrounded by wreaths of flowers, a collar of dark blue on the fhoulder. Syrian. 15th or 1 6th century. H. 165 in., diam. 7 J in. Bought, 15/. This is a very elegant piece in form and ornamentation. We have afcribed it to a Syrian origin, perhaps Damafcus. 7409. '60. BOWL. Siliceous glazed earthenware, decorated infide with fliaped white panels, bearing fet figures in dark blue, the intervening ground blue, with white arabefque. Out- fide a foliated diaper of dark and light blue, on white ground ; round the foot a leafage moulding and a flower wreath. Damafcus (?). i6th century. H. 9 J in., diam. i ft. 6 in. Bought, 4/. Pieces of this fize are not common. Mr. Louis Huth poffefTes two, and there is a fine one in the collection of Mr. Alex. Nefbitt. They are imitated at the Ginori factory near Florence, and have been copied in Paris and in England. PLATE. DIAPERED WITH BLUE SCROLLS. Damafcus or Perfian, i C>i/t (Century. (6590. Y.o.) Damafcus Ware. 2 7 BOWL. Shallow, with fhaped edge. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Defign in dark blue on the white ground. A central rofe furrounded by four leaf-fhaped orna- ments bearing fmaller white foliated centres, the ground filled in with arabefque foliation. Damafcus. i6th century. H. 4^- in., diam. \i\ in. Bought, il. This piece has all the characSteriftics in form, tone of colour, defign, and general quality of the pieces afcribed to the Damafcus potteries. 6590. '60. PLATE. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, minute diapered ornament of concentric foliated fcrolls in blue. Ancient Damafcus or Perfian. Diam. 10 in. Bought, 2/. This curious ftyle of decoration is rarely found ; in the mufeum of the univerfity at Bologna is an ewer of the fame pattern, and of great excellence of workmanfliip ; it differs in form from the jugs of which Nos. 1708-8^ are good examples, and which are more ufual, the flafk form of the body being inverted, and furmounted by a wider neck, con- tra6ted, oppofite the handle, to form a fpout. Only three examples of this form are known to the v/riter, viz., that juft mentioned, one in the rich colledtion of Mr. Louis Huth, and one in the writer's poffeffion; thefe two laft are decorated in colour. (See Loans Cat., Nos. 3292-3.) They may perhaps be of the middle or even earlier half of the i6th century, and are of the higheft quality of this clafs of wares. Mr. Henderfon has a flafk of nearly fimilar pattern to the prefent piece. (See engraving.) 314. '67. SHALLOW Bowl. Siliceous glazed earthenware. White ground, painted with a bunch of flowers in blue and green, in a border of blue and red leaf-moulding. Syrian or Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. 12 in. Bought, 5/. ^s. 2 8 Damafcus Ware, This is a very elegant piece unci brilliant in colour. We are doubt- ful whether it be of Rhodian make, approaching more to the wares of Syria, perhaps of Damafcus. It is of the fame fabrique as No. 1 140. (See engraving J) I I 40. '64. SHALLOW Bowl. Siliceous glazed earthenware, painted with rofette ornament of geometric charadter, principally of blue and green on white ground. Syrian or Rhodian (?). 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. iifin. Bought, 8/. This piece is of the fame form and general character of ware, and probably from the fame fabrique, as No. 314. 478. '6^. WALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. Arabefque diapering of conventional flowers, and foliage of dark blue with carnation buds in turquoife, on a white ground. From Cairo. 15th or 1 6th century. 10 in. fquare. Prefented by Frank Dillon, Efq. Thefe tiles formed portion of a wall decoration, and were doubdefs furrounded by a border of equally elegant defign. W 479. '6^. ALL Tile. Siliceous glazed earthenware. The com- panion to No. 478. Prefented by Frank Dillon, Efq. 1075. '6^. TILES (four). Siliceous glazed earthenware, white ground with floral ornament in dark blue and turquoife. From Cairo. 16th century (?). 9I in. fquare. (Paris Exhibition, 1867. Meymar Colledion.) Bought. SHALLOW BOWL. PAINTED GROUP OF FLOWERS. Syrian or RhoJia/i, i^t/i or idt/i Century. (3.4. '67.) Rhndian. 29 Rhodian. 8488. '6^. EEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware, white ground ; red rofes, blue, red, and green leaf, and fpikes of a red and blue flower, fpring from one bunch of blue and green leaves; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. 12 in. Bought, 8/. A piece of good defign and rich in colour. 1 133. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with red rofes between blue and red leaf fcrolls on the white ground, border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. ii|; in. Bought, 8/. 1 134. '64. SHALLOW Bowl. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with red rofes between blue and green leaf fcrolls. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. 11^ in. Bought, 8/. 1 134. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with radiating pattern of white and blue tulips on red com- partments, furrounded by green and red trefoils. Rhodian. 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. ii| in. Bought, 8/. The defign of this piece is unufual, and the abundant ufe of that red pigment, which by fome is fuppofed to be charafteriftic of the Rhodian pottery, is very effedtive. 30 Rhodian, 1 136. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with red rofes and blue carnation buds on each fide of a central palmette ornament of blue, green, and red, on the white ground ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. 12^ in. Bought, 8/. The frequent occurrence of this pattern for the border of pieces, all of which are, with probability, afcribable to the Lindus potteries in the Ifland of Rhodes, would lead to the conclufion that it may be confidered a local and characSieriftic manner of ornamentation ; in fome inftances it is ufed as a filling in or grounding, but is more generally applied, as in this inftance on the borders of the plates. (See engraving,) 1 141. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with green, white, and blue leaf fcrolls upon ground of black fcroll work ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. \i\ in. Bought, 8/. The black coiled fcroll grounding, or filling, on this piece is more abundant than ufual : it may be confidered almoft as a chara61:erifl:ic ornament of the Rhodian ware, but is more generally applied to the borders on alternate patches of blue and white ground. 1 142. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with white and red leaves and buds upon blue and green fcale-work ground ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. ii in. Bought, 8/. DEEP PLATE. FLOWERS AND PALMETTE OKN'AMENT. RhOiliiui, iCth Century. (.136. '6+.) Rhodian. 31 1 137. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted on the white ground with a green cypress between red rofes, and two fcrolls of dark blue foliage ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. 1 2 J in. Bought, 8/. 1 138. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with red rofes on each fide of a central palmette ornament of blue, green, red, and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th cen- tury. Diam. \\\m. Bought, 8/. 1 139. '64. DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with a rofette, filled by interlacing white and red leaves relieved with green upon a blue ground; border of black coiled fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. laj^in. Bought, 8/. 2641. '56. PLATEAU. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with floral ornaments. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. Diam. 12 in. Bought, i/. i2.f. 2546- '5^- DEEP Plate. Siliceous glazed earthenware, painted with a green cyprefs tree, red rofes, blue carnation buds, and hyacinths; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. 13 in. Bought, i/. 3 2 Rhodian. ^545- '5^- PLATEAU. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; painted with flowers in green, red, and blue. Rhodian. 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. 13I in. Bought, i/. 1708. '55. EWER. Siliceous glazed earthenware; a diaper of white arabefque foliated ornament, heightened with blue on a green ground ; a collar of red with white foliation, touched with blue and green. Rhodian or Syrian. 15th or i6th century. H. io\ in., diam. ']\ in. Bought. (Bernal Collec- tion.) 7/. lOJ. This and the companion jug are beautiful examples of the beft period of the Rhodian, or perhaps of Syrian, manufadlure. The deco- ration is extremely harmonious and characleriftic of this clafs of pottery ; the colours are rich and even, and in refpe£l to glaze and all other technical qualities thefe pieces are excellent. They are of fimilar cha- ra6ler to the piece belonging to Mr. Sambrook, which is mounted in filver work of the time of Elizabeth, bearing the London Hall-mark of 1596 ; and to another, in a like mounting, belonging to Mr. C. Winn. (See Loans Cat., Nos. 3280-1.) Jugs of this form were ufed for water. (See coloured plate.) lyoSa. 55. EWER. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white arabefque foliation heightened with blue on a green ground, on a red collar white leafage touched with blue and green. Rhodian or Syrian. 15th or i6th century. H. loj, in., diam. 7^in. Bought. (Bernal Colledtion.) 7/. los. The companion to No. 1708. A noble jug of this form in Mr. Henderfon's collection has an infcription in Turkifh round the neck. Rhodian. 33 which reads : " What is a jug ? A jug is a friend that meets you in the days of heat, and opens its heart to you." 485- '54' PERFUME Vafe and Cover. Siliceous glazed earthen- ware ; the cover and margin of the vafe perforated; white ground with bunches of red flowers and blue hyacinths, the fhoulders and lid grounded in blue and green with red fpots, the foot blue with red buds. Rhodian. 15th or i6th century. H. 8£ in., diam. ^\ in. Bought, i/. 6783. '60. FLASK. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; with long neck, having a projeding bofs of turquoife blue, the surface decorated with fhips in full fail on a green ground, fprinkled with leaves and trefoils in white touched with red. A collar of elongated white leaves centred with red, falls from the bofs. Rhodian (?). 15th or i6th century. H. 17 in., diam. 8 in. Bought, 14/. 14^. This fine flafk and its companion No. 6784 are good fpecimens of one of the moft elegant forms of Eaftern pottery and metal work. In Perfia it was ufed for wine, in contradiftindlion to the handled jug, No. 1708, which was for water. 6784. '60. FLASK. Siliceous glazed earthenware ^ with long neck, having a projedting bofs of dark blue, from which falls a collar of long leaves; grotefque birds and animals, fome human headed, referved in white with a black outline on a green ground diapered with leaves in blue and red. Rhodian (?). 15th or 1 6th century. H. 17 in., diam. 8 in. Bought, 14/. 14J. Mr. Henderfon has fome fine examples of this beautiful form ; others are in Mr. Huth's collection. Two fpecimens of their Italian imitation, made at Candiana, are in the Mufeum, and are defcribed under that head (No. 836). 34 Rhodian, 1143. 64. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground painted with a green cyprefs tree between red pinks and blue and green leaf-fcrolls ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. Probably 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. 12 in. Bought, 8/. The red colour in this fpecimen is remarkably brilliant. 315- '67- PLATE. Siliceous glazed earthenware. White ground ; painted with a three-mafted fhip in full fail, towing a boat (rig of the 15th century) ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. 15th or 1 6th century. Dlam. 12 in. Bought, 5/. 5J. 177. '^(i. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, with red rofes and foliage in blue and green ; border of black fcrolls on blue and white. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. 11^ in. Bought, il. yj. 116. '70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware; white ground, with flowers in red, blue, and green ; black and white fcroll border. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. 1 2^ in. Bought, 2/. 5^. Rhodi lan, 3 5 117. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, with a bouquet of red rofes blue buds and green leaves ; black and white fcroll border. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. 11 J in. Bought, il. ^s. 118. >o. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, with red rofes and blue and green leafage ; black and white fcroll border. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. iijin. Bought, 2/. 5s. 119. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; green ground in centre, with arabefque foliation in white touched with red and blue and encircled by a gadrooned band ; black and white fcroll border. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. 1 1| in. Bought, 2/. ^s. i2;o. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; centre of green leafage furrounded by ftar-fhaped ornament of red and blue parallel lines, black fcrolis in the interfpaces, with red and green border. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. laj in. Bought, 2/. 5J. C 2 36 Rhodian. 12,1. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, fhips painted in black with blue fails, between which are red flowers ; blue and black fcroll border. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. 11.^ in. Bought, 2/. c^s. 12,2. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground with red rofes and blue and red leafage. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. lof in. Bought, 2/. is. 123. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; greenifli- white ground, red rofes with blue and green leaves. Rhodian. i6th century. Diam. 10^ in. Bought, 2/. is. 124. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; greenifli- white ground, a bouquet of red pinks blue buds and green leaves, with black and white fcroll border. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. io-| in. Bought, 2/. is. 123. 70. PLATE. Deep. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; white ground, rofette centre with radiating leaf-fliaped compart- ments bearing red flowers on a green ground; border of pink buds and blue flowers. Rhodian, 1 6th century. Diam. lojin. Bought, 2/. IS. VASE. I'AlN'lhD WITH IMITATIVE ARABIC INSCRIPTIONS. biu,Uo-Aralia/i, 13//: tr 14/// Citttury. (+S3. '64.) Rhodian. 37 126. '70. PLATE. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; greenifh-white ground, with flowers in red, blue, and green. Rhodian. 1 6th century. Diam. 10 in. Bought, 2/. is, Nos. 116 to 126 are pieces of more ordinary quality, perhaps of a later period of the Rhodian manufafture. Siculo-Arahian . 48:2. '64. ASE. Oviform. Siliceous glazed earthenware of fimilar charadter to the Perfian ware ; ground white dotted with black and painted with figures of winged horses and birds in black, tinted with blue. On the neck, repeated in circular panels, is a fymbolic mark, probably medical. Siculo- Arabian. 13th or 14th century (?). H. 15 in., diam. 10 in. Bought, 15/. i6s. 483. '64. VASE. Oviform. Siliceous glazed earthenware of fimilar charadler to the Perfian ware. An imitative Arabic infcription encircles the body of the vafe, referved in v/hite and outlined with black on a blue ground diapered with black and white arabefque fcrolls. On the neck a frieze of blue birds, other imitative infcriptions encircle the fhoulder and the foot^ Siculo- Arabian. 13th or 14th century (?). H. 15 in., diam« 10 In. Bought, 15/. \6s. (Set engraving.) 3 8 Siculo- Arabian, 484. '64. BOWL. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; with diapered and rayed ornament in black and blue on white ground. Siculo-Arabian. 13th or early 14th century (?). H. 4 in., diam. 7 J in. Bought, 9/. The ornamentation of this piece is very peculiar. Like the vafe No. 618, it is longitudinally divided into fedions by dark blue lines, between which the furface is diapered with fine black mofs-like ornament ; above the {houlders are oval fpots or panels of dark blue. The interior has a dark blue ground divided by white lines and panelled with black diapering on white. It is a curious piece both in form and ornamenta- tion, which has been executed with confiderable care. 618. '64. VASE. Oviform. Siliceous glazed earthenware ; the ground white, divided into fedions by blue lines, with black and white arabefque ornaments in compartments. Siculo-Arabian. 13th or 14th century (?). H. 16 in., diam. \o\ in. Bought, 24/. HISPANO-MORESOUE POTTERY. FEW years fince this numerous and now well-defined clafs of wares was indifcrlminately grouped with the luftred Majolica of Italy, in which country the larger number of fpecimens now in our collections had been preferred, and whence they have been procured. So much was this the cafe, and on the contrary fo fmall a number of examples have been found in the native country of their produ6lion, that M. Delange and others hefitated to believe in their Spanifh origin, thinking it more probable that they were the work of Moorifh potters eftablifhed in the fifter peninfula. Mons. Riocreux of Sevres was the firft to point out their diftindtion as a clafs. The correfpondence of technical charafter with the " azulejos," the well-knov/n tiles which adorn the palace of the Alhambra at Seville, and other buildings, and with the celebrated ''jarra," or Alhambra vafe, as alfo a marked difference between thefe and any wares of known Italian manufacture, led to the conviClion that they muft be of Spanifh origin, and the work of the Moorifh potters and their defcendants who had been eftablifhed in that country. Under this belief they were clafTed together as Hifpano- Arabian enamelled and luftred wares, but this appellation would conneCl: them with the fo-called Saracens, who, under their Caliphs, conquered that country from the Goths in a.d. 712. Thefe firft Arab invaders were themfelves expelled in 756 by the difciples of Omar, under Abd-el- Rhama, who caufed himfelf to be proclaimed Caliph at Cordova. This city thus became the great centre of his power, and here was eredted the mofque of which the decoration attefts the exquifite oriental tafte of its founders. The ornamental wall tiles on this building are of truly Hifpano-Arabian manufacture. But the rule of the fuccefTors of Abd-el-Rhama had its end, the line becoming extinCt in 1038 by the death of Mutamed-al- Allah, anarchy 40 Hifpano-Morefque Pottery, followed, and the houfe, divided againft itfelf, fell under the Moorifh conqueft of 1090. Granada became the chief feat of the Moorifti rulers in 1235, and here they ereded the fortrefs-palace of the Alhambra about 1273. The only works of Saracenic pottery affignable to the period anterior to this date are, as beforefaid, the tiles of the Mofque at Cordova, unlefs, as has been fuggefted, the wares defcribed under the laft fedion as Siculo- Arabian, can claim fo early an origin. There feems to be but little doubt, that the art of applying the metallic luftre pigments was of Arabian origin, or was introduced by that people not only into Spain, but diredlly into Perfia, and indire6lly from both or either of thefe fources into Italy. The wares under confideration were therefore the work of the Moorifh potters and their defendants in Spain, and hence are now more correctly known as Hifpano-Morefque pottery. The period of their produftion ranges from the 13th to the laft century. To continue our hiftorical fketch. After an occupation of the country for four centuries the Moors were conquered by Ferdinand and Ifabella in 1492. The Chriftian element would then predomi- nate in the decoration of the pottery; and in 1566 the laft blow was ftruck at Moorifh art by the promulgation of a decree prohibiting the fpeaking or writing of their language, forbidding the ufe to men and women of their national drefs and veil, and the execution of decorative works in the Morefque ftyle. But the final perfecution was under Philip III. in 1610, when from fix to nine hundred thoufand perfons were expelled the kingdom and their property confifcated, while other thoufands perifhed by famine and the fword. When lirft recognized as a diftindl: family, thefe v/ares were found to be difficult of claffification, from the entire abfence of dates or names of manufaftories. Labarte and others confidered the copper-luftred pieces to be the earlier, but Mr. J. C. Robinfon,^ with his ufual acumen, faw in the ornamentation of various examples reafons for re- verfing this arrangement, and fuggested one which fubfequent obferva- tion has only tended to confirm. He ranked thofe pieces having a decoration in a paler luftre, with interlacings and other ornaments in manganefe and blue, coats of arms &c., to be of the earher period ; thofe having the ornament in the paler luftre only, without colour, to be of nearly equal date, as alio fome of the flarker coppery examples with fhields of arms, and of a ftill later period thofe, fo glaring in copper coloured luftre as to be more painful than pleafmg to the eye. ' Soulages Catalogue, p. 50. Hifpano-Morefque Pottery. 41 But it is to Monfr. J. C. Davillier ^ that we owe a more exadl eluci- dation of the hiftory of thefe wares, by the publication of documents referring to the fubje6l, and by a careful examination of the monuments of Moorifti art that remain to us in Spain. In the abftradl of Piccolpaflb's manufcript, which has been given in the introductory chapters, will be found a defcription of the procefs in ufe at Gubbio for producing the metallic luftre, as communicated to him by Mo. Cencio ; and there can be little doubt that it was by a fimilar procefs, with fmall variations in the ingredients and manner of manipulation, that this enrichment was applied to the Spanifti wares. M. Davillier gives us the refult of experiments made at Sevres, and others by M. Louis Carrand, which confirm the recipe given by Piccol- paflb, and prove that copper and filver, reduced from their falts by the aftion of fmoke upon the heated furface, were the metals employed. It has been generally admitted that this mode of decoration is of Arabian origin, and that it was introduced by that people into Europe, as alfo into Perfia and other countries ; in corroboration of this opinion is adduced the difcovery, by Mr. Layard, of fragments and tiles of ftanniferous glaze and luftre decoration, at Khorfabad, under fome twelve feet of earth. Others are attributed to the 9th century by M. Lenormant, while in Perfia we hear of thofe on the Mofque of Natinz of the I2th century, and in this Mufeum are fragments brought by M. Mechin from the ruins of Rhei, a city which was deftroyed in the I2th century. Thefe fragments, reprefenting human figures and animals were in all probability the work of Perfian and not of Arabian potters. The ufe of the oxide of tin to produce an opaque white enamel is alfo attributed to an Arab fource. We are however difpofed to think, that both thofe methods were known to an earlier civilization on the banks of the Tigris or Euphrates, from whence it may have been derived by the Perfians and Arabians. Malaga. DAVILLIER confiders that in all probability this was the earlieft site of the manufa6lure, and argues that its maritime fituation and trade with the Eaft, and its proximity to Granada, would warrant that opinion, which is confirmed by the earliest documentary evidence yet brought to lio;ht. ' Hiftoire des Faiences Hifpano-Morefques a reflets metalliques, Paris. Didron, 1861. 42 Hifpano-Morefque Pottery, One Ibn-Batoutah, a native of Tangier and a traveller, writing in 1350,^ after journeying through the Eaft, ftates that "at Malaga, the beautiful gilt pottery or porcelain is made, which is exported to the moft diftant countries." He makes no mention of a fabrique at Granada in defcribing that city, and we may therefore reafonably conclude that Malaga was the centre of this induftry in the Moorifti kingdom, and if fo there is great probability that the celebrated Al- hambra vafe was made there. From the ftyle of its ornamentation, the form of the characters in the infcriptions, and other inferences, the date of this piece may be fiiirly affigned to the middle of the 14th century, which would be about the fame period as that traveller's vifit to the city. It has neverthelefs been afcribed by others to an earlier time, about 1320. This vafe is fo generally and well known that we need only allude to its charaCleriftic form and richly de- corated furface. It has been figured in Mr. Owen Jones's work on the Alhambra, from which there is a woodcut in the third edition of Marryat's Hiftory of Pottery, and alfo in other books ;'-^ but, as we are informed by M. Davillier, never quite correctly. He caufed a large photograph to be taken of it and a caft of the handle. This vafe is faid to have been found in the 1 6th century under the pavement of the Alhambra, together with feveral others all of which were filled with gold, a tradition which may, perhaps, have fome foundation in fa6t. The firft mention of it occurs in a work by a Doftor Echeverria, called " Pafeos por Granada," or Walks through Granada, in which a curious dialogue is given between an imaginary ftranger and a native, by whom he is conducted to the garden called *' Adarves," connedted with the Alhambra, laid out, he fays, by means of the treafure found, and there he is shown the vafe and its com- panion, together with fome fragments of a third. It thus appears certain that about 1764 two of the vafes remained and portions of a third. The fecond vafe, alfo engraved in the " Antiquedades Arabes," was decorated with birds inftead of antelopes, and bore the devife of the kings of Granada, which is fo conftantly repeated on the "azulejos" of the Alhambra, one of which is in this colleftion. The Alhambra vafe was copied at the Sevres manufadtory in 1842, after drawings made from the original by Dauzats,^ and fince by the MefTrs. Deck, in faience, of the original fize after the caft and 1 " Voyages d'Ibn-Batoutah," traduftion Defremery, Paris, Impiimerie Imperiale, 1858. 8vo. 2 It was firft engraved in the " Antiquedades Arabes," with text, by P. Lozano. 4to. Madrid, 1785. 2 Brongniart and Riocreux. Mufee Ceramique de Sevres, P. pi. iii., fig. 2. Hifpaiio-Morefque Pottery, 43 photographs procured by M. Davillier. This laft is now in the South Kenfington Mufeum. The fabrique of Malaga exifted in the i6th century, as we learn from Lucio Marineo, known as the chronicler of their Majefties Ferdinand andlfabella. Writing of the memorable things of Spain in 15 17, he fays that " at Malaga are made alfo very beautiful vafes of faience." After this date no further record is found, and M. Davillier thinks it probable that the works gradually declined as thofe of Valencia increafed in importance, and that by the middle of the i6th century they had entirely ceafed. He attributes to thefe potteries three large deep bafms in the Hotel Cluny at Paris (No. 2584, &c.), which are covered with defigns in golden rejiet and blue, of great fimilarity to thofe of the Alhambra vafe; alfo two vafes in the fame coUeftion (No. 2049). Some pieces with coats of arms and Chriftian emblems are alfo probably of a later period of that fabrique, and made for Spanifh and other Chriftian purchafers. The fine vafe from the Soulages Colledion is alfo attributed by M. Davillier to Malaga, and a vafe of fimilar charadler in the Mufeum of Stockholm is figured in Delange's folio work. In the Mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna are three vafes of like kind. But few " azulejos " with metallic luftre were made by the Moors in Spain. Some exift in the ancient Moorifli villa in Granada known as the " Cuarto real," one of which, ornamented with pale golden arabefques on yellowifh white ground, is figured at page 2 of Mr. Marryat's third edition. Majorca. FTER the fabrique of Malaga that of Majorca is thought to be the moft ancient, and the extenfion of its manu- fadlures by commerce is indiredlly proved by the adoption of the term " Majolica," flightly altered from Majorica and fignifying in the Majorcan ftyle or after the Majbrcan manner, by the potters of Italy for such of their wares as were decorated with the metallic luftre. Indeed it is probable, that from a Moorifh or a Perfian fource, or both, this procefs was acquired by the potters of Pefaro, &c. and modified as well as improved by the Italian Maejlri. The luftre colours of the Italian wares differ materially on the one hand from thofe of Spain, and on the other from the Perfian, taking an intermediate pofition, and fuperior to both in richnefs of effeft. 44 Hifpano'Morefque Pottery. Scaliger,-'^ writing in the firft half of the i6th century, fpeaks highly of the wares of the Balearic iflands ; but not being an " expert " in ceramic produftions, after praifing the porcelain recently brought from China, admires what he calls their imitations made at Majorca. " So much fo," fays he, "that it is difficult to diftinguiih the falfe from the true(!), thofe of the Balearic iflands not being their inferiors in form or bril- liancy, even furpaffing them in elegance ; it is faid that fuch excellent ones are now brought that they are preferred to the moft beautiful pewter ixtenfils for the table." "We call them '^ majolica ^^ changing one letter in the name of the Balearic ifland, where we are aflured that the moft beautiful are made." An interefting teftimony to the importation of thefe wares into Italy and the knowledge of their origin, as alfo to the derivation of the term applied to the home manufadure of Pefaro and Gubbio. M. Davillier makes fome further remarks and quotations on this term, and upon the ftory of the " bacini " which adorn the Pifan churches, confirming the views of the writer, as exprefled in his paper on that fubjeil;,^ and inftancing a plate in the tower of the church of Santa Francefca-Romana, near to the Bafilica of Conftantine at Rome, as the only example having the metallic luftre. The writer well knows the example alluded to, and at firft formed the fame opinion as M. Da- villier ; but repeated obfervations of it, in different lights, have caufed him to alter that opinion, and to conclude that it was devoid of metallic luftre, but, that from partial decompofition of the glaze by the a6f ion of the atmofphere, it had acquired a degree of iridefcence, which, at that height, might be readily miftaken for a " reflet metallique." Although prefumably of much earlier date no record of this pottery occurs till that of Giovanni di Bernardi da Uzzano, the fon of a rich Pifan merchant, who in 1442 wrote a treaty on commerce and naviga- tion, publiflied by Paquini,^ in which he fpeaks of the manufactures of Majorca and Minorca, particularly mentioning faience, which, adds he, " had then a very large fale in Italy." There was a great commerce between thefe iflands and Italy, as inftanced by Capmany,^ who cites feveral authors in fupport of his ftate- ments, particularly Balducci-Pegolotti, who gives a lift of towns in Italy having commercial relations with Majorca in the 14th century. That ' I. C. Scaliger, " Exercitationes,''' &c., ex. xcli. - Read before the Society of Antiquaries on 16 Feb. i860. Proceedings, vol. i., p. 94, but by an overfight not publifhed in the " Archaeologia " till 2nd feries, vol. xlii., p. 379. ^ Paquini, " Delia decima," &c. Lifbon and Lucca. 4to. 1765. * Capmany, " Memorias hiftoricas.'' Barcelona, torn. iii. 4to. 1780. Hifpano'Morefque Pottery. 45 ifland pofTefled at that period 900 vcfTels, ibme of 400 tons burden, and counted fome 20,000 failors. Muratori ^ ftates that at the com- mencement of the 15th century Pedro Santon, a Catalonian corfair, commanded a fliip with a crew of 500 men. Thefe proofs of commer- cial intercourfe between Spain and Italy would readily account for the quantity of Hifpano-Morefque ware found in the latter country. M. J. M. Bover de Roflelli of Majorca, has found evidence that the principal feat of the manufadture was at " Ynca," in the interior of the ifland ; and in confirmation of that difcovery fome plates have been obferved by M. Davillier in collections on which the arms of that ifland are reprefented. One fuch, he ftates, is in the Hotel Cluny (No. 2050), and is probably of the 15th century. It is Morefque in ftyle, with illegible infcriptions, in an odd mixture of the Arabic and Gothic characters, the luftre is of a red colour, the arms in the centre. He is miftaken in referring to another example in the Britifh Mufeum, no piece bearing the arms faid to be of that town, and communicated by a refident in the ifland, is in that collection. Thefe arms are, paly gules and or, on a fefs argent a dog in the aCt of bounding, fable. There would feem alfo to have been a fabrique at Ivi^a, for Vargas," in his defcription of the Balearic iflands, fays, " It is much to be regretted that Ivi^a has ceafed to make her famous vafes of faience, deftined for exportation as well as for local confumption." But of their precife nature he gives us no information, and we have no knowledge. Valencia. HIS kingdom was in the time of the Romans noted for its works in pottery, thofe produced at Saguntum, the prefent Murviedro, near to the city of Valencia having a great reputation at that period according to Pliny, who at book 35, ch. 12, of his Natural Hiftory mentions the jafper red pottery of Saguntum, where 1,200 workmen were employed.^ To thefe, after the occupation of the Goths, fucceeded the Arab workmen who accompanied the Mufllilman conqueft in 711. Again, when the Moors were, in 1239, fubjeCled to the Chriftian domination ^ Muratori, "Rerum Italicarum Scriptores." Fol. Milan, 1723. ^ Vargas, " Defcripcion de las iflas Baleares y Pityufas.'" 4to. Madrid, 1787. ^ See a work on the fubjeft of this pottery by the Comte Antonio de Lumiares y Valcarcel, publifhed in 1779. 46 HifpanO'Morefque Pottery, under " layme " I. of Aragon, furnamed " el conquiftador," the potters' art was confidered of fufficient importance to claim a fpecial charter from the king, who granted it to the Saracens of Xativa, a fmall town of the kingdom, now called San-Felipe. This charter ^ provides that every mafter potter making vafes, domeftic veflels, tiles, "rajolas" (an Arabic name for wall-tiles, fynonymous with " azulejos "), ftiould pay a "befant" annually, and freely purfue his calling. M. Davillier thinks however, that the luftred pottery was not made in this province anterior to the 15th century, and that it was introduced from Malaga. Mr. Drake, in his notes on Venetian Ceramics, p. 11, cites an ordinance of the Venetian Senate in 1455, declaring that no earthenware works of any kind fhould be introduced into the dominions of the Signory, either within or without the Adriatic Gulf, except crucibles (" correzzoli") and Majolica of Valencia^ an important fa6l proving the value that was attached to the Spanifh luftre wares in Italy in the middle of the 15th century. Marineo Siculo,^ writing in 15 17, devotes a chapter to the utenfils and other objects of faience made in Spain, in which he ftates that *' the moft efteemed are thofe of Valencia, which are fo well worked and fo well gilded;" whilft Capmany {op. cit.) records a decree of the Municipal Council of Barcelona in 1528, relative to the exportation of faience to Sicily and elfewhere, and in which " la Loza de Valencia" is named. Antonio Beuter, in his chronicle printed in 1530, mentions the places whence the potters' earth was procured, and fays it is " extremely good at Paterna, Manifes, Quartas, Carcre, Villalonga, Alaquaz, &c., fo much fo that ChorebuSy the inventor of pottery (according to Pliny), could not make better at Athens ; they equal the vafes of Corinth, and thofe of Pifa, of Pefaro, or elfewhere do not furpafs them for beauty nor for fine workmanfhip." Again Barreyros, a Portugefe, in his " Chorographia," '^ praifing the pottery of Barcelona, fays that they are " even fuperior " to thofe of Valencia. And in 1564 Martin de Vicyana'^ fpeaks of the town of " Biar " as having 14 potteries, where vafes, difties, &c. were made for the ufe of ' Cited in the " Coleccion de documentos ineditos " of D. M. Salva, torn, xviii. - Lucio Marineo Siculo, " De las cofas memorables de Efpaua," Akala de Henares. Folio. 1539. Lib. i., fol, v. v". ^ Barreyros, " Chorographia de alquns lugares." 4to. Coimbra. •* Martin de Vicyana, *' Cronica de Valencia." Valencia. Fol. 1564. Hifpano'Morefque Pottery, 47 the diftrift and for exportation. The town of " Trayguera " had 23 fabriques where large vafes and other objects of earthenware were made. Both thefe towns are in the province of Valencia. Efcolano,^ another Valencian writer, fpeaics of the wares made from time immemorial with great elegance of workmanfhip at *' Paterna," where, he ftates, the Chriftian population is mixed with the Moors, alfo the " bourg d' Alaquaz," where beautiful enamelled {vidriados) ware was made, and " Manifes " famous for its enamelled faience and " azulejos."^ The fmall towns, previoufly mentioned by Beuter, he alfo names, but particularly praifes the wares of " Maniles " as being fo beautiful and elegant " that," fays he, " in exchange for the faience that Italy fends us from Pifa, we fend veflels to that country laden with the wares of Manifes." Another writer, Fr. Diago, in 16 13, after praifmg the wares of Paterna and Carcre — among them large tiles for roofing luftred with brilliant copper colour, fome of which are now to be feen on buildings not anterior to the 17th century, as the cupola of the church at Manifes and others at Valencia — fpeaks fpecially of the faiences of Manifes, " fo well gilded and painted with fuch art that all the world is enamoured with them, fo much fo that the Pope, the Cardinals, and the Princes fend their orders hither, wondering that with fimple earth fuch exquifite things can be made." The expulfion of the Moors in 1610 by Philip III. gave the fatal blow to this induftry, as we learn from contemporary authors that many of the banifhed artizans were potters (" olleros "). From time immemorial St. John the Evangelift has been particularly venerated at Valencia, and in the grand proceffions of Corpus Chrifti, the emblematic eagle is carried, holding in his beak a banderole, on which is infcribed the firft fentence of his gofpel : " In principio erat Verhum et Verbum erat apud Deum." On fome pieces of Hifpano-Morefque w^are this fentence is infcribed, and the eagle fometimes covers the front, fometimes the back of certain pieces. There is therefore reafon to infer that fuch pieces were made in one of the fabriques of Valencia, and if fo, their ftyle, would be, to a confiderable extent, typical of the Valencian pottery. The decoration was probably infpired by the wares of Malaga, and it is likely that many of the pieces of the 15th century, bearing 1 Efcolano " Hiftoria de la infigne y coronada ciudad y regno de Valencia," Folio. Valencia, 16 10. - Thefe " azulejos " were exported to various countries; there is a pavement formed of them in the Mayor's Chapel at Briltol (see Lyfon's Antiq. of Gloucefterfhire), One, from Haccombe Church in Devonfliire, is in the Britifh Mufeum. 48 Hifpano-Morefque Pottery, infcriptions in Gothic charadlers with animals, &c. in blue, may be of this fabrique. Thus in the Britifh Mufeum is a plate (figured in Marryat, p. il.) painted with an antelope and Morefque ornament in blue, and with the infcription — others occur, though very rarely, with Spanifli infcriptions. At the commencement of the 1 7th century the Valencian wares had loft nearly all their Morefque chara6ler, and the employment of the copper luftre only was retained, defigns with figures in the coftumes of that period and coarfe leafage, birds &c. with " rococo" ornaments. In 1780 Mr. Talbot Dillon, in his " Travels in Spain," ftates that at " Manifes," a pretty village two leagues from Valencia, the people, moftly potters, make a beautiful faience of a copper coloured gilding. In 180 1 Fifcher, a German traveller, fpealcs of the fame wares, and M. Davillier found its laft producer at Manifes, one " layme Caflans," who varied his duties to his guefts as a fmall innkeeper by making luftred pottery, with a fimple wheel and fmall furnace, his wife aflifting him in the decoration of the pieces. It would thus appear that the fabrique of Malaga was the moft ancient, and that of Valencia the moft important in Spain ; but other potteries exifted, as we have feen, at Barcelona, whence Hieronymus Paulus, in 149 1, writes, fpeaking of the faience of that place as having been long efteemed and fought even at Rome.^ Murcia, Morviedro, Toledo, and Talevera near that city, alfo appear to have had potteries, from the ftatements of Marineo Siculo {fee ante), as alfo at Jaen and at Teruel a town of Aragon ; but thefe works probably ceafed for the moft part in the courfe of the i6th century, and we have no means of diftinguiftiing their productions. That thefe Spanifh wares were imported into England is proved by fragments found in London, on one of which, in the Britifh Mufeum, is reprefented a man in the coftume of the period of Henry IV. of England, about 1400. Makers' names have never been obferved upon pieces of this pot- tery, and marks are very rarely met with. On the back of two fmall plates with deep centres, in which is painted a Ihield of arms bearing a crowned eagle with open wings in blue, the reft of the furface being diapered with fmall vine or briony leaves and interlaced tendrils in ^ Hieronymi Pauli, Barclnienfis apud Schott, " Hifpania lllufti-ata/' torn, iii, 1491. Hifpano-Morefque Pottery. 49 concentric order, of golden luftre on the creamy white ground, are the accompanying marks. Thefe pieces are fimilar, and perhaps of the fame fervice, probably of Malaga or Valencia, and may be of the earlier half of the 15th cen- tury ; they are in the writer's pofleflion. In Mr. Henderfon's rich colle6lion is a vafe, on one fide of which is the infcription, of which we give a facfimile : — ^.-.r^S>'' X ^e IIB^ It reads " Illuftriflimo Signore Cardinale D'Efte in Urbe Roms," and is probably one of thofe pieces of Manifes manufacture spoken of by Fr. Diago in 1613. Mr. Chaffers alfo gives us marks occurring on a piece, probably of the fame fabrique, in Mr. Reynolds' Colledtion. They confift of a 50 Hifpano-Morefque Pottery. hand, and the date 1610, in a circle on the face of the piece, and the letter M, furmounted by an O, on the reverfe. The others given as marks in that ufeful work are probably only ornamental devices. The Louvre and the Hotel Cluny at Paris contain fine examples of this pottery, as alfo the Mufeum at Sevres ; and in the Britifh Mufeum are fpecimens of confiderable intereft, already referred to, alfo a fine difh having the arms of Caftile and Leon impaled with Aragon, which may have been made for Eleanor, daughter of Pedro IV. of Aragon, Oueen of John L King of Caftile and Leon, married 1375 died 1382 ; and a fort of " biberon" with fpouts at the fides. Both of thefe are engraved in Mr. Marryat's work. The richeft private collection in England is that of Mr. John Henderfon. Calata-Girone. riROM Sicily have been brought, and we think from no other locality, fpecimens of a luftred ware differing materially from that of Spain, as alfo from thofe other and probably earlier fpecimens of luftred and filiceous glazed pottery, which we clafled in the laft divifion as having more affinity to the Periian, and defined as Siculo-Arabian or Siculo-Perfic, thofe now under confideration being, as it were, a connedling link between the two. They are formed of an ordinary clay covered with an earthy or ftanniferous (?) wafh, which is again coated with a rich tranflucent blue glaze, on which a diapering of vermicular ornament in coppery luftre covers the whole piece, except that the edges and handles are alfo painted in luftre. This ware is by no means common, the fineft example is the vafe in this Mufeum; it alfo occurs in the form of plates, covered bowls, and " alharelli." It is fuppofed to be the workmanfhip of Moorifli potters at Calata- Girone, perhaps in fequence of that earlier ware referred to above, and with which it has fometimes been confounded. Mr. Marryat gives a mark as occurring on a fpecimen of this pottery, which he alludes to in his paflage on the Siculo-Morefque wares (pp. 10, 11). It is on the face of a piece. No. G. 29, in the Louvre, at the fide of a jQiield of arms, and therefore more probably the monogram of the owner. The defcription of the piece, given by M. Darcel, who claftes it as " Italo-Morefque," would indicate that it is of the early wares of Pefaro or Gubbio, with an orientalifm in the decoration, but not belonging to the clafs under confideration. VASE. DIAPERED WITH IVY OR I5RIONY IN GOLDEN I.USTXE. Hlfpanu-Movijqiic {^Maln^a^, \^tli cr i 5/// Cet.tury. {t^y^%. '63.) CATALOGUE. Hifpano-Morefque, 8968. '6^. ASE. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Mo- refco, luftred. The body fpherical on a trumpet-fhaped bafe, the neck of elongated funnel form, flanked by two large wing- fhaped handles perforated with circular holes. The furface, except the mouldings, is entirely covered with a diaper pattern of ivy or briony leaves, tendrils, and fmall flowers, in brownifli golden lufl:re and blue on the white ground. Spanilh (Malaga). 14th or 15th century. H. 2o£ in., W. 14^ in. Bought (Soulages Colledlion), 80/. Mr. Robinfon, writing of this vafe in the catalogue of the Soulages Colleilion, says : " This important piece is probably of pure Morefque fabrication ; the form of the handles, in particular, exadlly refembling thofe of the celebrated vafe of the Alhambra. It is the production of a condition of art and civilization entirely different to that which gave rife to the art pottery of Italy ; and it is undoubtedly a more ancient Ceramic type. It is agreed that the Italian word Majolica was derived from Majorca, the name of an ifland in the Mediterranean off the eaft coaft of Spain. This ifland was, during the earlier centuries of the middle ages, under the domination of the Moors or Saracens, and a peculiar pottery was there, and on the continent of Spain, manufactured by the Morefque artizans, which, in common with other produ6ts of Ma- hometan induftry, was largely exported, efpecially to Italy, then the 52 Hijpano-Morefque, richeft and mofl: flomifhing country in the world. The prefent is unqueftionably one of the pieces fo exported, and which, in the fifteenth century, were curtly termed by the Italians ' Majorca ' or ' Majorica^ and thence by corruption ' Majolica^ a term which, as we have feen, ultimately obtained a place in the language, and was applied indifcri- minately to all kinds of glazed earthenware. Juft as in our own country the word China is ufed to defignate porcelain, and, more appofitely ftili, ' delft ' or ' delph ' for all kinds of earthenware, the latter term preferving the remembrance of a ware formerly largely imported into this country from Holland, but the manufa6lure of which, for exportation, has ceafed for more than a century. The firft detailed notices of the Hifpano-Arab wares were by M. Riocreux, Coniervateur of the Mufee Ceramique of Sevres, and M. Labarte, a diftinguifhed French amateur. Thefe gentlemen fucceeded in eftablifhing with certainty the Spanifh origin of the ware. Their attempts to aflign the feveral varieties to their relative periods of development were, however, owing to the then comparatively i^v^ fpecimens obferved, unfuccefTful — the moft modern being, by a fmgular chance, deemed to be the primitive variety." Since the publication of the notices in M. Labarte's truly excellent introduftion to the catalogue of the Debruge-Dumenil CollecSlion (1847), M. J. C. Davillier has proved, by the difcovery of documents and reference to early writers, that Mr. Robinfon's opinion as to the relative ages of the varieties of Hifpano-Morefque pottery, was more corre6l than that of M. Labarte, and has further difcovered much interefting matter on the various centres of this manufacture in Spain. We have entered more into detail on this fubjeil in the introdudiory notice on thefe wares. M. Davillier agrees with Mr. Robinfon in afligning this piece to the Moorifh potters of Malaga, and it is probably of the later years of the 14th or earlier part of the 15th century. The Mufeum at Stockholm and that of the Univerfity of Bologna pofTefs vafes of fimilar charadler. (See engraving.^ 486. '64. BOWL. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano - Morefco, luftred ; funnel-fhaped, with reprefentation of a /hip in full fail in brown luftre colour, the fail bearing the Royal fhield of Portugal. Fifh are beneath, the white ground is diapered with fcrolls, &c., on the rim are bands of blue and Hifpa7io-Morefque, 5 3 luftre colour. Exterior, rude Morefque ornaments. (Ma- jorca? or Malaga.) 15th century. H. 9 in., diam. 20 in. Bought, 54/. An important and exceptional piece of early date and executed with confiderable care. We are without fufficient information to aflign thefc pieces with any degree of certainty. 7659. '62. BOWL and Cover. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano- Morefco, luftred. Painted with a fcroU diaper in alternate compartments of gold luftre and blue ; the cover furmounted by a cupola- fhaped ornament in gold luftre. Spanifti (Malaga .?). 15th or i6th century. H. 21 J in., diam. 18 in. Bought, 80/. The decoration of this piece is curious and eminently Morefque, but the execution carelefs ; the body of the bowl is coloured on one fide with blue and gold, and on the other with the gold luftre only on the creamy white ground. It is probably of the fame manufacture as the plateau No. 1635, which, like the prefent piece is indented on part of the furface. 489. 64. CIRCULAR Difti or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware ; fiifpano-Morefco, luftred ; Morefque interlacing and other ornament alternately in blue and gold and white and gold in compartments, in the centre two fimulated Arabic infcriptions. Reverfe a gryphon and fcroll work in luftre. Spanifti (Malaga or Valencia). 15th century. Diam. 17 in. Bought, 20/. This piece is interefting from its thoroughly Morefque ftyle of decoration. Four compartments, ftiaped like Arabian windows, abut upon a central fquare, forming a crofs, between the arms of which angular panels are left grounded with blue and gold interlaced ornament, each carrying a white panel, agreeing in form and pofition with the upper part of the four primary divifions, which are covered with Morefque, leaf-ftiaped, and ball ornament, in gold luftre on a white 54 Hifpano-Morefque. ground. The central fquare has two mock Arabic infcriptions in blue, and a white panel between them. A large gryphon nearly covers the reverfe of the piece which is filled in with foliated fcroll ornament. In this refpe6l there is great analogy with thofe pieces afcribed to Valencia by M. Davillier, on the reverfe of which a large eagle is reprefented, emblematic of St. John the Evangelift, the patron faint of Valencia, and of which Nos. 1760 and 17 12 are examples. 487. '64- DRUG Vafe. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Morefco, luftred ; cylindric ; with bands and compartments of Arabefque ornament in blue and luftre on a white ground. Spanifh. 15th century. H. 16 in., diam. 6 J in. Bought, i/. 5 J. 8^. 488. '64. DRUG Vafe. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Morefco ; cylindric ; with bands of iimulated Arabic infcriptions in blue on white ground. Spanifh. 15th century. H. 16 in., diam. 6J in. Bought, i/. 4^. ^43- '53- SALVER or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano- Morefco, luftred ; with deep funk centre and vertical fides ; ground of diapered ornament in alternate ftripes, ex- tending to the outfide, with a central fhield bearing the arms of Aragon impaled with quarterly Leon and Caftille, all in pale brownifti gold luftre on a creamy ground. Reverfe a central rofe, and concentric circles in luftre. Spanifh (Malaga? or Valencia). 15th or 1 6th century. H. 3f in., diam. 20 in. Bought, 5/. 5J. The form of this difh can hardly be confidered elegant, but is charadteriftic of the Moorifh pottery ; it was adopted in Italy, probably derived from the Spanifh pieces imported into that country. This fine example is remarkable for the pattern and careful execution of its dia- pering, as alfo for the perfedlion of the golden luflre. (See engraving.) SALVER. DIAPERED IN GOLDEN LUSTRE AND WITFI THE SHIELD OF LEOK AND CASriLLE. HifpaiiQ-Morefco, i$t/i or iGt/i Century. (^-43' "53-) PLATEAU. niAPEREO, AVD WITH RAISED RIBS AND STUDS IN BLUE AND G(^LDEN LUSIRE. THE ARMS OF LEON, CASTILLE, AND ARAGON. Hiffano-Morejqiic, 15/// or iGth Century. (1680.^55.) Hifpano-Morefque. 5 5 1680. 'ss- CIRCULAR Difh or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Morefco, luftred ; interfefted by raifed ribs, radiating from a central medallion and connedted by arching, and dotted with ftuds, both coloured alternately blue and gold. A central fhield of arms impaling thofe of Leon and Caftile, with Aragon and another, and concentric diapering of fmall leaves and tendrils in brownifh gold luftre on a creamy white. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls. Spanifh (Malaga ? or Valencia). 15th century. Diam. 17 J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. ioa-. This is a very elegant example of the beft period of the Hifpano- Morefque pottery, of a fabrique which produced the better clafs of wares in large quantities, and which feems to have been much patronized by the royal and noble perfonages of Spain, from the conftant occurrence of coats of arms upon the pieces. We believe them to be Valencian, they vary in the ufe, or omiffion, of blue in the decoration, but the luftre pigments are almoft invariably of a golden brown tone, not coppery. The two examples bearing marks Nos. i, 2, in the writer's colleition, are of this period and fabrique. (See engraving.) 17"- '55- CIRCULAR Difh or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. Divided by radiating raifed ribs connefted by archings, and dotted with raifed studs ; in the centre a ftiield, bearing a lion rampant on a gold field feme with ftars; the furface covered with a fine concentric diapering in brownifti golden luftre on a creamy ground. Reverse, diapering of foliage in luftre. Spanifti (Mdaga ? or Valencia). 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. 18 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 11/. 1760. '55. CIRCULAR Difti or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware ; Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. Diapered with concentric circles of ivy leaves and tendrils, in gold luftre on a ftone-white 5 6 Hifpano- Morefque, ground. In the centre a fhield of arms bearing : fable, two lion's paws erafed, in faltire, beneath a chefs-rook, or. The reverfe covered with a large fpread eagle in luftre colour. Spanifh (Valencia). 15th century. Diam. 18 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. ioj. The eagle on the reverfe of this piece would, according to M. Da- villier, be a probable mark of its Valencian origin, and if fo, the pattern of diapering may have been brought from the potteries of Malaga, as we find it upon the vafe No. 8,968, w^hich is prefumably of that fabrique. This elegant defign confifts of fmall leaves and tendrils fymmetrically arranged in concentric circles, they are fuppofed to be of the ivy or briony, but we fee no reafon, as thefe pieces were made for the Chrif- tian market, why the trellifed vine may not have been the model for this diaper. It is not reafonable to fuppofe that the Moorifh potters of that period in Spain would have objected to adopt the vine as a model for ornamentation, when we find Chriftian infcriptions on pieces of the fame make and of not long fubfequent period. This is a fine example of the ware. (See engraving.) CIRCULAR Diih or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. The white ground diapered with leaves and flowers in dark, blue, and tendrils in brownifh golden luflre ; a central fhield of arms in blue, bearing quarterly a crofs patee, and barry indented. Reverfe, leaf diaper in blue and gold. Spanifh (Valencia). 15th or i6th century. Diam. 18} in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. ioj. CIRCULAR Difh or Plateau. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. The furface diapered with leaves and tendrils in blue and brownifh golden luftre on a ftone-white ground. In the centre a fhield bearing a lion ram- pant, on the reverfe an eagle and fcrolls in luftre. Spanifh (Valencia). 15th or i6th century. Diam. lyf in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. "js. PLATEAU. DIAPERED IN GOLDEN LUbTRE, THE SHIELD OF ARMS IN BLUE. Hifpano-Monfque {I'altucia), 15/// Cintury. (1760. '55.) Hifpano-Morefque, 57 1457. 70. PLATE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. In the centre a fhield of arms, furrounded by concentric bands of a fmall diaper pattern in gold luftre. Spanifh (Va- lencian). 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. jy in. Bought, 8/. 550. '64. BOWL. Deep. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred ; ornamented externally with diapered gadroons and concentric lines, internally with alternate zones of a flower and a reticulated diaper, all in a brownifh golden luftre. At the bottom is a fhield of arms in luftre and blue. Spanifti (Valencian .'*). 15th century. H. 7 J in., diam. iijin. Bought, 15/. 485. '64. EWER. With handle and fpout. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred ; the fides and foot formed in raifed gadroons of blue, luftre, and luftred diaper ; under the fpout a fhield bearing a bull, in blue and luftre. Spanifh (Va- lencian ?). i6th century (?). H. 10 in., diam. 5 in. Bought, 16/. 8 J. 4784. '58. CIRCULAR Difh. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano- Morefco, luftred. A lion rampant ; concentric edgings and border flowers in blue, on a white ground diapered with pale luftre. Reverfe, concentric bands and central ftar in luftre. Spanifh (Vaknciaii ?). i6th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, i/. -IS. 6d. 58 Hifpano-Morefque, 1458. '70. PLATE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. An antelope (?) and fome leaves in dark blue outline, filled in with luftre diapering, which alfo covers the reft of the furface. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls, &c. in luftre. Spanifh (Va- lencian ?). 15th or i6th century. Diam. 15J in. Bought, 8/. 1460. '70. PLATE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. A lion rampant in blue, the words : ** a\St * ilia ♦ tin ♦ 0ra ♦pl0*lia*' infcribed round the rim, alfo in blue, on a ftone- white ground, diapered in pale luftre fcrolls. Spanifti (Valen- cian?). 15th or 1 6th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 5/. 10s. 4783- '58- CIRCULAR Difti. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano- Morefco, luftred. A lion rampant in blue on white ground diapered with brownifti golden luftre ; round the edge in compartments is written in blue : ** | cnm 010 | |?tt Mll^n^a I bittO trr 1 patiprrr 1 prn^a/* (" When at table and at wine, think of the poor.") Spanifti (Valencian ?). 15th or i6th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, i/. 2s. 6d. 4335- '57- PLATEAU. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred ; raifed gadrooned centre, the outer border orna- mented with large raifed leaves, the inner with fcroll foliage. Reverfe, coarfe fcroll, and ferrated ornament in a red-golden luftre. Spanifti (Majorca or Valencia ?). 15th or i6th century. Diam. 16^ in. Bought, 8/, {Sqc engraving,) FLATEAU. EMBO.'SFD ORNAMENT, GOLDEN LUSTRED.. H'.f/ano-McrcfiO, 15/// cr 16/// Century. {\^\^- '57.) Hifpano^Morefque, 59 1635. 's^' PLATEAU. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. On the raifed centre a fhield bearing a bull, inner concentric circles of floral and intertwined ornament, the rim covered with circular hollows ; all in brownifh red luftre on a creamy ground. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls. Spanifh (Va- lencia.?). 1 6th century. Diam. 19^ in. Bought, 6/. 4352. '57- PLATEAU. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luflred. On the central medallion, borne by a dove, is a party-coloured floriated crofs ; the refl of the furface filled in with a diaper of fcroll foliage, birds, &c., all in copper luftre on a cream-coloured ground. Reverfe, imbricated fcroll work and a central flower. Spanifli (Valencia or Manifes ?). 17th century. Diam. 19I; in. Bought, 8/. 104. '6^. VASE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, lufl:red ; pail fliaped, covered with a diapering of foliage, birds, animals, &c. in copper luftre, divided into two zones by raifed hoops, on the upper a fhield of arms. The rim formed as an edging of open rings alternating with mafks. Spanifli (Manifes). 17th century. H. \G\ in., diam. 16^ in. Bought, 44/. 105. '6^. VASE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, Iufl:red ; pail fliaped, covered with a diapering of foliage, birds, animals, &c., in copper lufl:re, divided into two zones by raifed hoops, on the upper a fliield of arms. The rim formed of an 6o Hifpa7io-Morefque. edging of open rings, alternating with mafks. Spanifh (Manifes). 17th century. H. \6\ in., diam. 16 J in. Bought, 44/. The companion to No. 104. They were probably intended as ornamental coverings to flower pots containing growing plants, and are fhowy examples of the decadence of the manufailure eftablifhed originally by the Moors in Spain. 2,2y '66. BOWL. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco, luftred. A feather-like ornament in centre, with fcroll border in copper luftre, on a creamy ground. Spanifh (Valencian or Andalufian). 17th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, i/. 4J. 2d, 2,2,^. '66, BOWL. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco, luftred ; the furface covered with foliage, in the centre a bird ; on the back rudely drawn fcrolls in copper luftre on a creamy ground. Spanifti (Valencia, Manifes ?). 17th century. H. 3 J in., diam. T4J in. Given by Mr. Richard Pickman, Seville. ^26. '66. BOWL. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco, luftred. A bouquet of pinks fpringing from a vafe, in copper luftre, on creamy ground. Spanifh (Valencia or Manifes). 17th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, i/. 358. '66. BOWL. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco^ luftred. A bird in the centre, with fcroll work in copper luftre on a creamy ground. Spanifti (Valencia, Manifes?). 17th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, i/. Hifpano-Morefque. 6 1 ^2g. '66. BOWL. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco, luftred, A bird in centre in copper luftre on a creamy- ground. Spanifh (Valencia, Manifes }). 17th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 1/. looi. 'SS- PLATE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano - Morefco, lustred. A bird among foliage, rudely painted in copper luftre on a yellowifh white ground ; reverfe, rude fcrolls. Spanifh (Manifes). 17th or i8th century. Diam. 7! in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion). 1457- ^B3' VASE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, luftred. Cylindrical, rudely ornamented with copper luftre. Spanifti (Manifes). 19th century. H. 9I in., diam. jj in. Bought. (Bandinel Colle6lion.) T459. '70. PLATE. Enamelled earthenware. A cockatrice or wyvern, with outfpread wings, the outline unglazed, filled in with blue, green, and yellow on a white ground ; green and yellow border. Spanifti. 1 6th century. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 5/. 10 J. This is a curious variety, having the appearance of the " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware of Italy, but really produced by another method, and without the ufe of a " flip " or " engobe " of white earth. The outline feems to have been firft traced in manganefe on the baked clay, then filled in with a white grounding of enamel, and with yellow, green, and grey-blue ; the outline may then, perhaps, have been retouched or ftiarpened off with an iron inftrument, and the piece baked. The workmanfhip is coarfe, and there is little fign of Moorifli influence, except in the forms of fome leaves, and in the difpofition of the colours. 6 2 Hifpano-Morefque, 1461. '70. PLATE. Enamelled earthenware. The figure of a bird carrying a fruit, leaves and flowers below ; outlined in manganefe, and filled in with blue, green, white, and yellow enamel. Spanifh. 15th or i6th century (?). Diam. (^\ in. Bought, i/. 4J. lod. A curious, and perhaps early piece of the fame variety as No. 1459. '70. 324. '64. FRAGMENT of an Hifpano-Morefco earthenware veflel ; green glazed with incifed defigns. Found at Granada, 14th or 15th century. L. 4^ in. Given by Senor Bartolomeo Riano, Granada. Z^6. '70. JAR. Red unglazed ware, of amphora form, with two wing-fhaped handles ; the exterior ornamented with im- prefled diaper and foliage pattern. Spanifh (Toledo). 1 5th century (?). H. 23 J in., W. at handles, 21 in. Bought, 4/. JAR. Yellow glazed earthenware, of amphora form, with four lion-fhaped handles ; the upper part of the exterior ornamented with raifed flowers glazed green. Spanifli (Toledo), 1 6th century (?). H. 2 ft. 6^ in., diam. at mouth, 14I in. Bought, 3/. 1 104. 'i,2>' WALL TILE. A fragment. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco. An " azulejo," from the Alhambra, having a ihield in lufl;re colour on a blue ornament, and bearing Hifpano-Morefque. 63 the white bend infcribed in Arabic, " There is no conqueror but God." Spanifh. 14th or 15th century. L. 4J in., W. 2f in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion.) 495c. '6i,. TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco. An "azulejo," painted with geometric ftar roundel in dark blue, white, and yellow. Spanifh. 15th century. Square, W. 2-| in. Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chefter. 2S9' '6^- TILE. Enamelled earthenware, faced with blue. Moorifh. From the ancient Cafhbar or Citadel at Tunis. Square, W. if in. Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chefter. 495- '^5- TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco. An " azulejo," impreffed foliated pattern in blue, green, and yellow on white ground. Spanifh. 15th or i6th century. 5-I in. by 2f in. Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chefter. 495^- '^5- TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco. An "azulejo." Imprefled pattern, filled in with enamel. A central green rofe, furrounded by intertwining circular lines in brown, and blue foliage in the angles, on a white ground. Spanifti. 15th or i6th century. Square, W. 3 J in. Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chefter. 495^. '6s. TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco. An " azulejo," lozenge-ftiaped, with imprefled lozenge pat- tern filled in with black, yellow, green, and white enamel, with green border. Spanifti. 15th or i6th century. 5 in. by 3 in. Given by the Rev. Greville J. Chefter. 64 Hifpano-Morefque, 496. '65. MOULDING. A fragment, Hifpano-Morefco. Terra- cotta, ornamented with fluting and Arabic infcriptions, apparently from the Alhambra. Spanifh. 15th century. 4^ in. by 2>\ ill- Given by the Rev. Greville J, Chefter. 183. 'hi- WALL TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Morefco, An " azulejo." A border pattern, impreffed, of white flowers on a green ground, between lozenge pattern in brown, blue, white, and yellow. Spanifh. 15th or i6th century. Square, W. 6 in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) 185- '&?,■ WALL TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Mo- refco. An " azulejo." Impreffed pattern of green leaves and purple central flower on white ground. Spanifh. 15th or 1 6th century. Square, W. 5 in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion.) 186. 'Z2>. WALL TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Mo- refco. An " azulejo." Impreffed ornament of an armillary fphere in green and blue on yellow axis. Spanifh. 15th or 1 6th century. Square, W. 5 in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledlion.) loi. '53. WALL TILE. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Mo- refco. An "azulejo." Impreffed geometric pattern filled in with white, blue, yellow, green, and manganefe enamel. Spanifli. 15th or i6th century. Square, W. fj- in. Bought. (Bandinel Colledion.) BOWL. IMAPERED IN COPPER LUbTRE ON DEEP IJLUE. Sicuhy.crefque (?), i6/// Century. (503. '65.) Hifpano-Morefque. 65 308. '66. WALL Tiles. Enamelled earthenware, Hifpano-Mo- refco. "Azulejos." A feries of 170 centre, and border of geometric and floral patterns, imprefled, and filled in with enamel colours. Spanifh (from buildings in Toledo). Early i6th century. Bought, 7/. 2>^. i\d. The patterns of thefe are diverfified, and of great beauty j they are probably of the Catholic period, as is generally the cafe with the imprefled tiles. 1583. '71. DISH. Enamelled earthenware. Hifpano-Morefco, luflred. In the centre, a griffin, and round the rim an infcription in Spaniifh, in honour of the Saviour and the Virgin. In copper luftre on creamy ground. Valencia. (Manifes ?) 17th century. Diam. i6-| in. Bought, 4/. Siculo- Morefque, -^j^s, jOWL or Tazza. Enamelled earthenware, Siculo- v^^/l Morefco, luftred. On raifed ftem, with two twifted •(^"jlYvj handles. Grounded with deep blue, and covered -^^^yl infide and out with a fine vermicular fcroll diaper in copper-coloured luftre. (Moorifh-Sicilian ?). Firft half of 1 6th century. H. 7 in., diam. 14 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. (See engraving.) Mr. Robinfon remarks on this piece, in the catalogue of the Soulages Colle61:ion : — " This tazza is the fineft fpecimen which has yet appeared of a variety of Majolica ware of great rarity, and of the origin of which little is known with certainty. It is grounded with a deep blue tranf- lucent enamel, and covered, both infide and out, with a minute fcroll U. B 66 Siculo-Morefque. diaper pattern in copper-coloured luftre, arranged in zones. From the fad of this, and all the other fpecimens of the fame ware hitherto obferved, having been brought from Italy, and from the unmiftakable evidence of the (hapes of the pieces, w^hich are decidedly in the ftyle of that country, and apparently of the firft half of the i6th century, the Italian origin of this ware may be held to be eftablifhed. The blue enamel ground and the luftre, however, differ entirely from all the ufual Majolica pigments, whilft, on the other hand, they are identical with thofe of a rare variety of oriental pottery, apparently of the i6th cen- tury, of which fome few fpecimens have been preferved. The ware thus alluded to^ is either of Perfian or Turkifti origin, and is a fpecies of imperfe61: porcelain or fritted filiceous body, differing entirely from the common earthenware of the Majolica. The covering is a thick, tranflucent vitreous glaze applied immediately on the ware, and the decoration, which confifts of foliated Arabefque or diaper pattern, is executed in a copper-coloured luftre identical with that of the prefent fpecimen, and apparently the fame pigment employed in the late 17th and 1 8th century Spanifti luftre wares. " With refpe6t to the tazza in queftion, then, it is evident that it muft be an Italian imitation of this peculiar ancient Perfian (?) ware, and from indications in the general ftyle of the pieces — judging efpe- cially from the fliapes — executed fometime during the firft half of the 1 6th century.^ It may here be obferved that this view is borne out by the faft, that, at a later date, imitations of the well-known Perfian pottery (the variety decorated with fcroU foliage in brilliant colours on a white ground), were executed to a confiderable extent in Italy, appa- rently at or near Venice,^ one piece having been obferved figned ' Can- diana ' (the name of the fabrique), and dated 1637. The ftyle of decoration, markedly oriental in chara6ler, has fome analogy with that of the Venetian (?) enamels on copper, grounded in blue with minute diaper decoration in gold.^ The fabrication of thefe latter evidently commenced before the year 1500, and continued with but little varia- tion in ftyle down to, apparently at any rate, 1540. It is moft likely ^ The luftred Perfian ; refer to that feftion, and to fpecimens Nos. 7485 and 7495, pp. 17, 18. 2 " It is worthy of remark, in a technical point of view, that the tranfparent blue glaze of the fpecimen now illuftrated is applied over an * engobe " or coating of thin white clay which conceals the dark colour of the clay body. In the original oriental fpecimens, on the contrary, it is applied at once to the ware, which Is of a greyifli white colour, and is femi-tranfparent like porcelain." * See " Candiana," No. 2598, &c. * See '* Enamels," No. 542. Siculo-Morefque. 67 that both thefe charafteriftic fpecimens of manufafture were confined to fingle individuals or ' boteghe,' or, at any rate, that they were not manufadlured by ' the trade ' at large." In illuftration of thefe remarks by Mr. Robinfon the reader is referred to the introductory chapter on the Perfian and Siculo-Arabian wares at pp. I and ii, where the fimilarity of technical charaderiftics between thofe two varieties is noticed, and the theory is advanced that the latter may be of Sicilian origin, but the work of Arabian or Perfian (?) potters ; and reference is made to the prefent example as of a peculiar ware, of which few fpecimens exift, and which forms another link in the chain, conne6ting thofe Siculo-Arabian wares with the luftred pottery of Italy. It is further fuggefted that this variety may be only fequent to the more purely Arabian or Perfian pieces believed to have been pro- duced at Calata-Girone in Sicily, and that it may have been the work of the Moorifli or Sicilian fucceflbrs of thofe potters, retaining in part the older mode of decoration and general " technique^'' but adopting the Italian forms prevalent at the period. Hence we have claffed them for diftindlion as S'lculo-Morefque. As a flight confirmation of the Sicilian origin of this variety, it is worthy of note, that the greater number of the known pieces have been brought from that ifland, feveral by M. Signol, among which were drug pots of the " alharello " form, plates and globular pots with covers, the decoration upon all of which was of the fame vermicular pattern in copper luftre, of a quality approaching rather more to the Spanifli than to the Perfian, and on the fame dark blue ground. The Italian imitations of " the well known Perfian pottery " (by which term Mr. J. C. Robinfon refers to that now clafiTed as Syrian or Rhodianj, believed to have been made at Candiana or Chandiana in the 17th century, were more probably produced at Padua or Venice; and, as fuggefted by the Marquis D'Azeglio, were occafionally marked " Chandiana," by which term they may have been known in commerce as a variety decorated in the manner of the oriental wares made at, or imported from, Candia and her fifter ifland Rhodes. This fuggeftion gains probability from the fa6l that we are unacquainted with any fuch place as " Chandiana" in Italy. ITALIAN POTTERY. SGRAFFIATI, GRAFFITI, OR INCISED WARES. HIS mode of ornamentation is one of the moft primitive and univerfal in a ruder form, although it appears but little on the early glazed wares of our own country ^^ of thofe of France a fine example, attributed to the 14th century, is preferved in the Mufeum at Sevres, and is figured in Brongniart and Riocreux's quarto volume on that colleilion, M. PL xxix., 3, alfo at page 104 of M. Jacquemart's " Merveilles de " la Ceramique," part 2. In Italy, as was the cafe in all other varieties of pictorial art, it was brought to a high degree of perfe6lion, not merely as a manner of ornamenting pottery, but applied on a large fcale to mural decoration. It appears to have been in ufe from on early period, examples of a coarfekind occurring among the plates incrufted in the towers of churches of the 1 2th and 13th centuries at Pifa and elfewhere, and it was probably in ufe before, or coeval with, the earlieft painted wares. Its method, as applied to pottery, is defcribed by Piccolpaflb in his manufcript, and confifts in covering the previoufly baked " bifcuit " of ordinary potter's clay, with a " flip " or " engohe " of the white marl of Vicenza, by dipping it into a bath of that earth milled with water to the confiftence of cream ; when dry, this white covering, fixed by a flight baking, is fcratched through with an iron infl:rument fhewing the defign in the red colour of the clay, againfl: the fuperimpofed white ground. It is then covered with an ordinary tranflucent lead glaze, and 1 In the Britifh Mufeum is a difh rudely ornamented in this manner, and dated 1699 ; alfo portion of a fmall jug. Sand - - lib. 5. Lead (oxide) ,, 10. Sgrafiati o?^ hjcifed Wares, 69 clouded with yellow and green by flight application of the oxides of iron and copper. Piccolpaflb fays : " Now I intend giving you fome black colour and '' then the white which is ufed in Lombardy. Here is the white, " bearing in mind that the earth of Vicenza is ufed (as a flip) as has " been faid of the colours of Caflello, painting " or defigning on the white earth, when they " have had the earth of Vicenza, I would fay with a ftyle of iron of '' this kind (gives figure), .and this drawing is called ''fgt'affioy^ From this paflage we learn that it was not a mode of decoration exclufively confined to the fabrique of Citta di Caftello ; and accordingly Signor Raffaelli confiders that " fgraffio " was alfo applied upon wares made at Caflel Durante. There appears to be a conllderable range in the dates of various fpecimens in colle61:ions, fome of which are probably among the earlieft examples of Italian decorative pottery that have defcended to us ; others may be of the middle or laft quarter of the 15th century and are highly charadleriftic ; upon them great fkill is fhown in the combi- nation of figures and foliage in relievo, with the incifed ornamentation. Nearly all the pieces of this clafs are probably the work of one " botega," and are diftinguiflied by the charafter of their defigns ; a border of mulberry leaves is very general, fhields of the " Pavoife " or kite form, one on a fine difli in the Britilli Mufeum being charged with the " hifcia " of the Vifconti -^ a fort of florid Gothic chara6ler is feen in fome of the leafage mouldings, coftumes of the north of Italy in the 15th century, lion fupporters and other details which connect them with North Italian art, and we have little hefitation in believing that they were produced in Lombardy or the Venetian mainland. The above-quoted paflage from Piccolpaflb is confirmatory of that opinion, and we think that the fa6t of the "terra di Vicenza " being fo important an ingredient in their fabrication, it is not improbable that fome were produced in the imme- diate neighbourhood of that city. Mr. Robinfon, defcribing a fine example, an inkfl:and belonging to Lord Spencer, advances a fimiliar opinion in the catalogue of the Special Loans Exhibition (p. 401). The work of another hand may be obferved on pieces of more recent date (i6th century), among which is one in this Mufeum bearing the arms of the city of Perugia. 1 The " imprefa " on the other Ihield would however lead to the opinion that this typical fpecimen is not of earlier date than the firft decade of the i6th century; it is the flaming bomb-fliell, an emblem adopted by Alfonzo d'Efte, and carried by him at the battle of Ravenna in 151 2. (See Mrs. Palliler's Hiftoric Devices, p. 92.) The border is of mulberry leaves ; it is by the fame hand as No. 1805, 70 Italian Pottery, Thefe may be with confiderable probability afcribed to that neigh- bourhood, perhaps to Citta di Caftello, but we cannot with fome writers fee any reafon for clafling all the incifed wares as the produce of La Fratta, becaufe a " Scaldino " in glazed red earthenware not incifed, and quite recently made at that fpot, was purchafed and brought from thence by Mr. Robinfon. Some other examples are by other hands, but afford no clue to the locality of their produ6lion. Of fuch is a fort of barrel or cylindrical bottle in the Britifh Mufeum, divided internally into compartments, and infcribed outfide " vin nero." vin. bian." " olium. azetto/' and the date 1525. Of the latter end of the 17th century are fome highly finifhed pieces of a rich treacle brown colour, the Vv^ork of a reverend amateur artift of Pavia, fome of which are in this Mufeum. In the Montferrand Colle6tion was a difli, having the Virgin and Child incifed and enamelled in colour ; it was infcribed with the initials O. T. S. C, and the date 1624. A circular dilh lately exhibited in the " Loans Court " of this Mufeum as " Intra ware," was of coarfe workmanfliip, the defign a bunch of flowers in the centre and others on the border. It appears to be of recent workmanfhip, and if from the neighbourhood 'of Intra on the Lago Maggiore, may be the reminifcence of an ancient Lombard handicraft. Of the more important examples, the Louvre poflefles a fine cup on raifed ftem and fupported by three lions, in the interior, a man habited in the coftume of the 15th century ftands playing a mandolin between two females, one of whom fings while the other plays the tambourine ; the raifed and incifed mouldings on this piece are very chara6terifl:ic. It is engraved in M. Jacquemart's " Merveilles," pt. 2, p. 206. In the Hotel Cluny is a cup of the fame character, and other examples. The Mufeum at Sevres alfo has fpecimens. In the Britilh Mufeum are fome fine difhes, one of which is remark- able for the admirable execution of the work which is moft artiftic, on it are reprefented figures in the coftume of the 15th century, feftoons of fruit and other ornaments. On the other, already referred to, are the figures of a gentleman and a lady, who plays the viol, in the coftume of the 15th or early i6th century ftanding " dos a dos" on her fide is a '*Pavoife" fliield bearing the ^^bifcia" or ferpent of the Vifconti, while he fupports himfelf on one, bearing the flaming bomb-fhell, the imprefa of Alfonfo d'Efte, born by him at the battle of Ravenna in 1512. The Marquis d' Azeglio had a curious inkftand of this ware. In the writer's coUeition are two early difhes which were at the Sgraffiati or Incifed Wares, 7 1 Loans Exhibition and are defcribed in the catalogue, p. 410, one of which is remarkable for a raifed flower in the centre, and incifed decora- tion on front and back ; he alfo poflefles a large difh, 19 j inches in diameter, having a medallion central fubje6l of the Virgin and Child, the refl of the piece being covered with interlacing branches of what may be mulberry, bearing leaves and fruit, a ferpentine wreath of the lame encircling the border. , One of the moft highly finifhed and elegant examples of this mode of ornamentation which has come under our notice, is a " hanap " or ewer, which was fold in Paris fome years fmce, and is now in Mr. R. Napier's rich collection at Shandon (No. 2984). A curious ware having the appearance of " Sgraffiato," but not really ornamented by that method, is defcribed among the Hifpano-Morefque pottery under No. 1459. '70, at page 61. ♦ CATALOGUE. Sgraffiati or Incifed Wares, 14. '71. MALL Bowl. '' Sgrajjiato" or incifed ware. Four leaves and zig-zag border, incifed and coloured with green and brown on the creamy- white ground. Italian. From one of the church towers at Pifa. 13th or 14th century. Prefented by C. Drury Fortnum. This is one of thofe fmaller pieces inferted in the church towers of Pifa and other cities of Italy, mention of which is made in the introduilory chapter, and in the notice on the incifed wares. They were procured at Pifa by Sig. Fezzi, I am not informed from what church, and it is difficult to affign to them an exa£t date, but it is in all probability not later than about 1300. The reader is alfo referred to a paper in the Archasologia of the Society of Antiquaries, Vol. XLIL, p. 379, for further information on this fubjeft. SMALL Bowl. Glazed earthenware ; leaves and a rude leafage border outlined in manganefe, and dafhed with green and yellow brown. Italian. From one of the church towers at Pifa. 13th or 14th century. Prefented by C. Drury Fortnum. Although not ornamented with " fg^^ffi^" this piece is clearly of the fame period and manufacture as the preceding- (No. 14. '71), and is from the fame fource. BOWL. INCISED ORNAMENTATION, WITH FLOWERS AND FIGURES IN RELIEF. North Italian, \'^t/j Cnitury. (187. '65.) Sgrafjiatl or Incifed Wares. J2> NORTH ITALIAN GROUP. 666 g. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr '' Sgraffiato'' or incifed ware. The ftory of Actason and Diana, with the names in Gothic charadrer ; in creamy white rehef on dark buff ground, dafhed with green, brown, and purple. Reverfe, plain. Italian. About 1450-70, Diam. iSf in. Bought, 11/. Diana and two nymphs are in a bath, before which Adlason, ftag- headed, is being torn by his dogs ; around is the hunt, with dogs and deer, hares, boars, and huntfmen in full cry. Above the goddefs is infcribed SttTIliS- and ^Ht^fiJt above the unfortunate hunter. The work is coarfely and careleffly executed ; it is an early piece, probably of the fame fabrique as the bowl No. 187. 187. '66. BOWL. " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. Round the ftem, which is incifed with foliation and fcale work, are three feated lions in full relief; a wreath of yellow flowers in high relief encircles the bowl, beneath which is a garland of mulberry leaves ; infide, furrounded by leafage ornamentation, is the fubjed of a man tearing open the mouth of a dragon, a chain from which attached to a collar on its neck, is held by a draped female ; behind a naked boy is jumping over a hurdle fencing. The lip of the piece is fcalloped. Italian. About 1450-70. H. 9J in., diam. 13 in. Bought, lol. (See engraving.) This fine and early example is fimilar in general characSter, and probably by the fame hand as that in the Louvre and one in the Hotel Cluny at Paris, and probably of earlier date and by another hand than the difli in the Britifh Mufeum, on which are the emblems of Vifconti and Alfonzo d'Efte. It belonged to Mr. Morland, by whom it was Ihown at the Special Loans Exhibition (No. 5155). Another fimilar 74 Italian Pottery, piece belongs to the Baron de Seillieres. in Paris, and one figured by Delange^ was in the D'Azeglio colle6lion. 1805. '55. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacile." '' Sgraffiato" or incifed ware. The margin is covered with a ferpentine wreath of foliage ; in the centre a Cupid is ftanding in a tree, which another, aflifted by two, is endeavouring to climb, on either fide one is riding on a dragon ; behind is a hurdle fencing. Re- verfe ; in the centre a flag feated in front of hurdles, an inner border of foliage, with medallions , containing a female buft, ftag, and a hare, and an outer wreath of mulberry leaves. The ground is dark buff colour, the reliefs creamy white, richly coloured with dafhes of brown, dark green and yellow. Italian. About 1480-1500. Diam. 15^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 40/. This is a richly decorated fpecimen, having ornaments on both fides, and is perhaps by the fame hand as the bowl No. 187. The drawing is free and vigorous, and the general effe£l: of both fides of the piece rich and harmonious. To aid the effe61:, the unoccupied ground is flippled over with punctures through the engobe^ a mode frequently found in the examples of this period and fabrique. 1207. '64. INKSTAND. Covered with a purple-brown glaze and modelled as a group of St. George and the Dragon. The bafe and drapery ornamented with incifed work. Italian. About 1480. H. 15 in., L. 12 in., W. 7I in. Bought, 10/. A curious early piece which cannot with certainty be afligned to any known fabrique, but has all the appearance of being from the North of Italy. It is modelled with confiderable care. The knight and his 1 Delange et Borneman. Recueil de Faiences Italiennes. Fol. Paris, 1869. Plate 35. CIRCULAR DISH. INClStD ORNAMENTATION {S^r^iffi^to). North Italian, \^th Century. (1764.. ^^^:) Sgraffiati or Incifed Wares » 7 5 horfe are in complete armour, that of the latter being diapered with fgraffiato work reprefenting rofes and vines (?) j on. the bafe alfo is a continuous fpray of rofes or afters in incifed work. 2,611. '56. INKSTAND. Incifed or " Sgraffiato " ware. In form of a throne upheld by two lions and two double-headed eagles, on which is feated a female figure drefTed in green and holding a kite-fhaped fhield. Behind the figure is a fand tray, and a vafe below for ink. Italian. About 1 500 (?). H. 1 2^ in., W. 5I; in. Bought, 4/. This is a coarfely executed but curious piece. The double-headed eagle might probably be allufive to the imperial party, but it is not crowned ; nor can the lions be aflumed to have reference to Venice, not being winged. We are inclined to afcribe this piece to the fame fabrique as the vafe No. 187, but probably later in date. 4621. '58. DRUG Pot, Globular. Incifed or '^ Sgraffiato " ware. Foliated fcroll work and leafage mouldings in relief, coloured dark green on buff ground. Italian. About 1500. H. \\\ in., diam. 3 J in. Bought, 8/. 1764. '55- CIRCULAR Diih. " Bacikr " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. On an orange ground in the centre is a group of a lady and two gentlemen, one of whom plays a guitar, habited in coftume of the 15th century, of blue, yellow, and purple colours ; feven leafage feftoons hang from the edge of the rim, which Is covered with plaited ribbon work in yellow, green, and purple, and an outer and inner moulding of white. Reverfe plain. Italian. About 1480- 1500. Diam. i6\ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 40/. io.r. (See engraving.) 76 Italia?! Pottery, The whole of the ornamentation is in relievo on the orange buff" ground of the piece. The coftumes have a North Italian or even Venetian character ; the lady wears a long loofe drefs, with high waift and flafhed elbow pieces ; the gentlemen wear blue jackets with purple fleeves, and tight pantaloons, one leg purple, the other blue and white, with a fmall cap or " beretta" The work is executed with boldnefs, but not with minute care. We believe it to be North Italian, and perhaps of about the fame period and of the fame fabrique as the difh in the Britifti Mufeum, having the Vifconti ftiield of arms. There is a confiderable difference in the manner of this and the Britifh Mufeum piece from that of the foregoing examples, indicating another artift and perhaps another locality. CITTA DI CASTELLO OR PERUGIAN GROUP. 349. '64. PLATEAU, on low foot. " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. Quadrate interlaced ornament and mouldings in cream colour on dark buff ground ; in the centre a horfe's head in purple colour. Reverfe plain, with the letters P * G incifed in the clay. Italian. About 1520-40. Diam. 12^ in. Bought, 8/. This is the only inftance we know of a mark, unqueftionably that of the maker, occurring on a piece of this ware ; it is incifed into the red pafte, and the proof of its being cotemporary is that the incifion is in places filled with fome of the ^^engobe" and the glaze. It is in all probability of the fame fabrique as Nos, 163 1, 2600, 3542, &c. Sgraffiati or Incifed IV ares, 77 484. '54. TKLT.^ or " Fruttierar " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. Cream-coloured ground, with incifed ornaments of dol- phins, foUage, &c. ; in the centre an efcutcheon of arms, apparently thofe of the city of Perugia. Italian, About 1530- 40. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, 3/. The belt of ornament is coloured in lilue, thin green and orange, on the reddifh buff ground. The arms are argent, a griffon rampant purpur. It is probably from the fame fabrique as Nos. 2600 and 3452- 163 1. '56. PLAQUE, Circular. ^' Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. In the centre a fhield of arms, azure, a wolf rampant argent, collared vert, furrounded by an elaborate border of foliated fcroll work in blue and green on dark orange ground. Italian. About 1520-40. Diam. iijin. Bought, 3/. This piece is executed with more care, and is much richer in pattern and general effedl than the majority of those which we attribute to the fame fabrique, viz., Nos. 484, 2600, 3542, &c. 2,600. '56. PLATE. '' Bacikr Incifed or '' Sgraffiato " ware. A fhield bearing the Medici arms in the centre ; border of foliated ornament in cream colour on buff ground. Reverfe plain. Italian. About 1520-40. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 4/. The outline of the fhield is blue, the five lower pellets are coloured purple, and the upper one blue, with the fleur-de-lys incifed. 3542- 'S3- GOBLET. ^^ Sgraffiato" or incifed ware. Chequered pattern of triangles in whits and dark orange and concentric mouldings. Italian. About 1520-40. H. 6 in., diam. 5 in. Bought, i6s. A piece of the fame manner of colouring and fabrique as No. 2600. y8 Italian Pottery, JAR or Bottle. " Sgraffiato " or inclfed ware. Foliated ornament in creamy yellow on a brown orange ground. Italian. Firft half of i6th century. H. lof in. diam. 5 in. Bought, i/. 4^. 3^. Alfo probably of the fame fabrique as Nos. 2600, 484, &c. 438^- '57- PLATE. " Tondinor " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. In the centre a fhield, bearing a wolf rampant on a purple field ; border, a wreath of foliage in creamy white on a dark buff ground. Reverfe plain. Italian. About 1520-40. Diam. 9f in. Bought, i/. ioj-. Probably alfo of the fame fabrique as Nos. 3542, 2600, &c. 461 I. '58. BOWL or Plate. " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. Covered with tranfparent brown glaze ; in the centre a portrait of an ecclefiaftic, furrounded by ribbons bearing the infcriptions " TIMETE DOMINVM " and " LIBERA . ME . DOMINE . AB . HOMINE *' MALO . ET . A . LiNGVA . iNivsTA." and by a border of flowers. Reverfe, decorated with concentric zones of mouldings and with infcriptions " presbyter . antonivs . maria . cvtivs . " PAPIENSIS . PROTHONOTARIVS .APOSTOLICVS . FECIT " ; "^ SOLA- '^ MENTE . E . INGANNATO . CHI . TROPPO . SI . FIDA ;" and in the centre " papi^ . die . xvii. maij. 1694;" ftating it to be the work of " Prefbyter Antonius Maria Cutius, of Pavia. " 1694." Italian. Diam. 13^ in. Bought, 15/. The execution is very careful, the ornament is left in relief of the white flip or engohe^ and the ground is entirely worked over with Sgraffiati or Incifed Wares, 79 minute fcale work diapering ; the rich tranflucent brown glaze is run over all, giving a darker tone to the ground, and leaving the fubjeft of a lighter colour. It is evidently the work of an amateur who feems to have executed feveral fpecimens, on all the larger of which infcriptions occur ftating that they were his work. 54^9. '56. CUP. Two handled. " Sgraffiato " or incifed ware. Concentric mouldings and foliation infide and out, covered with a tranflucent brown glaze. Italian. (Pavia.) About 1690. H. i\in.j diam. 5 in. Bought, iL Probably by the amateur potter Prefbyter Antonio Maria Cutius, of Pavia, who made and figned No. 461 1. PAINTED WARES. TUSCANY. Tufcany {A,) E have clafled together feveral examples of an early- painted pottery, fome if not moft of which are '■'•Mezza " ware, or that not glazed with the tin enamel ; they would all appear to have come from the fame fabrique, of the middle or even earlier half of the 15th century, and from various charaileriftics we are difpofed to affign them to a Tufcan origin, Florence, or Siena ; they have great affinity with thofe of the next group, and perhaps were the produce of the fame furnaces ; but we have preferred keeping them feparate, believing however that they were all probably the work of thofe artifts who preceded, or were afterwards employed at the commencement of the Grand Ducal eflablifliment at Caffaggiolo. 1806. -55. PLATEAU. On a four-wheeled car a nude male figure is bound by the arms to a maft, a fully drefled female, ftanding on one of the fore wheels, is in the a6l of fhooting at him with a bow and arrow, between them is a heart placed in a chalice, and pierced by two darts, above the man is a PLATEAU. ALLEGORICAL SUBJECT. Tufca/iy, 1 5/// Century. (1S06. '55.) Painted Wares, — Tufcany, 8i fcroll infcribed, oqant ac RVd e^ta ; heavy diaper foliation furrounds the fubjed ; the whole is outlined and fhaded in blue on the white ground, the heart and foliation purple with fome green. The purple border is diapered with fcroll work fcratched through the colour and touched with green and brown. Reverfe, coarfe yellow glaze. Italian. (Tufcan ?) 1450 to 1470. Diam. 16J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 2/. is. By the fame hand as the vafe No. 2589 upon which occurs the fame peculiar leafage decoration in dark blue, purple, and green. This piece is very heavy and is " Mezza " ware, the ornament of the border is remaricable, being worked '■'- a fgraffio^'' not as the pieces known under that defignation, but a brufh of manganefe colour feems to have been paffed over the furface of the rim, and the pattern fcratched out to the white ground, the centre of the rofettes being afterwards touched with brown and green. (See engraving.) 2606. '^6. TAZZA Plate. In the centre a mafk or circular medallion with a human face, furrounded by a diapering of peacock's feather fcroll work &c., in orange, green, purple, and blue. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Tufcan ?) About 1470. Diam. 8 in. Bought, 1/. 4.S. This curious decoration may perhaps be intended to reprefent the fun. It is an eady piece, the colours ftrong, but wanting in brilliancy, 82 Italian Pottery, the general effeft is pleafing. It approaches in charafter to numerous early works difficult to afcribe to any known fabrique. We are, how- ever, difpofed to believe them of Tufcan origin, perhaps of CafFaggiolo or Siena. 4386. 'SI- PLAQUE, circular. In the centre, the fun furrounded by rays ; border of radiating peacock's feathers, coloured in yellow, green, purple, and blue, on the ftone-coloured enamel. Italian. (Tufcan?) About 1450. Diam. \\\'vs\. Bought, i/. A very early piece of " Mezza Majolica " probably ufed for wall decoration, and having the peacock feather ornament found on feveral other pieces of early date, and probably chara£teriftic of a fabrique. The plate No. 2606 is a further development of the fame tafte. 2589 '56. DRUG Pot, oviform. On the front, in a medallion, furrounded by a wreath of green and orange leaves, are two profile heads, male and female, on white ground fpotted with blue ; the reft of the piece is covered with broad fcroll, and fcale pattern, in black, purple, orange, and green, among which are peacock's feathers. Italian. (Tufcan?) About 1480. H. laj in,, diam. loj in. Bought, 61. 2604. '56. VASE or Drug Pot, oviform, on raifed foot, with two handles. Scrolls and vertical bands in dark blue, purple, and green on the white ground ; on one face is a label infcribed, PENSA EL FINE, and on the other, per . diio. Italian. (Tufcan ?) About 1480. H. 8 in., W. 7I in. Bought, i/. 4J. Painted Wares, — Tufcany. 83 2^96. '56. CIRCULAR Difh. ''Bacile'' In the centre a male buft portrait, wearing a purple cap; concentric circles of blue, orange, and green, and a border of zig-zags in purple and blue, orange and green trilobed ornament between. Reverfe, coarfe glaze. Italian. (Tufcan?) About 1480. Diam. 13! in. Bought, i/. IOJ-. Tufcany (5.) Perhaps conneded with the laft is another feries of early pieces of doubtflxl origin, a leading feature upon which is the almoft conftant ufe of the peacock's feather as a motif in the decoration. We have ventured to clafs them under this divifion from various technical qualities in the glaze, the pigments, and the general character of the wares, which approach more nearly to thofe of CafFaggiolo or Siena, than to the productions of Faenza or Forli. To this fabrique may be afcribed a figure of the Virgin and Child in relievo, enthroned in an arched niche, and which appears to be of ftanniferous glaze ; on the bafe beneath the throne is the date, 1477, the earlieft recorded on a piece of probable Tufcan origin. It is in Mr. Cook's collection at Richmond. The firft in our lift. No. 525, a fmgular and very early cup, is apparently a love token. Nos. 2558 and 2559 are by the fame hand, the latter initialed E. B. No. 2602 has a mark, the peacock's feather decoration and the coat of arms of a Florentine family, confirmatory of the Tufcan origin of thefe pieces. No. 6981 is an exquifite fragment, alfo bearing a mark and the peacock's feather decoration on the reverfe, and which has all the charafteriftics of the Caffaggiolo wares. VASE or Cup, on tall ftem with dragon handles. A gift or " amatoria " piece of very early date. On each fide are large medallions formed by wreaths of leaves, each painted with 84 Italia?^ Pottery. a Cupid bearing a chalice, in which is a heart tranffixed by an arrow, and a fcroll infcribed on the one "^r . amove . te .-porta , " in . qvijfta . copa . l?elia," (" for love I carry thee in this fine " cup,") and on the other, " gvijla te dono per amore helhy (" this I 'give you for dear love"). The reft of the furface is covered with a fcroll diaper pattern in blue on the white ground. Italian. (Caffaggiolo ? Siena?) About 1450-70. H. 9J in., W. 9I in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. This is one of the oldeft pieces in the Mufeum which is painted with a fubje6t, and may perhaps date even as early as the middle of the 15th century. Several others, as No. 2559, are by the fame hand, and the prevalence of the peacock's feather decoration is noteworthy ; in this inftance it is feen on the dragon's wings. The glaze has all the appearance of being ftanniferous, the colours employed being a tan-coloured orange, a copper green, a purple, and the deep blue ufed in the outlines and fhading. CIRCULAR Difti. " BaciUr A lady in the drefs of the 15th century, carrying a chalice on which is a heart tranffixed by two arrows, and furmounted by a crown, behind is a curtain ornamented with two large fruits or ears of maize, and the legend "El. mio . core . E , Ferito * P™^ " Border of peacock's feathers. Reverfe, coarfe yellow glaze. Italian. (Caffaggiolo ? or Siena .f') About 1480. Diam. I5in. Bought, 2/. 8j. This piece of early " Me%%a " ware is probably by the fame hand as No. 2559, on which is a mark. It has the face only covered with a white '* engobe^'^ and the whole is glazed with lead glaze. The reprefentation of the heart (of the Blefled Virgin) which is frequently drawn tranffixed by a fword, is emblematic of the pafTage, Luke ii. 35, " Yea, a fword fhall pierce " through thine own heart alfo," &c., and of the old hymn, " Cujus " animam gementem . . . pertranfivit gladius." It is difficult corre6l]y to affign thefe pieces to any known " botega ; " the peacock's feather decoration conne6ts it with the vafe No. 8389 ; the tone of blue is Painted Wares, — Tufcany. H however very different, and approximates to that of Deruta, whilft the purple ufed in the peacock's feathers and on the heart agrees v/ith that of Caffaggiolo. 2559- '5^- CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr Two boys climbing a fruit tree, another rides an owl ; on a ribbon " E . non . " fe . po . mangiare . fenza . fatiga." Reverfe, monogram. Italian. (Caffaggiolo?) About 1480. Diam. i6| in. Bought, 2/. %s. Drav^^n by an able artift probably fome few years after No. 2558, which we alfo afcribe to his hand. The prefent piece is executed with care in the details, the colours are pale, like fome Deruta pieces ; the glaze in this inftance covers the back of the piece, and has the appearance of being flanniferous The mark is executed in the purple colour noted on No. 2558. 86 Italian Pottery, ^794- 55- PLATE, " Scodella." In the centre a laurel wreath, orange and green, furrounds a heart pierced by two arrows and bleeding into a vafe. A label behind is infcribed en piv, with a figure of the fun between the words. Diaper border of orange, green and blue flowers, in blue outline, on fpotted white ground. Reverfe, white glaze. Italian. (Caffaggiolo ? Siena ?) About 1480-1500. Diam. ii^in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. 10s. An early piece of the fame fabrique^ and probably by the fame hand as the jar No. 4628, although not fo dark in the general tone of colouring. 4628. '58. DRUG Pot of globular form. On one fide a medallion furrounded by a wreath; two hands joined, the fun beneath and on a ribbon above fides . onia ; on the other fide two birds (cranes ?) with intertwined necks, foliated fcroll work between ; on a lower belt, decorated with peacock's feathers, ^Olt^ba ♦ V in Gothic letters ; flames, with egg-and- tongue moulding on the neck and foot. The whole in dark blue, orange, and green. Italian. (Caffaggiolo ^. Siena ?) About 1480-1500. H. 12 in. Bought, 4/. Probably of the fame period and by the fame hand as No. 8389. 8389. '63. VASE or Drug Pot. On one fide a fhield of arms fur- rounded by a wreath held by two boys ; on the other a monogram confifling of the Gothic letter ifHj furmounted by the double-armed crofs. The intervening furface and the neck are covered with fcroll work and flowers, beneath which is diaper work of peacock feathers ; concentric lines of deep Painted Wares, — Tufcany, 87 blue and orange mark the divifions. Italian. (CafFaggiolo ? Siena?) About 1490. H. 14 J in., diam. \q\ in. Bought, 4/. 1 6 J". %d. A bold and early piece ; perhaps by the fame hand as No. 6981, but painted with lefs careful execution. The peacock's feather ornament occurs alfo on Nos. 2602, 2558, 4628, 525, &c. 260:2. '56. EWER, " Mezzina" The furface diapered with peacock's feather pattern; in front a medallion encircled by a wreath and bearing a fhield of arms, charged, argent, a bend of lozenges fable ; beneath the handle are the letters / / Italian. (CafFaggiolo.?) About 1500-20. H. 14 in., diam. 9 in. Bought, iL This is an interefting jug, as the peacock's feather pattern, with which it is diapered, connedls it with other early pieces of uncertain origin, but which, for various reafons as before ftated, we are difpofed to afcrlbe to Tufcany. The mark beneath the handle accords in pofition. colour, and form of letters with feveral others of the Caffaggiolo fabrique. The coat of arms is apparently that of "Rinuccini" or "Ranuccino" of Florence. The difficulty of rendering the colours of the heraldry with the pigments at the command of the Majolica painters, caufes con- fufion and embaraflment in determining the families to whom they belonged. In this inftance the fame bearing upon a gold ground would render the arms of Bardi of Florence ; but, in either cafe, the fad of being painted with the heraldry of a Florentine family is a confirmation of the probability that the piece was made at CafFaggiolo. 0^ f^'^ J 88 Italian Pottery. I 6981. '60. FRAGMENT. The centre of a plate ; cupids holding flafks of wine are in an open farcophagus, on which are the initials G. M., with three fhields of arms ; a ftag feeds at the fide. Reverfcj decoration of peacock's feathers ; a mark in the centre. Italian. (Caffaggiolo.?) About 1500-10. jf in. by 2 J in. Bought, \is. All that remains of a beautiful piece, which, judging from the rich decoration behind, and the delicate fentiment and execution of the portion of he fubjedt that remains, muft have been of a very high order. The blue colour is like that of CafFaggiolo, as alfo is the purity of the enamel. It has confiderable refemblance to the works of the Sienefe artift figning I. P., yet we think we difcern a fomewhat bolder hand. The peacock decoration on the back connects this fragment with a number of early pieces, on all of which it more or lefs prevails, and one of which, a large jug, has fo many charafteriftics of the CafFaggiolo wares that we are difpofed to clafs them as early works of that fahrique. The vafe No. 8389 is perhaps by the fame hand as the prefent fpecimen ; and it may be remarked that on nearly all thefe pieces the white ground isfemee^ with fmall rofettes, triple and fingle fpots, fcrolls, &c. The (hield of arms may be that of the Serra family. This mark alfo occurs on a plate figured in Delange's *' Recueil" pi. 42, decorated with an eagle in the centre, furrounded by Hippo- campi and other grotefques, painted or referved in white on a rich blue ground, and having all the appearance of a Caffaggiolo piece. CAFFAGGIOLO. HOSE who may have travelled by the old poft road from Bologna to Florence will probably recolleft a ftern but pi6lurefque machicolated building, {landing not far from the laft poft-houfe before reaching the Tufcan capital. Built by Cofmo, this villa was one of the favourite reforts of Lorenzo dei Medici ; and at CafFaggiolo the young Giovanni, afterwards Leo X., was educated by Politian. Within thofe walls alfo the beautiful Eleonora di Toledo was murdered by her hufband, Pietro de' Medici, in 1576. It is probable that were the archives of Florence thoroughly fearched fome record might be found of the eftablifhment or exiftence at Caffaggiolo, of an artiftic pottery encouraged and patronized by that family, but at prefent we have no fuch recorded hiftory. Here again the objects themfelves have been their beft and only hiftorians. It was but a few years fince that the ill indited name of this " botega" noticed upon the back of a plate, was read as that of the artift who had painted it, until the difcovery of others, more legibly written, proved that at this fpot important and highly artiftic works had been produced. The occurrence of a monogram upon fcveral, and the comparifon of their technical details, has lead to the recognition of many others, and revealed the fa6t that this fabrique had exifted from an early period, and was productive of a large number of pieces of varying quality. M. Jacquemart^ furmifes that at Caffaggiolo Luca della Robbia earnt the nature of the enamel glaze, which he applied to his relievos ' " Les Merveilles de la Ccramique." 2* pt. Paris, 1868. p. 122. go Italian Pottery » in terra cotta. We know that Luca painted fubjefts on plain furfaces, enamelled with the ftanniferous glaze as early as the year 1456, when he executed the painted tiles which form a kind of framing to the tomb of Benozzo Federighi, in the church of San Francefco de Paolo, under the hill of Bellofguardo. The moft important work by him of this nature is the lunette over one of the doors in the entrance-hall of the " Opera del Duomo " in Florence. Whether, learnt from him, this enamel was adopted at the Grand Ducal fabrique at an early period, or whether he there obtained the knowledge which he applied and modified to his own ufes, remains a queftion, the anfwer to which would be facilitated by the proved date of the eftablilhment of that pottery, or the occurrence of pieces anterior to the tiles enamelled and painted by Luca ; but upon thefe points we unfortunately have not as yet difcovered any recorded memorial. It is worthy of remark that although many are of very early date, no piece, confidently aflignable to this eftablifhment is known to the editor of a " Mezza " ware ; all that have come under his notice are enamelled with the white ftanniferous glaze, no inftance of the ufe of an engobe or flip having been obferved. The curious early plate in the Narford colledtion, the fignature on which has not been deciphered (Mark, No. i.), may perhaps be an exception to this rule ; it is made of a coarfe red clay and glazed on both fides, but without chemical analyfis it is one of thofe pieces on which it is difficult to diftinguifh the precife nature of the enamel. Moreover, it is clalTed among the CafFaggiolo wares with fome doubt and may perhaps be claimed by Faenza. It is figured in Marryat, fig- 39> P- I04-' The leading charafteriftics of the Caftaggiolo wares are a glaze of rich and even quality, and purely white ; the ufe of a very dark cobalt blue of great intenfity, but brilliant as that of lapis lazuli, frequently in mafies as a grounding to the fubje61:, and it would feem laid on purpofely with a coarfe brufh, the ftrokes of which are very apparent. A bright yellow, an orange of brilliant but opaque quality, a pecu- liarly liquid and femi-tranfparent copper green is alfo found, and another charaileriftic pigment is an opaque bright Indian red ; a brown and a purple are alfo ufed. The produ61:ions of Caffaggiolo have a nearer affinity to thofe of Siena than to any other fabrique, and it is not unreafonable to fuppofe that they had a like origin, or that the eftablifhment at Siena emanated from that of the Grand Ducal villa. They refemble in general ftyle the ' " Hirtoiy of Pottery and Porcelain." 3d ed. London, 1868. Caffaggiolo. 91 pieces produced at Faenza and Forli more than thofe of other fabriques of the Northern Duchies, or of the Umbrian centres of the art ; and it becomes a queftion as to which can claim the earlieft origin, as alfo to the earlieft ufe of the ftanniferous enamel glaze. The dates infcribed upon pieces begin in 1507-9, but undated ex- amples, affignable to this locality and of an earlier period, exift in colledlions. Such is the Virgin and Child plate at Narford Hall above alluded to. The ufe of the metallic luftre feems to have been tried at Caffaggiolo, but from the extreme rarity of examples bearing the mark of, or fairly afcribable to that eftablifhment, u^e may perhaps infer that only a {&vf experimental pieces v^ere made, and that this method of enrichment v^^as but little ufed. No. 7154 is an important example, having the mark. As might be expedted, the arms, emblems, and mottoes of the Medici family frequently occur, and occafionally the letters S. P. O. F. are introduced on labels for " Senatus populufque Florentinus." M. Jacquemart confiders that fome of the early groups, &c., in relievo and in the round, and early plaques having the facred emblem, the majority of which are generally afcribed to Faenza, may be of this *' botega." We quite concur with him in this opinion. The South Kenfmgton Mufeum is rich in fine fpecimens of this ware of various date and great variety, fome of which are am.ong the moft beautiful examples of the potter's art. It is remarkable that we have no recorded names of the artifts who painted thefe beautiful pieces, and it is only at the latter end of the 1 6th century that we find mention of Giacomo and Loys Ridolfi of Caffaggiolo, who emigrated with other potters, from the then lefs encouraged manufactories of Italy, to try their fortune in France. M. Jacquemart, quoting from M. B. Fillon, tells us that thefe potters or painters founded a ^'- fdiencerie" in 1590 at Marchecoul, in Bretagne. We think that fome confufion has arifen among connoiffeurs in France and elfewhere, as to the wares of Caffaggiolo and thofe of Faenza, and indeed it is frequently difficult to draw the line of diftinftion ; but we can hardly follow M. Jacquemart in his hiftorical claffification, be- lieving that fome of the pieces affigned by him to this fabrique do not really fupport their claim. A fimilar remark may apply to many of thofe in the Louvre affigned to this pottery by Mons. Darcel.' We will now fhortly notice feveral important pieces of thofe wares in other coUediions. Notice des Faiences peintes Italiennes, &c." Paris, 1864. 92 Italian Pottery. Two large and finely painted early difhes were prefented by Mr. Franks to the Britifh Mufeum ; they were probably made about 1480- 1500 ; on one is a group of faints, Benedidt, ScholafUca, Mauro, and two others, after an engraving by Benedetto Montana, on red ground, with a border of leafage moulding and peacock's feather ornament, which curioufly connedls it with thofe pieces which we have afligned to fome Tufcan furnace, poffibly Caffaggiolo. (See ante.) On the other is the fubjeil of the Judgment of Solomon. The colours on thefe pieces are very rich, with much of the charadleriftic red pigment, the drawing bold and firm, has an archaic tendency which points to an early period. The earlieft dated piece having a mark and with reafon believed to be of this fabrique, is a plate in the ftyle of Faenza, with border of grotefques and central fhield of arms, in the painting of which the charadteriftic red pigment is ufed, and on which is the date 1507, with the mark, that curious combination of letters P.L and O, fhown in facfimile in the appendix. It belongs to Baron Guftave de Rothfchild, of Paris. Another is dated 1509. The letters S. P. O. F., occurring among the ornaments. M. Jacquemart confiders as of the firft period, thofe pieces having letters allufive to the Florentine republic, the Medici arms and emblems ; the motto of Giuliano di Medici ; " Glovis " alfo occurs, which Mrs. Bury Pallifer has ingenioufly deciphered as meaning " Si Volg," — " it " (fortune) turns," when read backwards.^ Of the early period are thofe pieces in the Mufeum bearing the fhield of the Medici, and the curious reprefentation of the proceflion of Pope Leo X. of that family. A fine plate, painted perhaps by the fame hand, having for fubjeft the Flagellation, after Durer(?) with rich border of grotefques, &c. paiTed this year into the colledlion of M. Bafilewfki from that of Mon- fignore Cajani ; it has a mark on the reverfe. (Mark No. 6.) Some of the moft charadteriftic pieces of the fabrique bear a mark compofed of the letters S and P, with a paraphe, and we alfo find upon others thefe letters, occurring feparately or combined with others, as A, &c. Such is the mark upon one of the luftred pieces in the Mufeum ; and it alfo occurs on a flafk in Mr. Henderfon's colledlion. One alfo ' " Giuliano having been appointed Gonfalonier to the Church, wiflied by this " motto to fliow that fortune, which previoufly had frowned upon him, had now " turned in his favour." (Note, Marryat, p. 82,) Caffaggiolo. 93 having this mark, and bearing the arms of the Medici, is noticed by M. Jacquemart, but is unknown to the writer. Of painted pieces, a fine difh in the collection of M. Bafilewfki, of Paris, with a fubjedl of prifoners round the throne of a conqueror, has the word " GONELA " on a ribbon, on which alfo is a cupid holding a dolphin ; the border of the piece is decorated with genii, among arabefques, on a blue ground. To the fame owner alfo belongs a fine example which is figured on pi. 30 of M. Delange's " Recueiiy It reprefents Diana vifiting the fleeping Endymion, apparently after a defign by Sandro Botticelli, and engraving by Robetta ; the border is covered by a crowd of genii on a dark blue ground, and it bears the ufual mark. One in Baron Alphonfe Rothfchild's collection in Paris, has in addi- tion to the mark a trident, and the name " In Chafaggiuolo." Fantaftic birds and a border of genii, grotefques, &c. cover the piece, which is figured in Delange's ^'"Recuell" pi. 25. A fmall plate in the Narford colle6lion is marked with a trident and the letter O. On another in Baron Alphonfe Rothfchild's colledlion is the fame mark and name of fabrique, but fpelt with a G inftead of C. A beautiful little plate, admirably painted with grotefques, " a Can- ** delieri" on blue ground, belongs to Count Nieuwerkerke ; it is well reprefented by a woodcut in Jacquemart's '•'■ Merveilles de la Ceramique" pt. 2, p. 127. M. C. Gerente had an unufual example, with central medallion of the Emperor Nero, furrounded by interlaced ornament in blue, on a white ground. On the reverfe is a ribbon infcribed CAFAGIOLI, between the twice repeated ufual mark. The letters S. P. O. R. and S. P. Q. F. occur on cartouches among the ornamental interlacings, together with the arms and tiara of Leo X., and the motto SEMPE GLOVI. (Delange, pi. 26.) A fine bowl in the Britifh Mufeum, decorated on blue ground with cupids, &c., medallions containing the devices of the Medici family, and their fhield of arms and other ornaments, is an interefting fpecimen. A large careleflly painted difh, in the fame coUedion, fubjedl Abel's facrifice, has the word " GLOVIS " and the letters S. P. O. R. on the altar, and on the reverfe the name, curioufly fpelt, " In Chafaggilolo," between the ordinary mark twice repeated. The name feems to have been fpelt in various ways, as " CafFa- "giulo," " Cafagiol," " CafFaggiolo," " ChafFaggiolo," "' Chafaggilolo," " Gafagizotto," he. 94 Italian Pottery, A fine plate was exhibited in the Loans Colle£lion by Baron Lionel de Rothfchild, by the fame hand as No. ,^2990 in this Mufeum. At the back are reprefented two crofTed quivers, a bow and arrows. The letters AD in a circle are on one fhewn by Mr. Addington at the fame exhibition, with border of cupids on blue ground and fhield of arms in the centre, A pretty plate in the writer's colledlion, with foliated fcrolls and vafes in yellow, white, &c. on blue ground and central fhield of arms, has a knot in the centre (Mark No. 10.), an ornament or mark which occurs on other pieces of this fabrique and on that of Gubbio. The letter P, crofled by a paraphe, alfo occurs. A plate in the Delfette coUedlion, No. 85, with the Fontana arms was fo marked. The combination of P and A, which occurs on an early piece in this Mufeum, would feem alfo to have been a mark in ufe at a later time, as it occurs on fome pieces in the Louvre (Nos. 150, 151), afcribed by M. Darcel to this pottery. The letter S alone, occurs on a jug in the writer's pofleffion (Mark No. 14), and on a difh, fubjedt Coriolanus, with border of trophies, and dated 1546. (Chaffers.) The letter G, as alfo M, is found on pieces in the Louvre (Nos. G 143, 144, 153), which are afcribed by M. Darcel to Caffag- giolo — we do not know thefe fpecimens. M. Jacquemart, differing from M. Darcel, confiders one in the Louvre (No. G 518), marked with a rude P, to be of Caffaggiolo luflred ware ; but we agree with M. Darcel in afcribing it to Gubbio, perhaps to M. Preflino. On a plate in the writer's colle6tion from the Montferrand, repre- fenting the flory of Mutius Scaevola, and a border of dogs hunting wild animals in a woody landfcape, are the marks of the fabrique, the letters A. f., and the place in Galiano 1547, ^ fmall '•'• cajiello" a iQ.vj miles diflant from Caffaggiolo. (Mark No. 16.) Another plate by the fame hand " in Chaffaggiolo " is in this Mu- feum (No. 6656. '60), and another is in the poffeflion of M. Dutuit at Rome. M. Delange, in his appendix to Pafferi,' records a piece dated " in " Chafaggiolo fato Adj 21 di junio^ 1 570," the latefl dated example that we have feen noted. We have faid that this Mufeum is rich in fpecimens of the Caffaggiolo wares, from the earlieft to the latter period of the manu- fafture, and among them are pieces of extraordinary beauty. Of the 1 " Hiftoire des Peintures fur Majoliques faites a Pefaro 5 traduit par H. Delange." Paris, 1853. Gaffaggiolo, 95 more interefting may be inftanced No. 7154? a luftred piece having the mark of this fabrique painted on the reverfe in the yellow luftre pigment. The large circular difti (No. 8928), on which is reprefented a pro- ceflion of Leo X., is curious as a contemporary work and for the coftume, &c. That (No. 6664) forming part of a feries on which the whole fubjeil of the triumph of Julius Caefar after Mantegna was probably painted, is a fine and remarkable example. The St. George after the ftatue by Donatello (No. 1726) is of great excellence, as is the intereft- ing plate (No. 171 7), on which a ceramic painter is reprefented at work in the prefence of a gentleman and lady, probably portraits of perfonages of high ftanding, as alfo of the painter himfelf. It is to be regretted that he refrained from recording their names, and was content with affixing only the monogram of the fabrique at the back of the piece. The beautiful plate with central fubje6l of Vulcan forging a wing and elegant border of grotefques, mafks, cupids, &c. (No. 2990) is probably by the fame hand as the two laft referred to, and is a fine example. The large jug having the Medici arms on the front and other devices of that family (No. 17 15), is remarkable for its excellence of glaze and colour, as well as for its hiftorical ailbciations. Of a later period are the two vafes Nos. 321 and 322, which, if not actually made at CafFaggiolo, we are difpofed to attribute to the hand or the influence of Flaminio Fontana, who went to Florence with Francefco Maria II. where he remained fome years, and where he fuperintended the experimental fabrique eftablifhed by the Duke at his chateau of San Mario. We may here refer to the tiled floor in a fmall room of the Pitti Palace at Florence, which is entirely decorated in frefco by Pietro da Cortona. In the centre of the pavement is the fubjedl of the triumph of Bacchus. One of the tiles is figned " Benedetto Bocchi fecit." This may probably be of Florentine produftion about 1640. 96 Italian Pottery, MARKS ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On a plate in the Narford Colledlion reprefenting the Virgin and Child, on a dark blue ground. An early piece probably about 1470. Engraved in Marryat, p. 104. No. 2. A mark and early date afcribed to this fabrique. Caffaggiolo. 97 Nos. 3-5. Variations of a mark believed to be of Caffaggiolo. One of thefe occurs on a fine plate belonging to Baron Guftave de Rothfchild, and is dated 1507. arabefque border. It has in the centre a fhield of arms and No. 6. On a fine difli with border of malks, grotefques, and medallions on blue ground, and central fubjeft the Flagellation, after an artift of the German fchool. Paffed from the coUeftion of Monfignore Cajani to that of M. Bafi- lewfki. 98 Italian Pottery. No. 7. On a fmall plate, with a heart tranffixed by two arrows in the centre between the letters P. E. In the pofleffion of Mrs. Lockwood at Rome. «(^ No. 8. On a piece formerly in the Delfette colleftion (No. 85), with fhield of arms in the centre, of the Fontana family, the letters P. F. and border a quartiere. Caffaggiolo, 99 No. 9. Is a variety of the mark in which the ftroke of the P is prolonged to form an R, which is crofTed with the ufual c/3 -formed paraphe. The piece on which this mark occurs is unknown to the writer. 1 No. 10. On a pretty plate, in the writer's pofleffion, with wide border of dark blue, on which are arabefque fcroUs, and among them flowers and vafes " wiped out " or referved, and coloured yellow and orange, or tinted with pale green. This border has an outer moulding of egg-and-anchor and an inner one of bead-and-button pattern. The centre, furrounded by a narrow band of bianco fopra bianco^ is occupied by a fhield of arms. The reverfe has concentric fhadings, and leaf fprays of dufky blue, the mark in the centre; date about 15 10. A fimiliar mark was on a piece in the Uzielli colledlion, and one of this fervice belongs to Mr. Henderfon. lOO Italian Pottery, No. II. On a difti formerly in the SoltikofF colleftion, attributed to Faenza by Delange, but more probably of this fabrique. " In the " centre, St. Francis, encircled with rich arabefques on orange ground, " white borders painted in blue and yellow palmettes." Nos. 12-13. On pieces attributed to this fabrique, but unknown to the editor. *S Caffaggiolo, lOI No. 14, This letter occurs beneath the handle of a large juo- in the writer's colledion, on which are the arms of the family " AlefTandro del AlefTandri. About 1500-20. No. 15. On another jug in the writer's coUeftion of rather later period, but with little doubt of this fabrique, on the front of which is a fhield of arms. I02 Italian Pottery, No. 1 6. On a plate alfo in the writer's pofTeflion, from the Montferrand, painted by the fame artift, as that in the Mufeum (No. 6656.'6o) whofe initials are A. F. It reprefents Mutius Scaevola, a fubjedt of many figures in a landfcape, with a border confifting of a continuous wooded landfcape, in which dogs are hunting wild animals. It will be noticed that the ufual mark of the fabrique has the letter C or G alongfide for " Caffaggiolo " or " Gaffaggiolo ;" " in Galiano nell " ano 1547 " is on another line, beneath which are the painter's initials furmounted by a fmall f for " fecit." Galiano'is a fmall village in the hills a few miles diftant from Caffaggiolo, poflibly the native place of the painter who may have executed it at home, or a '■'- fuccurfale " of the/abriquej as M. Jacquemart fuggefts. ■M^ CATALOGUE. Lujlred Wares, 7154- >. MALL Plateau. Luftred ware. " Majolica" On the centre medallion, a portion of a branch, the right-hand fpray of which bears a flower of crown-like form ; the left, an acorn ; probably emblems of an alliance. Radiating ornament fills the hollow, and on the rim is a garland of flower of the fame form as that on the centre ; outlined blue, and filled in with gold lufl;re on white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines of gold lufl;re ; in the centre the mark — Italian (Cafi^aggiolo). About 15 10. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, i/. \15. The form and general ftyle of this fmall plateau differs confiderably from the ordinary Gubbio or Pefaro type, the deep yet brilliant blue agrees with that ufed at Caffaggiolo, and the mark at the back is clearly that of the latter place although painted in luftre colour. The conclu- fion from this would be, that the luftre pigment was in ufe alfo at the Caffaggiolo factory even at this early time, or it may poflibly have been painted there and luftred at Gubbio, the Caffaggiolo mark having been added in luftre colour for fome fpecial purpofe. The body of which it is made is of clofe grain and fccms to have been highly 104- Italia?! Pottery. baked ; it is unufually heavy. There is a pecularity in the luftre which, although approaching nearer to that of Gubbio than to the earlier luftred wares, has a charafter of its own, which may perhaps have arifen from the nature of the glaze. Altogether it is one of thofe exceptional pieces, upon which it is extremely difficult to arrive at any degree of certainty as to their place of produilion and decoration, although from the mark it can with more certainly be afcribed to Caffaggiolo than elfe where. {See Vignette^. S 8941. '63. MALL Tazza. " Confetiiera." EmbofTed and luftred ware. " Majolica." In the centre medallion, on a dark blue ground, the profile buft of an armed warrior ; the reft of the furface covered with a fcale pattern in gold, each centred with a fcroll of ruby luftre. Reverfe, concentric lines in greenifti gold luftre. Italian. (Caff"aggiolo ?) About 1510-20. Diam. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. An exceptional piece, difficult to affign to any known fabrique. There is much in the central medallion which reminds of the Faenza. and more of the Caffaggiolo wares ; it alfo bears fome affinity to the fmall bottle, No. 531, fimilarly ornamented, and on the other hand the dark blue colour and mode of handling are not unlike that on the vafe No. 8407, which is attributed to Maeftro Giorgio's earlier period, Caffaggiolo, 105 531- '%• FLASK-fhaped Ewer. " Mefciroba." Luftred ware. " Majolica." Compartments feparated by vertical lines of ruby, and belts of ruby and blue, filled in with fcale, foliated, and oblique gadroon ornament in ruby and gold luftre on white ground, Italian. (CafFaggiolo ? Gubbio ?) About 1510-20. H. ^\ in., W. 3J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. The doubt attending the fimilarly fliaped vafe No. 530 applies alfo to this. The glaze is apparendy ftanniferous ; the luftre colours are much of the charader ufed by M^. Georgio, as is alfo the dark but vivid blue. On the other hand it has affinity to the fmall tazza, No. 8941, both in decoration and luftre colours, and alfo bears confiderable refemblance to a fmall vafe in Mr. Henderfon's coUeilion of fomewhat fimilar form, and on which the Caffaggiolo mark occurs. 8943. '63. SMALL " Fruttiera" with raifed centre. Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica" On the centre medallion a profile buft of a lady, and a fcroll infcribed " Sepia ; " the border of raifed pine cones and pellets ; the ground changed to dull gray probably by fome accident to the enamel glaze ; the whole luftred with ruby and outlined with blue. Reverfe, concentric lines in brilliant ruby. Italian. (CafFaggiolo or Gubbio?) About 1520. Diam. 7I in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 61. Correfponding to the name of the lady in whofe honour this tazza was painted, the enamel ground has oddly enough, and probably by the abforption of fmoke or fome other accident in the firing, taken a warm light fepia tint, giving a fingular and quite exceptional appearance to the piece. The blue outlines are alfo much blackened, but the ruby luftre in fome parts, particularly the pellets and the concentric rings on the reverfe, is of the fulleft and moft brilliant quality. It is an early piece, probably in imitation of the Gubbio fabrique, and is perhaps by the fame hand as No, 8944. There is alfo fome affinity to No. 8943 of Deruta ? io6 Italian Pottery, 8944. '62,. SMALL Tazza, " Fruttiera." EmbofTed and luftred ware. " Majolica" In the centre, a heart pierced by a broad Italian dagger or " anelace " fufpended over a vafe full of flames ; on each fide elaborate monograms ; the border of ralfed ovals and pellets ; the whole luftred in gold and ruby, outHned and fhaded with blue. Reverfe, concentric lines In ruby. Italian. (Caffaggiolo or Gubbio?) About 1520. Diam. yj In. Bought (Soulages Coll.), to/. The fubje£l of this centre is probably another reprefentation of the wounded heart of the BlelTed Virgin, as referred to under No. 2558, page 84. The monogram may have fome allufion to the fubjeft, or be the initials of the owner. This piece is very fimilar in defign to No. 8942, which may be by the fame hand, although the central fubje6l is executed with more care. It was undoubtedly painted with a view to the luftre enrichment, and having peculiarities differing fo much from the general type, we are inclined to afcribe it to the Caffaggiolo fabrique, rather than to Gubbio. Painted Pieces, 7438. '61. CIRCULAR Difh, " BaciUr The triumph of Juftlce, in a car, on which are feated two draped figures holding fceptres, perhaps Mofes and Solomon ; Hercules precedes, ac- companied by mounted knights in armour, and two naked youths are tied to the car. Border of flower fprays, arranged as a " guillochej' on dark blue ground. Reverfe, richly decorated with garlands of foliage and concentric lines of dark blue on the white enamel. Italian. (Caifagglolo ?) About 1480. Diam. 14 in. Bought, 16/. The depth and brilliancy of the colours upon this curious early difh are remarkable ; the border, on a dark blue ground of a fimilar quality Caffaggiolo . 107 to that of Caffaggiolo, is covered by white fcrolls of foliated fprays, each terminating in a varied flower, picked out with green, orange, and brilliant yellow, and arranged as a diaper, in the form of the guilloche. The fubje6t fills the centre. A heavy car of orange colour on four wheels, fupports a throne formed of dolphins, whofe united tails fuftain a globe, furmounted by a yellow chair, on which fits a draped female figure of Juftice, holding the balance in the right and the fword in the left hand ; below the throne fit two bearded men, with long liair, each holding a fceptre and a book, and draped in flowing robes of yellow; he in front has a high dome-fhaped turban cap — probably Mofes — the other is crowned — Solomon. A mounted knight in armour precedes, and two, carrying yellow lances, follow behind the car, which would appear to be dragged by two naked youths, bound to it with cords by their arms, and preceded by Hercules, carrying his club and lion's fkin. The fun {hines in the heavens, fcattering detached rays around. The drawing is archaic, but not wanting in a certain power, par- ticularly fliown in the figures of the youths. The glaze is brilliant and of even furface, extending over the whole of the piece and apparently ftanniferous ; the clay is red and hard, and the general '* technique " fhows an advanced flate of the potter's art. We think that thefe qualities agree more with the wares of Caf- faggiolo, although we afcribe it to that fabrique with fome hefitation, feeling that it may perhaps with equal reafon be confidered as the pro- duction of Faenza or Forli. The plate No. 2. '65 is probably by the fame hand. 2. '65. PLATE, " 'Tagliere" Cupid bound, on a pedeftal carried by muficians, harpies and fphynx at the fide; water beneath, in which are dolphins and boys. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue and a mark. Italian (Caffaggiolo ?). About 1490- 1500. Diam. 8^ in. Bought, 61. The fame quality of blue is here ufed as in No. 8950, and the heightening with yellow is fomewhat like that found upon pieces of the Deruta fabrique. We have, however, little hefitation in afcribing it to Caffaggiolo. The fubjeil would appear to reprefent the binding of Cupid by the demons of difcord. Cupid, blindfolded, is tied to a column, ftanding on a pedefl:al decorated with a wreath of foliage ; the io8 Italian Pottery. whole fupported by four boys playing mufical inftruments ; the bow and arrows hang between them ; two fphynxes fpring from the pedeftal, and on either fide is a harpy ; be- neath the whole is a troubled fea with dolphins, chil- dren, &c. Carefully and fharply outlined by an able hand. The defign might be by Pollaiuolo. 6655. '60. PLAQUE, circular. A fhield of arms, hung by an orange ribbon, on a white ground diapered with fcrolls, fpots, and flowers in dark blue and edged with a laurel wreath in green and orange. On a ribbon is infcribed, MCCCC9I • ^tltrrra tti I50n0 (and two letters). Italian (CafFaggiolo). Diam. iif in. Bought, 2/. 15J. The early date of this plaque renders it extremely interefting. The ftiield of arms is of the form known as " a tejia di cavallo." The glaze would appear to be ftanniferous, and is of excellent quality and great whitenefs. The blue colour is much like that ufed at Caffaggiolo, and we alfo find the purple and the tranfparent green. The arms are thofe of a Florentine family " Bono " or " Boni." The firft of the two letters following the name, and which are covered by a mark of abbreviation, is not clearly written, and may be intended for an F, which with the O would probably read " Fiorentino " in reference to the owner. 1204. '6^. PLATEAU. A Medufa's head ; on the margin three bombards difcharging balls, and a fhield of arms. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1500. Diam. 11 in. Bought, 18/. This was probably painted for wall decoration. The expreffion of the IVIedufa's head is powerfully rendered, the lips and tongue being coloured with that red pigment peculiar to this fahr'ique. The hair is yellow, the fnakes blue and greyifh green and fpotted. The fhield of arms is argent, fix bars nebuly, the firft covered by a fort of label, gules, but ill defined in the painting. This piece is in a wooden frame. Caffaggiolo. 109 4898. '58. CIRCULAR Difh. '' Scodelkr The centre painted with a fhield of arms fupported by three cupids ; above it a Medufa head ; margin decorated with cornucopias, vafes, &c., on yellow ground, and with medallions bearing a grotefque head, and reprefentations of grape gathering, treading, and ploughing. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1500. Diam. ly^- in. Bought, 11/. A rather coarfely painted piece of the earlier period, the arms are azure, on a fefs between three etoiles of eight points or, three fleur-de- lys of the firft. The upper medallion has a grotefque mafk on red ground ; the two lateral reprefent the treading and the gathering of grapes, on dark blue, and the lower, ploughing with a yoke of oxen, on a back ground of the fame colour. The Medufa's head bears fome refem- blance to that on 1204, and the piece may be by the fame hand. ^^7o' S5' CIRCULAR Difh. '' Bacikr Alexander meeting Dio- genes, In the manner and probably from a defign by Luca Signorelli ; painted in dark blue and orange on white, border of foliated diaper on orange ground ; an inner circle of green ovals and orange diamonds on white. Reverfe, coarfe yellow glaze, with an owner's (.'') mark fcratched in the pafte, ItaHan. (Caffaggiolo?) About 1500. Diam. 15.^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 25/. A " bacile^' differing in form from thofe of Pefaro or Gubbio, but pierced behind with two holes for fufpen- fion. It is glazed in front apparently with ftanniferous enamel, while the back is partly covered with the com- moner glaze. The fubje^l is boldly treated by the hand of an accomplifhed artift, Mr. Robinfon fuppofes it the work of Signorelli himfelf. The horfes, armour, fky, and diftant landfcape are heavily outlined, and fhaded in the rich dark cobalt blue. The flefh tint is of a peculiar buff tone ; the drapery, harnefs, the armour of Alexander, and one helmet are of a brownifli orange, painted over the blue (hading. The high lights are artiflically touched no Italian Pottery. with white enamel ; the fword is green. The pigments ufed are of the quahty found upon marked pieces of the Caffaggiolo " botega" of which this is, we believe, an important example. Scratched in the pafte at the back, is a mark confifting of a quartered Pavoife fhield, furmounted by a double crofs, and having a fpot in each of the upper quarterings, probably a conventual, or other owner's mark. 1719- 55- PLATEAU. " Scodella." On a blue ground of drapery, a large fhield of the Medici arms, furmounted by the ducal coronet, and fprays of foliage. Reverfe, a monogram. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1500-10. Diam. 16-J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. los. A coarfe bold piece of the fabrique, valuable for the monogram and the fhield of arms. Caffaggiolo, in 6658. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr In the centre a figure on horfeback flaying a dragon or other grotefque animal with a lance ; wide border, with grotefques and trophies on dark blue ground. Italian. (Caflfaggiolo ?) About 1510. Diam. i()\ in. Bought, i/. 10^. A large coarfe piece afcribed with fome doubt to CafFaggiolo. The fubjeft may perhaps reprefent St. George and the Dragon, but in a manner very different from the ufual type of the mailed foldier faint. 8946. '6^. PLATE. " Tondino" Four foldiers in Italian coftume of the time Handing in converfation, one holding a pennon; deep blue background. Reverfe, diapered in blue and orange on white ground. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1 5 10. Diam. 8-J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 61. On the pennon a circle or pellet is reprefented, poffibly one of the bearing of the Medici arms, the others being hid by the folds of the flag. The purple colour which was ufed on the earlier pieces is here very apparent, the bright yellow, orange, and green are alfo charadleriflic. DRUG Vafe. Oviform. A wreath of fruit occupies the front centre, filled in with cherub's heads and firings of golden beads on dark blue ground; on two fcrolls are written " chonserve dachori ;" the purple ribbons which tie the wreaths decorate the back. Italian. (Caffaggiolo or Caflel Durante .f") About 1500-10. H. ii\ in., diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. The rich blue ground is much like that of Caffaggiolo, whilfl the leafage and fruit are rather in the flyle of Caflel Durante. 112 Italian Pottery. 8950. '6^. DEEP Plate. " Scodella." In the centre arabefques in blue on white ground ; the border of interlaced ftrap- work pattern in blue, grounded in panels of orange, yellow, green, and white, with leafage ornament. Reverfe, blue con- centric lines. Italian. (Caffaggiolo?) About 15 10. Diam. 8 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. The general efFe£l of this is very elegant and harmonious ; the blue is of a dull grey quality, wanting in brilliancy of tone, but which is ufed upon fome pieces. The tin glaze is even and white, although the piece is of early date. ■778. 'ss- PLATE. " Tondinor In the centre a female profile buft with yellow netted head-drefs, on a dark blue curtain edged with yellow. Reverfe, fcrolls and crofTed lozenges in blue ; border of fcale pattern in dark blue and orange on white ground, edged with green. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1510-20. Diam. lof in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 4/. 15J. All the colours are thofe of Caffaggiolo. The profile portrait is drawn with more care than accuracy ; the head ftands out boldly relieved by the rich blue background, which is curioufly arranged as a banner or curtain in the middle againft the fky. The enamel is of fine quality. 8928. '63. PLATEAU. " ?iatta da Pompa." A prpceffion. Pope Leo X. feated on a rich portable throne (feggia geftatoria), is borne on men's fhoulders, preceded by a rider on an elephant and furrounded by Cardinals on mules, the guard, &c. The arms of Medici are on the flandards. Reverfe, concentric lines of blue and the mark. Italian (Caffaggiolo). 15 13-21. Diam. 19^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll,), 80/. Caffaggiolo. ii3 We quote Mr. Robin- fon's defcription from the catalogue of the Soulag-es Colle6lion : " Pope Leo " the Tenth, feated in a " rich chair or throne, on " a platform or palan- *' quin, boriie on men's " fhoulders, is carried in '" proceffion, accompanied " by cardinals riding on " mules, and a numerous " retinue of ecclefiaftics, " officials, guards, &c. In " the foreground, march- " ing at the fide of the " main proceffion, is a regiment of halberdiers in parti-coloured " coftume, headed by a drummer and fifer, and an officer bearing " a banner charged with the ' palle ' of the Medici family ; the " main proceffion is headed by a cavalier riding on an elephant " richly caparifoned. Immediately behind the Pope appears a column " of pikemen with an enfign at their head, alfo bearing the banner " of the Medici family. The Pope is reprefented in the a£l of " benediction ; he wears the papal tiara and a rich cope of dia- " pered cloth of gold, faftened by a large circular morfe or fibula ; " in his left hand he holds an obje6t which refembles an orb or " ball of cryftal ; the fingers of both hands are covered with nume- " rous rings. The compofition contains upwards of fifty figures, " executed in colours on a dark blue background. The figure of " the Pope has every appearance of being an authentic portrait, and " the heads of feveral of the cardinals and attendants have marked " individuality of expreffion. Amongft the followers Is a Turk, with *' red hair and a long beard, and wearing a high crowned turban. " The reverfe of the piece has concentric lines in blue, and is figned " with a large P. " Many concurrent indications leave little doubt but that this curious *' hiftorical monument was executed at the manufa6lory of Caffaggiolo, " a caftle of the Medici, near Florence, where is fuppofed to have " exifted a fabrique fupported by that celebrated family. The execu- " tion of the piece is hafty, and inferior to the compofition ; the " profufion of the rare red enamel colour, the ufe of which is believed M. H 114 Italian Pottery. " to be almoft exclufively confined to this fabrique and that of Faenza, " is remarkable ; the colour, though known to the Majolica artifts of " other localities, being feldom or never employed on account of the " difficulty of its application, and the uncertain a61:ion of the fire upon " it." Leo the Tenth was eleited Pope on the ii March, 15 13. He died in 1521 ; the date of this piece is therefore fixed within eight years, but as the CafFaggiolo pottery was patronized by the Medici family, it is reafonable to conclude that the proceffion reprefented was that on the occafion of his firft enthronement, and that this difh was painted in 15 1 3 to record that ceremony. It may have been intended to decorate the papal " buffeto" or as a gift piece to one of his adherents. There can be no doubt that its ufe was for " pompa " ornament merely, and not for the fervice of the table. We have no means of afcertaining the name for which the letter P was doubtlefs the initial ; it occurs on the majority of the wares of this fabrique, generally combined with S and a paraphe, and frequently accompanied by another initial, the former being probably that of the Maeftro, the others of painters who executed various pieces. 6664. '60. PLATEAU. ^^ Piatta da Pompa." Portion of a trium- phal proceffion after Mantegna : muiicians, a jefter, &c. precede two harnelTed. horfes, at whofe fides men carry golden vafes ; painted on a dark blue background ; the numeral L beneath. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue, a mark, and the date 1 5 14. Italian (Caffaggiolo). Diam. i6\ in. Bought, 465. 14J. 6d. The defign of this noble difli is derived from part of Mantegna's Triumph of Casfar. It evidently is one of a feries, another of which was fold with them at the difperfion of the Montferrand collection, the numeral beneath the fubje6l denoting its place in the fequence. Roman foldiers and li6tors carrying the fafces lead the way ; a fool, or jefter, and muficians playing on harp and guitar precede two fine horfes, harnefled to a vehicle which doubtlefs occupied the next piece. The drawing is bold and mafterly, and the colouring has been executed with great care ; the whole effedl is indeed excellent. It is probably by the fame hand as Nos. 1717 and 1726. \ 1 I.C ^ Vying foh Cipiu. Caffaggiolo. "5 A fac-fimile of the date and mark is criven beneath. ^990- 53- PLATEAU. Form '' hacikr On the medallion, the fubjedl of Vulcan forging a wing for Cupid, outlined and fhaded in blue, relieved with yellow, green, &c. A central belt of " bianco fopra bianco" and a wide outer rim grounded in blue and covered with trophies, mafks, cupids feated on dolphins, and other grotefques in colour. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls in blue on the white ground " a la porcellana" ItaHan (Caffaggiolo). About 511 5-20. Diam. 1 5^ in. Bought. (Bandinel Coll.) This is by the fame artift as the St. George plate No. 1726, and is a mafterpiece of decorative painting on enamelled pottery. The varied H » 1 1 6 Italia?! Pottery, attitudes and expreflions in the cupids on the border, are mofb ably rendered, and the harmonious colouring of the whole piece is note- worthy. Wc unfortunately have no record of the name of this very able artift, who feems to have produced moft of the finer pieces of the CafFaggiolo fabrique. There is a certain affinity in the treatment and ufe of colours, with thofe pieces which we have reafon to afcribe to Forli, fiich as the plaque No. 490 ; but they are earlier and more rigid in manner, and the brilliant red pigment fo effeilively ufed on the pre- fent piece, is not found on any of them, and would feem to have been hardly known at that eftablifhment. '■ Mr. Robinfon, writing in the Loans Catalogue of No. 5162 in that collection, a fine plateau belonging to Baron Lionel de Rothfchild, afcribes it and the prefent piece to the fame artift, and refers them to the fabrique of Faenza. A comparifon with the St. George plate and other pieces will, we think, warrant our different conclufion. (See coloured plate.) LARGE Ewer. " Mezzina" In front, on a dark blue panel, are the Medici arms furmounted by the papal tiara, the keys and the dove ; beneath the motto " Glovis." On one fide the fleur-de-lys, on the other the crofs ; the reft covered with fcroll foliage. A monogram below the handle. Italian (CafFaggiolo). About 1520. H. 17^ in., diam. 135- in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 60/. A noble pitcher, made doubtlefs for the fervice of Leo X. One large, and four fmall panels, formed by foliated green ftrap-work, nearly cover the front and fides of the barrel ; the three central ones are grounded in the charaileriftic dark blue, the middle being occupied with the Medici fhield, the crofs keys, the papal triple crown, and the yoke ; on the upper fmall panel is the dove of the Holy Spirit, and on that below the word " Glovis," adopted by Giuliano de' Medici, when Gonfalonier of the Church. Read backwards it gives '■'' Si volg" " it turns," allufive to the turn which fortune's wheel had taken in his favour. The lateral panels have, on the right, the red crofs of St. George ; on the left the giglio, the red fleur-de-lys of Florence. The large wide green handle has a raifed orange band in the centre, with depreffions ; beneath it are the two letters of the monogram, which may read P and C. On either fide a hand holds a fpray of EWER. THE ARMS AND EMBLEMS OF POPE LEO X. Caffaggiolo, about 1520. (i7'5- '55-) Caffaggiolo. 117 foliated and flowering fcrolls, which cover the remainder of the piece ; the ftem of this fcroll work, the crofs, the fleur-de-lys, and other features, are in the bright Indian red pigment, fo chara6leriftic of the wares of this fabrique. The whole has been very carefully executed, and the glaze of pure white ground (ftanniferous) is of the moft luftrous quality. (See engraving.) PLATE. *' '^agliere." St. George, after the ftatue by Donatello, with landfcape background, and furrounded by a border of grotefques on dark blue ground. Reverfe, concentric lines of blue and orange, with the mark below. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1515-20. Diam, 12^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61/. This, and No. 17 17, are of the fineft works of a very able but un- known artift. It is prefumable that he was the direilor or " maejiro " of the Caffaggiolo " botega" and the initial P, which is more or lefs apparent in all the marks on thefe wares, m.ay perchance be the firft letter of his name. His ftyle is eminently bold and vigorous, the outline decifive and true, the relief or modelling of the figures admirable, the grotefques ftanding out of the dark blue ground with great power. The figure of the faint, derived from the well-known mafterpiece of Donatello, which occupies a niche outfide the church of Or-San 1 1 8 Italian Pottery, Michele at Florence, is fomewhat varied in the pofe and in the details. He is clad in armour, covered by a yellow mantle, which, tied over the right, covers the left fhoulder and arm, falling to the ground behind the right foot. A fhield of Pavoife form Hands before him on the ground, fupported by the left hand, and decorated with arabefques. A fword is hung at his fide, and the right hand grafps a dagger. The feet are clad in yellow boots. In the ftatue the tie of the mantle is more forward on the breaft. There is neither fword nor hanger, nor dagger in hand. The feet are clad in mail, and the fhield, flat at the top, is formed at the fides by obtufe angles uniting at the point below, and is charged with a large crofs. The expreilion of the head alfo differs. The landscape confiits of a rocky foreground, with the fea, iflands, ftiips, &c., in the diftance. The grotefques, of quaint invention, differ from thofe of M°. Giorgio, or of Urbino and Caftel Durante, approaching more to the charafter of thofe of Faenza. A beautiful fmall plate, formerly belonging to the Count de Nieuwerkerke, is covered with grotefques of fimilar charadler, and probably by the fame able hand. The mark at the back may be confidered typical of the fabrique. (See coloured plate.) PLATE. A MAJOLICA PAINTER IN HIS STUDIO. Caffaggiolo, about 1 1; 1 5-20 (1717. '55-) Caffaggiolo, 119 PLATE. " Tagliere" A majolica painter in his ftudio, painting a plate in the prefence of two perfonages of diftinftion. Reverfe, concentric lines in orange and blue, and a monogram. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1515-20. Diam. g\ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 120/. This extremely interefting piece has a certain degree of notoriety, from having been defcribed as reprefenting Raffaelle, painting the portrait of the Fornarina on a plate, and thus the myth that RafFaelle did occa- fionally paint on pottery was the more accredited. The fubject is however an artift (perhaps the portrait of him who painted) engaged in decorating the border of a " tondino" which refts upon his left knee, held by the left hand ; in his right he holds the brufli, in the zGt of continuing the border ornament, the centre remaining untouched. He is feated on a fed'ia^ having a curtain fufpended between two foliated ftandards, furmounted by vafes, as a back. Brufhes and colours in faucers are on a ftool at his rio;ht, and on a bench or dwarf wall in front is a finifhed plate and an ewer. His vifitors, who evidently watch his work with intereft, are apparently of high ftation, perhaps his patrons, and members of the Medici family ; they are alfo portraits. Seated on a ftool oppofite the artift they are habited in the coftume of the early part of the i6th century. The lady wears a long and loofe fkirt, with tight-fitting low body of the fame material ; its colour is of a dull Indian red, edged with black round the neck, and faftened round the waift with a ftring of beads, which hangs in a fmgle long cord at the front ; full black, perhaps velvet, fleeves, flaftied at the ftioulders, and a green handkerchief over the neck com- plete the coftume. The fair hair, confined by a black band, with jewel on the front, hangs in plaits and loofely o'er the ftioulders ; ftie holds a handkerchief in her right, and a fruit, like a pear, in her left hand. She is young and pretty. Her companion, older than herfelf, is drefted in a clofe-fitting tunic of white, fliaded with blue, and faftened over the cheft with bows. A girdle or hanger is round his waift, and a loofe yellow mantle falls from his left ftioulder over the right knee ; tight hofe, black ftioes, and a low red cap or herretta complete the drefs. His light auburn hair hangs long behind. The painter, indeed, is the moft coftume of the party. A clofe-fitting ftiort green jacket, with loofe fleeves, ftiows at the waift and the neck, an embroidered fkirt j tight fitting yellow hofe extending high up the thigh, are furmounted by diapered black " trucks j" black I 2 o Italian Pottery. fhoes, tied over the inftep, and his dark hair confined in a ilriped green bag or '-'-fachet" is furmounted by a low red cap, fimilar to that of his patron ; he wears an apron to proteft his drefs. The general artiftic merit of this painting is of a very high order ; deli- cately fine in the details, it is admirable for breadth, and harmonious colouring. The figures ftand out in clear relief from the dark blue background. They appear to be feated en the green fward, from which numerous flowers fpring up. The artift has learnt from the Eaftern potters the value of blue and green in juxta-pofition. This is by the fame hand as No. 1726 and probably No. 6664. (See engraving.) 171^- '55- PLATE. " Tondino." Arabefques or grotefques in white, touched with red and yellow on the border of deep blue ground, among which labels bear the letters S. P. O. R. On a central medallion is the fubjeft of a child falling from a tree, with landfcape background. Reverfe, outer border of blue fcalework, fpotted red, inner circle of zig-zag or flame ornament and a red central ftar of eight points. Italian. (Caffaggiolo ?) About 1515-20. Diam. 9I in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 50/. PLATE. A CHILD FALLING. BORDER OF GROTEiQlJES ON BLUE. Cajfaggiolo, about 1515-20. (1716. '55.) Caffaggiolo. 121 This very beautiful and rare fpecimen is one which it is not eafy to aflign, partaking as it does of the charaileriftic of the two fahriques — Caffaggiolo and Faenza. The dark blue ground and the reddifti orange with which the figures are touched, as alfo the general ftyle of handling in the arabefques, and the liquid green ufed fo freely in the medallion, point to Caffaggiolo. Whilft the richly decorated back is more generally found on pieces of the Faenza ware. The central medallion, moft carefully executed in pale tints, contrails remarkably with the powerful colouring of the rich border. We do not recolle£l a fimilar piece. (See engraving.) 3058. '55. DRUG Pot. Cylindrical, with handle. A central belt of cherubs' heads on orange ground, between egg and anchor, and other mouldings outlined and fhaded with dark blue. Italian. (Caffaggiolo or Siena?) About 1530. H. 8^ in., diam. 5 in. Bought, 4/. 4J. The richnefs of the glaze, the tone of blue and green, and the ufe of the red colour would denote Caffaggiolo as the moft probable place of its production. 1269. '55. PLATE. " Tondino." Blue arabefque " a porcellan " mixed with trophies on a white ground ; in the centre an oval efcutcheon of the arms of the Pazzi family in colours. Reverfe, monogram and fcrolls in blue. Itahan (Caffaggiolo). About 1540. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, 15J. id. An ordinary example of the later ware, with the arms of a Florentine family of hiftorical note. 122 Italian Pottery. 1718. '55- EWER. " Mezzina" Globular. In front a medallion, grounded in yellow, enclofed in a wreath of fruit and leafage and bearing a fhield of arms ; azure, a pair of antlers proper, in chief two bezants charged with double ftars. The fides, &c., diapered with foliated fcrolls in blue; beneath the handle, which is formed as a fleur-de-lys, is the date 1541. Italian (Caffaggiolo). H. 13I in., diam. 10 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. Of the later period of the Caffaggiolo fabrique, when the forms of thefe pitchers, which feem to have been abundantly made, was more globular than at an earlier time. 4037- '5^- LARGE Jug or Ewer. " Mezzina." In front a fhield of arms and a label dated 1544, between two large cornu- copise fpringing from a mafk ; the reft of the furface covered with floral fcroll diaper ; beneath the handle a monogram. Italian (Caffaggiolo). H. i6jin., diam. 11 in. Bought, ill. The glaze and colours are very brilliant. The arms are thofe of one of the Florentine families. The marks occurring on a jug of fimilar, and on one of earlier date in the writer's pof- feffion, are given in the ap- pendix. C 66^6. '60. IRCULAR Difti. Apollo and Pan, with a fhepherd, two crowned monks and a fatyr ; landfcape background. Caffaggiolo, 123 Reverfe, infcription and monogram. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1547. DIam. 15 J in. Bought, 2/. The painting of this piece is very yellow in tone, a brown colour is alfo much ufed ; the blue is of a cold grey, very unlike to that on the earlier pieces of the fabrique. There is much in fadt that would lead to the belief that Deruta was its native place, but for the infcription and mark. This, and two others by the fame hand, one of which is in the writer's colle6tion, were fold together in London, The date on the latter piece, which fixes this, is 1547, its infcription will be feen at page 102, and by it we learn that though of the Caffaggiolo *' botega" thefe pieces were painted " in Gallano" a fmall village a few miles to the north of that place, on the right of the main road. The moft probable explanation of this feeming incongruity is, that the artift, vifiting his family or friends, had taken work with him to do, which was afterwards fired at the fabrique, on one piece of which it pleafed his fancy to record the fpot where he had painted. This example may perhaps account for the occafional occurrence of names, unknown as 12 4- Italian Pottery, localities, of potteries on pieces having affinities with well known wares, and would lead to the belief that feveral of the places recorded as " botegas " may only have been the temporary refidence of the painter of the piece. The third, which has for fubjecl the carrying ofF Helen from Troy, is fio-ned like the Mufeum example ; it now belongs to M. Dutuit, at Rome. 1 50 1. '56. PLATE. " Tondino." Border of arabefques and trophies ; in the centre, a trophy with ihield infcribed S.P.Q.R. in blue outline. Reverfe, a monogram and concentric lines of blue on white ground. Italian (Caffaggiolo). About 1550. Diam. 9! in. Bought, 185. A piece of ordinary quality of the later period, painted in blue on white, fome- what in the ftyle known as " a porcelan." The mark is noteworthy, confifting of the letter C, with a fort of paraphe. < 3^1- 54- VASE, amphora-fhaped, with two fphinx handles and four mafks for fpouts. On either face, a fhield of arms, one of Medici, the other of Medici impaling Lorraine ; the reft of the furface covered with grotefques in zones, and on raifed gadroons ; colouring, yellow, brown, and blue on white ground. Italian. (Caffaggiolo or Florence?) About 1589-1609. H. I9|;in., diam. io-| in. Bought, ill. 13J. j^d. Of fine form and defign of ornamentation, this vafe was made at a period when the art had fallen into decadence. Twenty years earlier, the fame defign, executed by the artifts of Pefaro or Urbino, would have been very beautiful ; but, though not wanting in a certain vigour, the drawing is coarfe, and the colouring inharmonious and raw, a dull brown, a heavy yellow, and a cold grey blue, with fome few touches of green, upon a furface of inferior whitenefs. On one fide is the Medici VASE. ARMS OF FERDINAND I. Caffaggiolo, about 1589-1609. (-,21. '5+.) Caffaggiolo, 125 ^^Jiemma" furmounted by the ducal coronet. On the other, the fame impaling thofe of Lorraine. It was therefore executed for Ferdinand I., Grand Duke of Tufcany, who married Chriftina, daughter of Charles Duke of Lorraine, in 1589, and died in 1600. It is not improbable that this piece was executed in imitation of the fine grotefques on white ground, fo well known as of Urbino, by an artift at the CafFaggiolo fabrique. The plate No. 6656 is painted in nearly fimilar colours, and we know was executed as early as 1547, (bowing that an inferior clafs of works was being produced at that comparatively early period at the grand ducal furnaces. Two pilgrim's bottles, Nos. 322 and 323, are of the fame period, and bear the fame armorial coats. (See engraving.^ Z^Z' '54- PILGRIM'S Bottle. With four loop handles. The white ground is covered with grotefques^ medallions, &c. in yellow-brown, blue, &c. ; on one fide is a large fhield bearing the Medici arms ; on the other, thofe of Lorraine ; they are repeated on the neck in fmaller fize, and are all furmounted by the Ducal coronet. They are thofe of Ferdinand I., Grand Duke of Tufcany. Italian (CafFaggiolo). 15 89-1 609. H. 15 in., W. 12 in. Bought, \il. \i^s. \d. A fimilar bottle to No. 322, but lefs flat, and having the arms on the fides between the handles inftead of on the face and back. 322. 54- PILGRIM'S Bottle. With four loop handles. The white ground is covered with grotefques in yellow, blue brown, &c. ; on one face is a fhield bearing the arms of Medici ; on the other, thofe of Lorraine, furmounted by the Ducal coronet. They are thofe of Ferdinand I., Grand Duke of Tufcany. Italian (Caffaggiolo). 1589-1609. H. 15^ in., W. 12 in. Bought, 12/. ly. 4^. Bearing the fame arms and of the fame date and fabrique as the vafe No. 321, and the pilgrim's bottle No. 323. The reader is referred to the notice upon the former of thofe pieces. 126 Italian Pottery, EWER. '•'^ Mejcirohay Oviform. Decorated with foliated fcrolls, feftoons of drapery, cherubs' heads, and a mitre ; guilloche and leafage mouldings in colours on the white ground, and with mafks in relief under the fpout and handle, and a mitre. ItaHan. (Florence?) About 1580. H. loj in., diam. 6^ in. Bought, 4/. The companion to No. 241 1. EWER. " Me/ciroba." Oviform. Decorated with foliated fcorlls, feftoons of drapery, cherubs' heads, guilloche and leafage mouldings in colours on the white ground, and with mafks in relief under the fpout and handle. Italian, (Florence?) About 1580. H. io|; in., diam. 6^ in. Bought, 4/. The companion ewer to No. 2412, which has a mitre on the front. SIENA. ELL-NIGH all the hiftory we have of the early artiftic pottery of Siena may be read upon the fpecimens ot her produce, preferved in our mu- feums and private collections. A confiderable number of pieces, evidently the work of one able hand, have been varioufly afUgned to the furnaces of Faenza, of Pefaro, and of CafFaggiolo ; to the firft from a general fimilarity in the character of their delign, but on a more diftin6l knowledge of the former exiftence, and of the works produced at the fabrique of Caffaggiolo, their manifeft affinity led to an aflump- tion of the fame origin. On the other hand, the initials I. P., occurring in large charafters on the reverfe of fome of the pieces, were prefumed to be thofe of the words " In Pefaro," and led to a confufion of them, with others really painted at the Lanfranchi works at Pefaro, and marked with the fame initials, but in a fmaller form, ftanding for the fignature of the artift, " jiaco?no pinfit " ^ Thefe laft, then unknown to coUeclors, were cited by Pafleri,^ who was fuppofed to refer to the far more beauti- ful works now under confideration. The acquifition of a pavement of tiles from the Petrucci Palace at Siena, dated 1509, and the knowledge of the exiftence of others of a fimilar ftamp in the church of San Francefco in that city, the flyle of handling, as well as the defign and colouring upon which, agreed clofely with thefe plates ; a fine difh in the Britifli Mufeum alfo in the fame manner, and on which occurs one of the fame coats of arms as thofe upon the pavement that of the Petrucci ; and the further acquifition ^ See the notice on the works of the Lanfranchi fabrique at Pefaro, p. 155. - Iftoria delle pitture in Majolica fatte in Pefaro. — Ed. 1857, p. 33. 128 Italian Pottery, of a fmall plate, the painting of which in blue camaieu is afluredly in the manner of the finer examples above referred to, and which is figned on the reverfe "-^ faia i Siena da m henedetto ,•" form together a chain of evidence conclufive as to the exiftence of this fabrique, and the origin of the various pieces in queftion. The connection of thefe feveral examples will be more minutely- traced in their feparate defcription, this mufeum poiTeffing the more important fpecimens of this mafter's work ; we need only, therefore, generally obferve, that they are worthy of being ranked among the moft excellent produ6lions of the potter's fkill in Italy during the earlier years of the i6th century, and that in refpe6l of their technical charac- teriftics, and the tone and manner of their colouring and defign, they are more nearly allied to the produ6lions of the Caffaggiolo furnaces, and derived in all probability infpiration therefrom. Pafleri, at chapter x. p. 37, quotes a notarial deed, dated 6th July 1462, by the notary Sepolcro Sepolcri, by which a partnerfhip was formed between Ventura di Maftro Simone da Siena, di Cafa Picco- lomini, and Matteo de Raniere da Cagli, for the purpofe of enlarging bufinefs premifes, and developing a pottery at Pefaro. Pafleri fuggefts that this may have been the means of introducing the ufe of the tin enamel, which he believed to have come from Tufcany. Some examples of the choice wares of M**. Benedetto were exhi- bited at the Loans Exhibition, and are defcribed in that catalogue. Mr. Bale, Mr. Octavius Morgan, and Mr. Coope pofl'efs examples, and a plaque which belonged to Mr. Morland has ilnce changed hands. One of the fineft fpecimens of this mafter belongs to Mr. Hender- fon ; the central fubjed is that of Mutius Scasvola before Porfenna, it is painted with great care, and is furrounded by a border of grotefques on orange ground. On the reverfe is the mark No. I. A tazza belonging to the Baron Dejean, of Paris, painted with white grotefques on a black ground, has the mark No. 2 ; the nature of the grounding would feem to point to a Sienefe origin, but we do not know the piece. The grotefques upon the border of the large difh in the Britifh Mufeum arc alfo painted upon a black ground, an unufual ftyle which alfo occurs on fome of the tiles of the Petrucci pavement, and is we believe almoft peculiar to this botega. We lofe fight of the Sienefe pottery for two centuries when it again appears, under the then heft ceramic painter in Italy, Ferdinando Maria Campani, who is faid, but we do not know on what exa6t authority, to have worked alfo at Caflelli and at San Quirico. A piece figned by him is in this colledtion, and we give the fac-fimile of his Siena. 129 fignature upon another in the Britifh Mufeum (Mark No. 2). His fubjeds, as in this inftance, were frequently taken from the " Bible Series " of Raffaelle, as rendered by Marc Antonio's engravings, and from the works of the Caracci. Bar. Terchi Romano alfo worked at Siena, and a piece in the Chamber of Arts at Berlin is faid to be figned " Terenzio Romano Siena^ I'JIT" We fufpeil that this infcription has been wrongly read, as has been the cafe with that on the plaque in this Mufeum, which is afcribed to the fabrique of San Ouirico, and is clearly figned " Bar. Terchi Romano," although mifquoted as " Bar. Terege." Mr. Chaffers afcribes a piece marked with a monogram compofed of the letters F and C, to Ferdinando Campani ; we do not know the fpecimen, but from his defcription it does not at all agree with the ftyle of that clever painter. Some extremely well executed tiles, plates, &c., copied and adapted from the old, have been produced within the laft few years at Siena, under the fuperintendence of Signor Pepi, a druggift, oppofite the Prefe6lure. We have occafionally met with fome of thefe, fcratched and chipped by other artijls to fuit the modern-antique market. I30 Italian Pottery, MARKS ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On the reverfe of a plate, fubjeft Mutius Scaevola j grotefque border on orange ground. (Henderfon Collection.) .:^ No. 2. On a plate ; fubjefl the creation of the ftars, after RafFaelle ; in the Britifh Mufeum. K^J "%. ^^/^d ^^mfsimp^^^^ ^^ f^ %' CATALOGUE. Siena, 15^9- '55- |RUG Pot, cylindrical. ''Albarello." The lower portion grounded in orange, and covered with grotefques, mafks, cornucopiae, &c., outlined and fhaded with blue, touched with yellow and green-; on two labels is the date 1501 ; on the upper part, grounded white, are three rofettes, and a label infcribed l^eitalta; the fhoulder and bafe chequered blue and white. Italian (Siena). H. lof in., diam. 6 in. Bought, 3/. 4J. (See vignette.) 132 Italian Pottery. 4915-io 5386. '57. FLOOR Tiles. 47 2 in number ; painted with fhields of arms, grotefques. &c. (From the Petrucci Palace at Siena.) Italian (Siena). Dated 1509. Sizes various, from 5 J in. by 5 J in. to 5f by 8 in. . Bought, 115/. This fine pavement is formed of fquare and pentagonal tiles, each of which is bordered by an egg-and-anchor or leaf moulding, and centred with fhields of arms (on fome of which thofe of the Piccolomini family are quartered), arabefques, trophies, mafks, &c. on black, yellow, and orange ground ; thefe mafks are precifely fimilar in chara6ler to thofe painted on the borders of plates infcribed I. P. on the reverfe, and the work generally agrees with the manner of their author. The border is particularly beautiful, confifling of grotefques, fphinxes, children, grif- fons, &c., painted in tints on a black ground, a mode of colouring which feems charaileriflic of this fabrique. A difh in the Britifh Mu- feum, with central fubjeil of Pan and Satyrs, has a border fimilarly grounded, and is probably by the fame hand ; upon it occurs one of the fhields of arms to be feen on this pavement, viz. that of the Petrucci. 1659 to 1 661. '56. FLOOR Tiles (three). Shields of arms and grotefques on black and yellow ground. ItaHan (Siena). (Por- tion of a pavement from the Petrucci Palace, Siena.) Dated 1509. Square, W. 5 J in. Bought, 3/. \qs. II. '6y. PLATE. " TondinoJ' Border of grotefques, edged with bead ornament on orange ground ; in the centre, a figure of St. James (the Great) in a landfcape, bordered by a moulding, and a white belt infcribed ' s * iacobvs • m • and with fprays " bianco fopra bianco.'' Reverfe, fcale-work border in orange, fpotted blue, the letters I • P * in the centre, bordered Ji St. James the Greater. Border of C' Siena. — Sl-ttrd I. ;*..«'• ^ Siena, 133 by a moulding. Italian (Siena). About 15 10. Diam. lof in. Bought (Marryat Coll.), 27/. This plate is one of the gems of the colle6lion, and fhews to what a high degree of artiftic and of technical excellence, with comparatively fpeaking coarfe materials and appliances, the Italian potters of the latter end of the 15th and beginning of the 1 6th centuries arrived. It was the culminating period of renafcent art in Italy, and the influence of the great painters and fculptors of the time was pulfating through every branch of ornamental handiwork. Full of the richeft colour, yet harmonioufly toned and mellowed, the effe6l of the whole piece is very pleafing, while the largenefs of treatment, and at the fame time the accuracy of the ornamental details, are truly admirable. We have in fa6l all the qualities found in the illuminated miniatures of the period, as far as the limited number of pigments applicable to enamel paint- ing on earthenware, would permit. The faint ^ is clad in a loofe tunic of purple colour edged with yellow, a mantle of white fhaded with blue falls over his left fhoulder, and is gathered in folds round the lower part of his body by the left hand ; with the right, he grafps a clafped volume coloured yellow. Sandals are on his feet, and his long hair falling in ringlets over the back, and like the beard coloured orange, is furmounted by the nimbus of bright yellow. He is walking in a landfcape, with a rude ftone-built and thatched ere6lion on his left j tall fpare trees, very chara6leriftic of the artift, (hrubs, &c. are delicately fketched in blue heightened with yellow. The grotefques, among which pyramidal foliated marks are confpicuous, are cleverly rendered and relieved upon the rich orange ground. The 1 The figure is that of St. James the Great, the Patron Saint of Spain, although the ufual attributes, the fcallop and pilgrim's ftaff", are not reprefented. 134 Italian Pottery, beautiful '-^ amatoria" Plate No. 1792, is afcribable to the fame period of this able artift's career. This plate would appear to have been one of a fervice probably made for fome church dignitary, as all that are known are painted with fubjefts of religious charadler. The Bernal CoUedtion contained two : that with the figure of St. Bartholomew is in the Britifh Mufeum ; the other, the fubjedl of which is the Magdalen praying, is now in the pofTeffion of Mr. Bale. Two others were in the Marryat CoUeftion, of which the prefent piece is one, the other reprefented Santa Lucia. Although not fo carefully executed, the religious fubjedls on the pieces Nos. 1785 and 7537, and the fimilarity in the colour and orna- mentation of the borders, might fuggeft their having formed part of the fame fervice. The initials LP., which at the fuggeft ion of Pafleri were gene- rally mifinterpreted as " in Pefaro," in the cafe of thefe plates, have no allufion whatever to that fabrique ; in fadi, it is highly probable that PafTeri never faw one of this fervice j but, in afcribing pieces, having thofe fame initials to the Pefaro artifts, he was perfectly corredl, as is proved by a plate in the Bologna Mufeum, infcribed at the back with a defcription of the fubjedl, and as having been made at the Lanfranco fabrique of Pefaro by " Jacomo pinfur." The initials of this Jacomo Pittore at once fupply the letters, feen doubtlefs upon fome other piece and quoted by PafTeri, whofe ftatement has been mifapplied by fubfequent critics to the initialled pieces under con- fideration {vide Pefaro). Thefe larger initials are not, we believe, thofe of the painter of thefe plates, as we find, on one of his work- manfhip in the pofTeffion of Mr. Henderfon, the letters F. O. L equally diftindt ; we believe rather that they were thofe of the owners. A comparifon of this fpecimen with the drug pot, dated 1501 (No. 1569), and the pavement tiles (Nos. 4915-5386), as alfo with the fmall a porcelan plate. No. 4487, and all with each other, leads to the belief that Maeflro Benedetto, of Siena, was the producer of all thefe pieces, and, as in the cafe of Maeftro Jeronimo, of Forli, was the head of an eftablifhment at which works of high artiftic excellence were painted. (See coloured plate.) 1785- '55- CIRCULAR Difh. '' Bacile." Bowl-fhaped. In the centre, Abraham about to facrifice Ifaac ; inner border of white " bianco fopra bianco" and wide outer rim of Siena, 135 grotefque maflcs, cornucopiae, &c., on deep orange ground. Revcrfe, partly covered with white enamel. Italian (Siena), About 1 5 10. Diam. 14J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), ill. Although perhaps an earlier and lefs highly finifhed example, we are inclined to afcribe this difh to the artift who on fome of his choicer works figns with the large letters I. P. (on No. ii), and to whom we attribute Nos. 7537 and 1792. This piece is another inftance of the economy obferved in the ufe of the white enamel, which is only run fparingly over a portion of the back, leaving the remainder of the unvarnifhed coarfe earth. 7537' '^i- SMALL Bowl. " Bacinetto" In the centre, a figure of S. Sebaftian bound to a tree, landfcape diftance ; border of grotefques in blue on orange ground, edged with bead- and- button ornament. Reverfe, fcale border in orange, dotted with blue ; centre, an orange ftar ornament with blue arrow heads between the eight points. Italian (Siena). About 1510-20. Diam. 8 in. Bought, 15/. Though not fo highly and carefully elaborated as No. 1 1 (the figned piece) this beautiful little cup or bafm is painted with great art ; the figure of the faint is delicately and admirably exprefled, and the rich colour of the border relieved by the grotefques is pleafing ; the quality of glaze, and the thinnefs and general fafhion of the piece are of a high order. It was purchafed from the Uzielli CoUeilion. 4380. '57- PLATEAU. Raifed centre, furrounded by funk radiating flutings ; in the medallion, a figure of the infant S. John ; border, rich interlaced cord ornament. Italian (Siena .-'). About 1 5 10. Diam. 160 in. Bought, 5/. 136 Italia?! Pottery, ^79^- 55- PLATE. " T'ondino." In the centre, Cupid riding on a fnail and playing a pipe ; white infier border of " bianco Jopra bianco y' with edgings of egg-and-tongue and billet mould- ing, and an outer of grotefques on orange ground, with four medallions. Thefe feverally bear a phoenix, and a pelican, on blue ; a purple heart, pierced with arrows ; and another bound with a motto riband, " Amore," on yellow ground. Reverfe, foliation, fcrolls, &c. in orange and blue. Italian (Siena), About 1 5 10. Diam. 8 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 21/. A coppa amatoria of the greateft elegance, and painted in the bell manner of the artift, who figns with I. P. (No. 11). The decorations are exquifitely finifhed, having at the fame time boldnefs and vigour. The central medallion is elaborated with the greateft care, and the colours are of the richeft ; indeed, in all refpe6ls it will bear comparifon with the fineft porcelain. It would be difficult to devife a more elegant artiftic love-token. (See vignette.) 4487. '58. PLATE. " Tagliere" On the white ground is a central fubjedl painted in blue ; an old man feated, contem- plating a fkull held in his right hand ; furrounded by an inner border of interlacings in white and blue " tirata^ " connedled Siena, 137 by four ornaments, with an outer one of foliated fcroll work, all in blue ^^ a porcelanJ' Reverfe, a circle of fcroll foliage, and a central label infcribed " Fata i Siena da M'^ Benedetto." Italian (Siena). About 1510-20. Diam. 9J in. Bought, 10/. This highly artiftic piece is very interefting as proving the exiftence at Siena of a botega^ at w^hich at leaft one artift of great excellence muft have w^orked ; that ^a this artift was Mo. Bene- detto, the head of the pot- tery, is alfo very probable, and if fo, the painting of this piece was by his hand. The drawing of the central figure, which probably re- prefents one of the Flermits of the Defert, is mafterly, and finiftied with the greateft care ; it is exe- cuted in a blue, of rather low tone, and heightened with touches of white, laid on with great nicety ; the 1. trunk of a tree is behind him, and beyond is a defert landfcape, with one fmall tree delicately oudined in the manner of the ardft who figns I. P., for further remarks upon whom the reader is referred to No. 11, and to the notice on this fabrique. (Sec vignette.) 138 Italian Pottery. 3031- '55- PLATE. " 'J'ondino." The Centaur Neflus carrying ofF Dejanira; outlined and fhaded in dull blue; border of grotefques on orange ground. Reverfe, partly glazed. Italian (Siena). About 1500-15 20. Diam. iifin. Bought, 4/. A fomewhat earlier and coarfer piece of the fame general ftyle of defign, and with the fame colouring as thofe by the artift who figns I. P.J and probably produced at the fame pottery by an inferior hand. 1737- SB- PLATE. " Tondinor Border of trophies in blue, on orange ground ; in the centre, a female figure with an unicorn, probably Santa Juftina. Reverfe, petals in blue dafhed with orange. Italian (Siena). About 1520. Diam. 9I in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 23/. ioj. Of the fame fabrique and probably by the fame hand as No. 7230. and others of fimilar chara6ter. Santa Juftina of Antioch was one of the patron faints of Piacenza ; fhe is rarely reprefented. 7230. '60. TAZZA or " Scodelhy" with imprefled hollows at the fides. On a central medallion of dark orange, mailed knights are fighting for a prifoner ; grotefques and trophies on a blue inner, and on an orange outer border. Reverfe, gadroon mould- ings, &c. in blue and orange, with central foliated ornament. Italian (Siena). About 1520. Diam. 11 in. Bought, (yc^l. A beautiful and rare piece, but fomewhat overloaded with deco- ration. The drawing of the central fubjedt, which is executed in dark neutral tint on a deep brownifh orange ground, is weak, and a certain feeblenefs is fhown in the arrangement and execution of the grotefques ; perhaps a lefs careful work of Mo. Benedetto, or by a pupil. Siena* i '? o SMALL Drug Pot. Cylindrical. Diapered with orange and blue leafage, mouldings, and folded ribbon ornament in orange and white, outlined in blue. Italian (Siena or Faenza). About 1520-30. H. 5^ in., diam. 3^ in. Pieces of the 18M Century. 666y. '60. ILATE. Enamelled earthenware. Vintage fubjed. Italian (Siena). Signed and dated " Ferdinando , Ma. Campani, 1747." Diam. 13 in. Bought, 3 2/. 3J-. Ferdinando Maria Campanio, or as he fometimes figned his name Canpani, was called the RafFaelle of ceramic painting in the firft half of the laft century. By fome it has been thought that he worked at Naples, and alfo at San Ouirico, but there is no doubt that the majority of his works were executed at Siena, from whence he dates the only known pieces which he has figned. His drawing is more vigorous and correft than that of any other of the painters on pottery at that period ; not fo delicate and highly wrought, as that of the Grue, but more mafculine. His colouring was very inferior to that of the earlier ceramifts, having a cold and grey tone in the landfcape ; the flefh is modelled and fhaded with a yellow brown, and a deep man- ganefe purple is ufed upon the items of trees, the foreground, &c. Neverthelefs fome of his more careful works have great merit. In the Britifli Mufeum is a plate figned by him and dated 1733, and Mr. Denniftoun^ mentions a plaque alfo figned, and with the date 1736. Dukes of Urbino. Vol. 3. 1 4-0 Italian Pottery. 1667. '56. PLATE. Nymphs grooming Pegafus, from an antique painting engraved in Bartoli. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. Early i8th century. Diam. loj in. Bought, 1/. \y, 1665. '56. PLATE. Galatea, after A. Caracci. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. Early i8th century. Diam. 9I in. Bought, i/. II J. ^d. 1666. '56. PLATE. Dance of the Graces, after an antique painting engraved in Bartoli. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Cam- pani. Early 1 8th century. Diam. loj in. Bought, i/. %s. 1342. '45- PLATE. Mercury and Paris, after A. Caracci. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. i8th century. Diam. 13 in. Bought. ?>'^?>7' '55- PLATEAU. Woman with two peacocks, a rabbit, parrot, &c. ; in the background, ruftic buildings, a palace, &c. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. About 1740. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 2/. \os. 66/O. '60. PLAQUE, fquare. The Temptation, after Raffaelle. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. About 1740. H. 8 J in., W. 10 in. Bought, i^s. Siena. 141 1018. '53. PLATE. Children with fheep in a landfcape. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. i8th century. Diam. 9 J in. Bought, \L ^s. 1664. '56. PLATE. Juno foliciting i^olus to let loofe the winds. Italian (Siena). By F. M. Campani. i8th century. Diam. 9f in. Bought, i/. 8j. 1343- '45- COVER to a Vafe or Ciftern. Jofeph in Egypt, after RafFaelle. Italian (Siena). i8th century. Diam. 13I in. Bought. 589. '46. WINE Cooler, or Ice Pail. " Rinfrefcatojo" On an upper glazed belt, cupids playing at various games, land- fcape back-ground ; with two lion's-mafk and ring handles ; thefe, and a lower belt of raifed gadroons are unglazed and gilded. Italian (Siena). About 1730. H. 9.^ in., diam. 8 in. Bought. 590. \6. WINE Cooler, or Ice Pail. Cupids playing at various games ; landfcape background. Italian (Siena). About 1730. H. 9^ in., diam. 8 in. Bought. The companion piece to No. 589. MONTE LUPO. HIS fmall town, neftling under its " Rocca " on the fouthern bank of the river, at the opening of the Val d' Arno inferiore, is on the road from Florence, and near to Empoli. Its pottery is diftinguiflied, or we ftiould rather fay, notorious, for having produced the uglieft and moll inferior painted pieces that bear the fignature of their maker and the place where they were made. But a ware of a different kind, formed of a red clay, and glazed with a rich treacle-brown or black glaze, the forms of the pieces being fome- times extremely elegant, has been alfo afligned to this locality. Some of them are enriched with gilding, and with fubjefts painted in oil colours, not by a ceramic artift. We are informed, however, by Signor Giufeppe RafFaelli,^ that wares of this defcription were made at Caftel Durante, and that a fine example of them, with portraits of a Count Maldini and his wife, is preferved in the Library at Urbania. He defcribes thefe as made of a red earth, covered with an intenfely black glaze, on which the oil painting and gilding was executed. It is neverthelefs probable that Montelupo produced a fimilar ware, and pieces occur, ornamented with reliefs and with raifed work, engohe^ with a white or yellow clay on the brown ground, by the procefs known as pate fur pate. Certain pieces marbled on the furface to imitate tortoifefhell, agate, &c., are afcribed to this pottery, but we know from Piccolpaflb that black and white wares of that kind were made at Caftel Durante. ' Memorie delle Majolichc Durantine. Fermo. 1846. Page 86. Siena, H3 A difh in the Hotel Cluny at Paris, painted with the fubjed of the rape of Helen, fomewhat in the manner of the Urbino wares, is infcribed at the back, " Vrate del'ina '■'■fate in Monte" It is, we think, more likely to have been the produdion of Monte Lupo than of Monte Feltro, to which it has been afcribed. At Sevres is a tazza, with ill painted fubjedl on white ground, and infcribed, — " Dipinta Giovinale Tereni " da Montelupo" M. Jacquemart ^ gives a mark as occurring on a piece of the brown varniftied ware, confifting of the letter L, followed by what is pro- bably intended to reprefent a wolfs brufti. The only other recorded marks are on pieces in this Mufeum. ' Merveilles de la Ceramique, vol. ii. p. 141. CATALOGUE. Mo?ite Lupo. 1 8 in. 4695. '58. LATEAU or Salver, circular. In the centre, a battle fubje6t, furrounded by a border of flowers and birds painted in oil, and with ornaments in oil gilding on the black glaze. Italian (Monte Lupo ?). 17th century. Diam. Bought, 5/. By the fame artift as the ewer which belongs to it, and as the Imall cup, No. 2470. We are difpofed to think that thefe pieces were the work of fome amateur, and not the production of a regular fabrique ; fimilar pieces occafionally occur in coUedions, but not commonly, and as far as we can recolle6l all have the appearance of the fame origin. Signor Raftaelli tells us that pieces fimilarly decorated were made at Caftel Durante, and thefe may be of the number ; it is manifeft that the after enrichment of oil painting and gilding might have been added at any place or time, and need not be in any way conneded with the original manufa6lure of the ware. The earth or body is of a bright red colour, and the glaze of treacle black, and very brilliant. 4694. '58. EWER, oviform, with fhaped lip and handle. Black glaze, painted in oil with a large medallion containing an equeftrian figure of a warrior in battle, the remainder of the furface with flowers, the mouldings, &c. picked out with oil gilding. Italian (Monte Lupo?). 17th century. H. la^in,, diam. 5I in. Bought, 5/. Monte hupo, 145 The form of this piece is elegant, and the painting of the medallion fubjedl vigoroufly executed ; it is evidently by the fame hand as the plateau No. 4695, to which it belongs, and the fmall cup No. 2470. 2470- '5^- CUP. Two-handled, brown glaze, fcalloped border ; female portrait head painted in oil within the bowl, and edged with oil gilding. Italian. (Monte Lupo?) 17th cen- tury. H. i^ in., W. 5I in. Bought, i/. \s. By the fame hand as the plateau and ewer Nos. 4694-5. 94. '65. JUG. The lip trefoil-fhaped, the body moulded with a bafket-work pattern and an efcutcheon in front ; black glaze. Italian. (Monte Lupo ?) Firft half of 17th century. H. 7 in., W. 5^ in. Bought, i/. Of the fame manufadure as No. 4695, &c., but without the enrich- ment of oil painting and gilding. 1674- '55- TAZZA Plate. " Fruttieray Fluted. Green enamel in imitation of malachite. Italian. (Monte Lupo?) i6th to T 7th century. Diam. i2^in. Bought(Bernal Coll.), 4/. 4J. We have at prefent no means of affigning thefe wares to any known fabrique ; they are generally well formed and glazed, the marbling exe- cuted with fkill, and altogether creditable examples of the potter's art. The clay is generally of a red colour, and the pieces fomewhat thick and heavy. 4359- '57- PLATEAU, circular. A caftle on the raifed centre, which is furrounded by funk radiating flutings, coarfely picked out in colours and filled in with flowers. Reverfe, marked and dated 1627. Italian (Monte Lupo). Diam. 18^ in. Bought, il. \is. 6d. 146 Italian Pottery, 192- 55- PLATEAU, circular. Raifed centre, with coat of arms, from which radiate flutings filled in with grotefques, fleurs-de-lis, &c., in yellow, green, and blue, infcribed "DIACINTO MONTI DI MONTE LUPO." Reverfe, dated " 1 6th April 1663." Italian. Diam. ly^in. Bought, 6/. Another figned fpecimen of the low art of this fabrique. .N^ y'.— > t)IACl>|;TO E:i>y;PO Monte Lupo. 147 4385- '57- PLATE. " Scodella.'' The attack of a fortrefs. Coarfely painted in manganefe and green on yellow ground. Reverfe, obfcure monogram, and date 1632. Italian (Monte Lupo). Diam. I2| in. Bought, i/. ioj". The monogram is too much blurred to be definable. It fixes the date of a vaft number of fimilar pieces afcribed to this manufactory. 4388. 'S7- PLATE. " Scodella'' Rudely painted with a large figure of a mufqueteer. Italian (Monte Lupo). About 1640. Diam. 1 2 J In. Bought, yj. 6668. '60. TAZZA. " Fruitier ar Rudely painted with three {landing figures of cavaliers. Reverfe, infcribed and dated " RafFaello Girolamo fecit Mte. Lpo. 1639." Itahan (Monte Lupo). Diam. 1 1 in. Bought, 2/. a^s. The fignature and date alone render this coarfe piece interefting, as fhowing the locality of produce of a large quantity of equally inferior ware, and the extreme of decadence to which it had fallen. We are, however, inclined to the opinion that the Montelupo fabrique was one of a very inferior rank. :jROXAAiO It «. iC-jp PISA. HERE can be little doubt that potteries exifted in the neighbourhood of this important commercial city, and it is more than probable that the painted and incifed bacini, which are encrufted into her church towers and facades, are moftly of local manufa6lure during the 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries. On this fubjeit we muft refer the reader to the introdu£lory chapter, and to the remarks on Perfian and Hifpano-Morefque wares. Among the latter, references will be found to two writers who ftated that a commerce exifted between Valencia and Pifa, from whence faience was imported into Spain in exchange for the wares of that country. It does not however follow, that this faience was entirely of Pifan production, although exported thence j but it is not improbable that a confiderable quantity was made there for exportation. Antonio Beuter,i praifmg the wares of Spain, fays that they are equal in beauty to thofe of Pifa and other places. This was about 1550. Early in the next century Efcolano fays, fpeaking of the wares of Manifes, " that in exchange for the faiences that Italy fends us from " Pifa, we export to that country cargoes of that of Manifes." ^ In the collection of Baron Alphonfe de Rothfchild, of Paris, is a large and well formed vafe, with ferpent handles, under which the name PISA is infcribed on tablets. It is much in the manner of the later Urbino wares, having grotefques on a white ground, but more nearly approaching thofe examples in this Mufeum, having the arms of the Medici, and which we afcribe to Caftaggiolo or Florence. (Nos. 321- 323- '54-) It has been fuggefted that this vafe may be of the Pefaro fabriquc, and that the word upon it was merely a variation in fpelling the firft • Ant. Beuter, " Cronica," cap. vlii.'pp. 84, 85. 2 Efcolano, '< Hiftoria, &c. de Valencia/' Folio. Valencia, 1610. Pifa. 49 half of the name Pifar<3; but we fee no reafon for accepting fuch an explanation, or that Pifa fhould be denied the fmall honour of having produced this example, the only one infcribed with her name. The Mufeum does not pofTefs fpecimens that can be afligned to this fabrique, with the exception of the two fmall plates, from the tower of one of her churches, which are clafTed among the Sgraffiati wares. (Nos. 14, 15. '71.) ASCIANO. UOTING from Brongniart, who refers to a paflage in the life of Luca della Robbia, in which it is ftated that he found at that place a pottery with good furnaces, which enabled him to complete on the fpot a large altar piece which he was making for the church of the Minori Conventuali, M. Jacquemart thinks it probable that fuch as pottery muft have left fome examples of its produce ; but it by no means follows that they were other than ordinary terragUa. JACQUEMART^ records a mark occurring upon a fpice box, which he fuggefts may be from fome un- recorded Tufcan pottery. The words pepe . sales . • 1 • sPEzio . izvcHER denote the receptacles for thofe feveral condiments, while places to hold two cruets are infcribed olio and aceto. The general character of the piece would point to the earlier half of the fixteenth century, while at the back, and on either fide of the handle, is the mark which denotes that it was made for the fervice of a Grand Duke of Tufcany. It con- fifts of the grandducal crown, encircling two palms and a branch of laurel. Thefe were the emblems of Cofmo de' Medici, fon of Giovanni, who was created Grand Duke by the Pope in 1569. The piece is white like fome others of fimilar character, having flight ornamentation in pale blue and yellow. The mark is copied by Mr. Chaffers at page 146 of the laft edition (1870) of his " Marks and Monograms." ' Merveilles de la Ceramique, 2'' p'. p. 141. DUCHY OF URBINO. P E S A R O. HERE can be very little doubt that a manufacSlory of glazed earthenware exifted at Pefaro, or in its immediate outfkirts, from a very early period, and that it probably fucceeded to the works eftabli- fhed there in Roman times, the remains of which have occafionally been brought to light ; but vi^ith the exception of the recorded names of certain certain potters, occurring in deeds and records which are preferved among the public archives of the city, we are uninformed, and unable to recognize the produce of thefe potteries, or to know their chara6leriftics. Anterior to 1540 we have no figned and dated example, and fhould therefore be reduced to the pofition of entire ignorance as to their previous produ£lions, but for the work of the indefatigable archaeologift Giambattifta Pafleri. Born in 1694 at Farnefe in the Campagna di Roma, where his father, of a patrician family of Pefaro pra^tifed as a phyfician, and educated at Rome, he fubfequcntly fettled in his parental city and publifhed his '•• Iftoria delle pitture in Majolica 'fatte in Pefaro e in luoghi circonvicini," in 1758. To him we are indebted for the notice of the potters above alluded to, and in his work he gives us an account of the mode purfued in the manufacture, much of which however he appears to have derived from the earlier MSS. of PiccolpafTo. He tells us that the large early bacile enriched with a madreperla luftre, and which he exadlly defcribes in his feventh chapter, p. 25, were the produce of Pefaro ; and in corroboration he ftates that many of them are painted with the coats of arms and portraits of the members of noble Pefarefe Pefaro. 151 families, inftancing one with the arms of the " Bergnana " family- then preferved in the Cafa Olivieri. It has been objedled to Pafleri's ftatement that he was probably influenced in his writing by that local partiality, wrongly deemed patriotic, in favour of the native city of his family, and that he afcribed to her furnaces what may in equal like- lihood have been produced at Gubbio or Diruta ; the difcovery of a few pieces of luftred ware, marked as the produce of the latter Cajlello in the middle of the 1 6th century, was hailed by feveral critics as conclufive evidence againft Pafleri's aflTertion. It appears to the writer that fuch evidence is equally unfatisfadtory, inafmuch as the works in queftion were produced fome century and a half anterior to the earlieft dated piece of Diruta ware. Pafleri wrote in the middle of the laft century, when the art was no longer in exiftence and its fpecimens only preferved in the cabinets of the curious ; but he was a man of erudition and refearch and probably had means of obtaining local information with which we are unacquainted \ we think therefore that as his fliatements have not yet been met by proofs of their incorredlnefs, or by counter-fl:atements of greater weight, we are bound to accept them until additional light be thrown upon the fubjeft. He tells us that remains of antique furnaces and ruins of a vafe fhop of claflic times, with fragments of red and black wares and lamps marked with the letter G, were found in the locality known as the " Gabbice," where the Lanfranchi works were afterwards eftablifhed in the 1 6th century, and where the earth is of fine quality. Upon the latter fubjeft he quotes from Piccolpaflx), who fliates that the Pefaro potter's earth was even fent to Venice. He traces its ufe in the time of the Goths, and ftates that it again revived under the government of the Malatefl:a, and that foon after a mode of adorning the churches was adopted by the infertion of difcs or " bac'ini " of earthenware at firfl: fimply glazed with the oxide of lead, but that coloured ones were fub- fequently ufed. He fays that in his time the churches of S. Agofl:ino, the Duomo and S. Francefco were fo ornamented,^ and he alfo refers to a tomb at Bologna oppofite S. Domenico, of about the year iioo, as being decorated with glazed tiles. Referring to the town archives, relative to the trades of " Figoli," " Vafai,'' and Boccalari," he finds that on 1 2th Feb. 1396, one " Pedrinus Joannis a Boccalibus" of Forll is recorded as then living at Pefaro. The wares then produced were made by covering the crude baked clay with a flip or engobe of white earth, the " terra d'l San Giovanni " ^ See hiftorical notice, and a paper by the writer publifhed in the Archseologia, vol. XLII. p. 379. 1^2 Italian Pottery, from Siena, or with that of Verona, and glazing it with " marzacotto" a mixture of oxide of lead, fand and potafli. The colours ufed were yel- low, green, manganefe black, and cobalt blue (from the " %affara " of the Levant). During the government of the Sforza, the manufafture greatly developed and was proteded, for on ift April i486 a decree was made prohibiting the introduftion of earthenwares for fale from other parts, except the jars for oil and water (ch. 6.)' This was confirmed in 1508. In 15 10 a document enumerates '''• Maiolka" as one of 1 The original of this edift is dill preferved at Pefaro ; it is in Latin and may be thus rendered : " Be it enafted, that whereas our illuftrious Lady Camilla and moft " illuftrious Signor Giovanni Sforza d' Arragona, Count of Pefaro, are defirous to " benefit the city of Pefaro and to favour the citizens in all juft demands : And " whereas the art of vafe-making was formerly praftifed in the faid city and carried " to greater perfeftion than in any other part of Italy, and is ftill extenfively manu- " faftured at Pefaro, attrafting the admiration of all Italy and other countries : By " command of thefe moft illuftrious potentates, it is forbidden both to citizens and " foreigners (be their ftation what it may) to import any earthen veffels whatfoever, " whether for ornament or otherwife, manufa(S1:ured beyond the city and territory of " Pefaro, with the exception of oil and water jars ; and that a fine of ten livres of " Bologna be impofed for every infra61ion of this law befides the forfeiture of all or " any fuch foreign made ware," &c. &c. Giovanni Sforza was an illegitimate fon of Conftanzo Sforza, who had no iflue by his wife Camilla. He fucceeded to his father in 1483 through the intervention of Pope Sixtus IV., on condition of paying an annual tribute of 750 crowns to the papal fee. His father's widow Camilla was generous enough to receive him as her own fon, and ufed her influence with his fub- jefts to induce them to acknowledge him as their fovereign. As foon as he attained maturity he repaid this lady's kindnefs by depriving her of all authority and baniftiing her from Pefaro. He married Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of Pope Alexander VI., and was foon afterwards driven from Pefaro by Caefar Borgia, his wife's brother. He returned after the death of Alexander VI. and died at Pefaro in 1510, leaving (by his fecond wife Ginevra Tiepolo) a fon, Conftanzo II., who died in 1512, at the age of three years. (Marryat, ed. 1868, p. 102.) In Mr. Fountaine's Colleflion at Narford Hall is a difti fuppofed to commemorate the pafling of this edI6l ; on it are portraits, believed to be of the young Sforza and Camilla da Marzana, and above them is a fcroU fuppofed to reprefent the edi£l. The figures are outlined and grounded in blue, and the whole is richly luftred with gold and ruby. It is painted with great care and beautiful effeft, and is without doubt by the hand of that early unknown mafter who preceded Giorgio in the ufe of the ruby luftre, which he produced with the greateft brilliancy, and who painted fome of the pieces in this colleftion which will be defcribed among the luftre wares of Gubbio ; he was perhaps the artift who ul'ed that pigment firft at Pefaro (if we may receive Pafl"eri's ftatement) and fubfequently went to Gubbio, prefumably in concurrence with Giorgio Andreoli. There is no infcription on the plate at Narford to aflure us that it refers to this edift, or to the perfons fuppofed to be portrayed, but in the abfence of any proof of this hiftorical reference, it is a brilliant and moft interefting example of that early mafter, by whom there is alfo in the fame colleftion a " bacile^'' with a ftiield of arms fupported by two cupids, and brilliant in ruby luftre. Pefaro. 153 the trades of Pefaro, naming alfo '■^ figoU" ''^ vafat" and '•^ boccalari i'^ and we muft bear in mind that there is good reafon for believing that at that period " Maiolica " was a name technically underftood as applying only to the luftred wares. PalTeri ftates that about 1450 the ^^ invetriatura'* or ghz^ing had already begun to perfecSt itfelf under the Sforza, when thofe early pieces were produced decorated with " arabefque " borders encircling coats of arms, portraits, and ideal heads outlined with manganefe, and coloured with the " madreperla " luftre, leaving the flefh white. About 1450-1500 '-^ fruttiere " were made, with fruits in relief, and bufts of faints, &c. and coats of arms in the centre, enriched with the luftre colour. He afcribes the'improvement in the manufacture by the ufe of the ftanniferous glaze, to the difcovery of the Delia Robbia, and ftates that, although the art of making it was known earlier at Florence, the fine ware was only introduced at Pefaro about 1500. That the luftred ware derived its name from the pottery of Majorca, and that the earlier and coarfer varieties were known as '•'■Mezza-Majolica." Guid' Ubaldo II. greatly encouraged the art, and in 1552 granted to Bernardin Gagliardino, Girolamo Lanfranchi, Ranaldo and others an edidl prohibiting the importation of other wares for fale, thus con- firming the former a6ls, which would appear to have fallen into neglecSl : and in the year 1562 on the i ft June, he granted another, confirming to Giacomo Lanfranco a prote6lion of his art or patent, for applyino- real gold to his wares. In chapter X., page 37, Pafl^eri refers to other documents proving the extent of this branch of induftry at Pefaro and inftances one dated 6th July 1462, executed by the notary Sepolcro Sepolcri, by which a partnerftiip was formed between Ventura di Maftro, Simone da Siena di cafa Piccolomini and Matteo di Raniere da Cagli, for the purpofe of enlarging a crockery fliop or bufinefs, '■^ nego-zio di vafarla" already exifting. For this purpofe they borrowed money at intereft, from Donna Pandolfina di Ser Michele de' Corradi, wife of Pietro Paolo Bindi, and a larger additional fum of 270 golden ducats from Count Monaldino di Monte Vecchio, as appears from an adt of liquidation made by the heirs of this firm in 1484, now preferved in the archives of S. Andrea. This laft fum of 270 ducats was, as Pafleri remarks a large amount at that period, and proves the extent of their bufinefs ; he alfo infers that the employment of fuch a capital would denote the formation of new works, probably for the purpofe of introducing fome improvement in the manufacture ; and that, as the new mode of glazing or enamelling with the ftanniferous glaze had been invented by Luca 154 Italian Pottery. della Robbia in Florence, it is not improbable that the application of it to the wares of Pefaro was introduced from Tufcany by this Sienefe. A further mention ofthefe partners occurs in an a6l dated 28th April 1463, by which Matteo acknowledges himfelf debtor to Mariotto Torti of Perugia, for the value of 1,200 lbs. of " terra ghetta " from the lake of Perugia, which was ufed for the glazing. Among the deeds figned before another Pefarefe notary, Matteo di Gafpare de Leporibus, on the 7th of November 1504, is one by which " Appollonio del q. Antonio da Ponte di Segna," creditor of one '' Maftro Giorgio del q. Stefano Schiavone vafaro da Pefaro," acknowledges receipt of the value of 62 golden ducats in part payment of a debt, portion of which payment is in money, and the larger amount " in tot " vafts diverfis figularics " — in various figulate vafes. Further, he refers to an edift made by Galeazzo Sforza in 15 10, when governor of Pefaro for his nephew Coftanzo 11. , in reference to the order of the proceffion to be held in honour of S. Terenzio, the patron faint of the city, and in which among the various trading bodies or guilds which form confraternities, are infcribed the *-'- figuU e forna- " c'lari^^ the potters and the ftove men ; a further proof of the importance of this branch of manufa61:ure. Pafleri then defcribes examples of the glazed and enamelled pottery of Pefaro, which he had feen, and the earlieft he refers to are floorings of tiles exifting in his time, upon one of which, brought to him by a workman. was infcribed adi 4 de Genar o . in Pefaro. and on the other 1502. A confiderable period elapfes between this and the next dated example, a plate, with the fubjeit of Horatius Codes, infcribed, — Orazto folo contro Tofcana tutta, Fattoin Pefaro. 1541. which he wrongly afcribes to Orazio Fontana ; it fubfequently pafl^ed into the Delfette Colledion (Cat. No. 218), but we do not know who is its prefent pofTeflbr. On another, — / Planetto di Marte fatto in Pefaro 1542 in bottega da Majiro Gironimo Vafaro. LP. This plate has fmce been loft fight of, but one of the fame fervice is preferved in the Louvre. From the initial letters Pafleri concludes that feveral pieces which he had feen, and on which they are painted on the Pefi aro. 155 reverfe, muft alfo be of this fabrique. An error has grown out of this ftatement, Mr. Marryat and other writers having applied it to certain fine early pieces with grotefque borders, and bearing thefe initials in large chara6lers on the reverfe j there can be little doubt that they were the work of a far more able artift at. Siena, working fome twenty or thirty years before the date on the Pefaro plate (^fee Siena) ; thefe initials really flood for " lacomo Pinfur," as proved by another piece to be defcribed. He further mentions a plate having a mark confifting of the initials O A conne6led by a crofs, and a bas-relief with the fame initials which again occur fculptured over a door, which he fuggefts may have been that of the potter's houfe ; we fhould, however, be more difpofed to regard it as a conventual or cathedral monogram. A more interefting piece, a " ballate " or " coppa amatorla" is recorded by him, having a cupid centre with borders " a trofei " on blue ground, among which is an open mufic book with accurate notes of the air and the verfes, — ^ O bel Jiore^ Amore mio hello^ Amor mio caro La grifola, la gr'ifola. And on a cartel, -the date " 1550 Terencio fecit." It is infcribcd " ^ueflo piatto fu fatto in la bottega di Majiro Baldojfar Vafaro da Pefaro " e fato per mano di Terenzio^ fiolo di MaJlro Matteo Boccalaro." This artift was known as " // RondoUno^'' pieces initialled with a T may perhaps be by his hand. Pafferi quotes from Tommafo Garzoni, a Venetian noble, who writing in the " Piazza Univerfale " in 1585, in reference to Italian pottery, ftates : " bench} oggi in Italia tutta la gloria *' par che tocchi a Faen-za in Romagna che fa le MajoUche cost bianche " e polite^ e a Pefaro nella Marca d' Ancona che lavora ottimamente intorno *' a quefo ?nefliero."^ He alfo quotes the writings of a Spanifh theo- logian, Antonio Beuter, who in the " Cronica Generale di Spagna," tranflated into Italian and publifhed at Venice in 1556, at chapter 8, pages 84, 85, ftates: " Che Corebo che fecondo Plinio fu /' itiventore di " lavorar la creta^ in Atene non li fece migliori^ n~c furono di piii valore i " vafi de* Corintif ne /' opere di Pifa, ne di Pefaro^ nc li caflelli della ^ PP- 34, 35, ed. 1857. - " Whilft in the prefent day, in Italy, all the glory of the art refts with Faenza In " Romagna where Majolica is made of fuch whitenefs and delicacy, and with Pelhro " in the March of Ancona, where the highefl: excellence is attained in this work- " manftiip." 156 Italian Pottery, " Valle SlcUiana tT Abruzzo^ m (P altri luoghi in fottigliezza di lavoro " ne bellezza.^^ ^ We will now leave the work of Pafferi, and feek for other record of the pottery made at Pefaro in, and previous to, the i6th century, returning to him for information on the revival of the art at that locality in the laft. Dennilloun in his Hiftory of the Dukes of Urbino (vol. 3, p. 388), refers to a letter among the diplomatic archives of the duchy pre- ferved at Florence, dated 1474 from Pope Sextus IV., in which he thanks Coftanzo Sforza, Lord of Pefaro, for a prefent of moft elegantly wrought earthen vafes which for the donor's fake are prized as much as gold or filver inftead of earthenware. Another letter from Lorenzo the Magnificent to Roberto Malatefta, thanking him for a fimilar prefent, fays, " they pleafe me entirely by their perfe6lion and rarity, being quite novelties in thefe parts, and are valued more than if of filver, the donor's arms ferving daily to recall their origin."^ This Roberto was in' the Florentine fervice, and died about 1482 ; he was a member of the Malatefta family, former lords of Pefaro. There is every reafon for afTuming that both thefe prefents confifted of wares produced at the Pefaro furnaces. If Tufcany had not as yet produced any glazed wares, and if the Grand Ducal eftablifhment at Caffaggiolo did not exift at that time (circa 1480), we could comprehend the remark made in Lorenzo's letter of thanks for thefe fpecimens, that " their perfedlions and rarity being quite novelties in thefe parts," pleafed him, &c. ; but Luca della Robbia had painted on flat furfaces covered with his own ftanniferous glaze fome thirty years previoufly, and painted wares could be no novelty at Florence. Pafl^eri alfo tells us but not upon pofitive authority, that fine Majolica or " Porcellana " was firft made at Pefaro about 1500, and was introduced from Tuicany,^ meaning thereby that the ftanni- ferous glaze was then and there firft introduced, producing the finer ware and ufed in preference to the " Mezza Majolica " of the earlier period. How then could fuch wares be looked upon as " novelties in ^ " Although Coroebus, according to Pliny, was the inventor of working in clay, " they did not make them better in Athens, nor were the vafes of Corinth of greater *' value than the works of Pifa, or of Pefaro, or of the Sicilian valley of the Abruzzi " and of other places for the delicacy of the workmanfhip and their beauty." ' Gaye, Carteggio, i. 304. s His uncertainty as to the preclfe date of its adoption is fliown in the fuggeftion tliat it might have been introduced by the Sienefe Maellro Simone in 1462. — See atite. Pefaro. 157 " thefe parts " ? But, if thefe pieces were decorated with the rich metallic glaze, and madreperla luftre, as may be reafonably fuppofed, they probably were novelties to the Florentines as produ6lions of an Italian pottery, although they were in all likelihood acquainted with the Major- can and Spanifh wares. If this inference be corredt, may not another oe drawn from it ? That thefe prefents being the produce of Pefaro, and enriched with the metallic luftre, we may derive from the whole matter an additional proof that the early luftred pieces, whofe origin has been difputed, were really made at that city ; and that we may agree with PafTeri in afcribing the well-known " bacili " to that place. We further incline to accept his ftatement in the main, that the art of ufmg the luftre pigments pafled thence to Gubbio which became its great centre, fpreading to Diruta, a fabrique of fmall importance, and where the luftre colours were fubfequently ufed by inferior hands. Before defcribing the fpecimens in the Mufeum which may belong to the Pefaro fabrique, but none of which are figned, we will notice fome others in various collections, and in fequence of chronology. The earlieft dated piece is in the pofleflion of the writer. It is a '■'' fruitier a " on which is painted the creation of animals by the Almighty, who, moving in the midft, is furrounded by animals rifing out of the ground ; a diftant landfcape, with a town (!) on the fide of a fteep mountain, forms the background. On the reverfe is infcribed — 1540 Chrlanite anim alUs ChrifttuJ fatto in Pefaro. (For facfimile,y}f Mark, No. 3.) •It is apparently the work of a fomewhat undeveloped hand. In the MafTa Collection of the Hofpital for Incurables at Pefaro is a plate (No. 202). The chafe of the Calydonian boar infcribed — La chaccia (Telporcho chalidonico fatto in Pefaro 1541. A tazza in the collection of the writer, having for fubjeCt Cicero expounding the law before Julius Casfar, a compofition of fix figures ; in the centre, Cicero reprefented as an aged bearded man, holds a folio in his hands, ftanding before Casfar, who is feated on a throne, and clad as a Roman warrior ; on the left of the piCture are four Roman foldiers : the fcene is in a room, the wall of which is of bevelled mafonry coloured green and pierced with a curtained window, through which is feen a mountainous landfcape. 158 Italia72 Pottery, Freely and ably handled and richly coloured, approaching in manner to the works of fome of the artifts of the Fontana fabrique of Urbino, it is equal to them in the quality of the glaze and force of colour, but having in the defign a diftindl: charadter of its own. It is infcribed on the reverfe — Cicerone et Julie cefare cuado idete le lege 1542 in la hotega dt maftro Girolame da le Gabice ' In Pefaro. {See Mark, No. 4.) In this we have a very interefting example corroborating the records given by PafTeri of the Lanfranchi fabrique, and of its locality. This is the Maeftro Girolamo di Lanfranco of Gabice, a dependency or cajlello fix miles weft of Pefaro, and thus mentioned in a regifter, — " 1560 Majiro Girolamo di Lanfranco delle Gabice^ " vafarOj poffiede una Cafa" &c, " ^59^ gli fuccede Giacomo fuo figlio " " 1599 gli fuccedono Girolamo e Ludovico figli di " Giacomo." (PafTeri, ch. ix. p. 34.) The painting of this piece is by the fame hand as the firft named, though more mafterly. The infcription on the back, written in clear blue, is alfo in the fame handwriting. The laft figure of the date is blurred, and may be either a 2 or a 4. On the face of the piece the glaze has alfo run, flightly blurring the colours on one fide. The plates in the South Kenfington Mufeum (Nos. 7176 . 8927) are by the fame hand. We are inclined to afcribe to a like origin the fervice executed by order of Quid' Ubaldo as a prefent to a certain *' frate " Andrea da Volterra," who muft have been highly efteemed by the Duke, although no other knowledge of him has defcended to us. The pieces of this fervice bear the arms of the Duke, and the infcription G. V. V. D. MUNUS. F. ANDRE-ffi. voLATERANO ., the four firft letters being the initials for '' Guido Ubaldo Urbini Dux." PafTeri (p. 58) defcribes one of thefe pieces, which are all ijioriati^ having the fubjedl of Coriolanus intreated by his mother, and another with that of the Deluge. Two others, one reprefenting the facrifice of Jacob, the other the burning of Tjoy, adapted from RafTaelle's Incendio del Borgo, were in the Delfette Colle£lion (Nos. 259, 260) whence they pafTed to that of Mr. Barker. One of the fervice is in the Mufeum of Economic Geology in Jermyn Street, its fubje£t the Triumph of Trajan, and another, a fluted tazza, is in the Britifh Mufeum. The Rothfchild Collection at Paris pofTefTes another piece, and one is in the Mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna. Pef, aro. 159 Alfo dated 1542, but by another and inferior hand, is the interefting plate in the Mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna*. The fubjedt, nymphs bathing, and on the reverfe is infcribed — fatto in pefaro 1 542 ro in dottega di mo gironimo vaforo iachomo pinfur. {See Mark, No. 5.) By the foregoing quotation from a deed, we have feen that this " iachomo " was the fon of M°. Girolamo, and fucceeded him in the pofleflion of the houfe, &c. This fignature alfo fhows that the initials occafionally feen on pieces by Pafferi were not intended to fignify " in " Pefaro," but the work of Iachomo, painter. The following examples may alfo be afcribed to his brufh, A plate in the Louvre (Sauvageot Coll., No. G. 232.) emblematic figures of mafic and aftronomy, infcribed at the back — El pianete de Mercurio fato in Pefaro. There is no date on this piece, but from the fubje6l it was probably of the fame fervice as that mentioned by Pafferi (fee ante)^ as having the infcription '' / Pianetto di.Marte fatto in Pefaro 1542, in hottega di Majlro Gironimo Vafaro^ I. P." In the Britifh Mufeum are two examples apparently by the fame hand. One reprefenting the fable of Circe and her companions, in- fcribed — De pi CO e de Circa fato in pefaro {See Mark, No. 6.) the other — como apollo tolfe la vaca a argano fato in pefaro {See Mark, No. 7.) A tazza, with the fubjeil of A£l:eon beaten by the nymphs of Diana, is in the coUedion of M. Bafilewfki at Paris, and is illuftrated in Delange's Recueil, pi. 79. It is infcribed " Fatto in Pefaro 1544." We have not feen this plate, but judging from the print, it would appear fuperior to the other works of Iachomo. M. Jacquemart {Merveilles i6o Italian Pottery, de la Cermnique) mentions one with Samfon and the Philiftines, dated 1545- Another, painted with the triumphal march of the Emperor Aurelius, was in the SoltikofF Colledion, and figned ^^■Fatto in Pejaro 1552." Next in fequence is a plate now in the pofleflion of M. Dutuit at Rome, and formerly belonging to the Marquis D'Azeglio; the fubjeft Mutius Scaevola, the defign of which is fuperior to the painting ; it is infcribed — 1566 MVT. SCE. PISAVRI. M. Jacquemart mentions one, Camillas (Brennus ?) throwing his fword into the balance, infcribed — ves visits di pifauro but without date ; and another, undated, is mentioned by Delange in his fupplement to the tranilation of PafTeri, reprefenting a conqueror dragging a captive queen behind his car — Fato in Pefaro. It is neverthelefs extremely difficult without a6lual comparifon, to diflinguifh between the ijloriati pieces of the Lanfranchi fabrique at Pefaro, and many of thofe produced at Urbino in the Fontana furnaces, and it is indeed more than probable that fome of the artifts not abfolutely interefted in the botega were occafionally employed at either place. ^ We have feen fome of the large difhes decorated with raifed maflcs, ftrapwork, &c., and painted with grotefques on a white ground, and fubjeft panels, and other grandiofe pieces which are afcribed to the Urbino artifts, but which may in equal likelihood be attributed to the Lanfranchi of Pefaro. A triangular plateau in the pofleffion of Mrs. Hope has the character of their fineft produilions. Another corroboration of Pafleri's ftatement, and of the importance of the Lanfranchi eftabliftiment, occurs in an anonymous document publiftied by the Marquis Giufeppe Campori.^ It is preferved among the archives of Modena, and is dated Pefaro, 26th October 1660. It relates how the Duke of Modena had been entertained at the houfe of ^ We learn from M. B. Fillon that an artift of Pefaro, one Giovanni Francefco, fettled in France. ^ " Notizie della Majolica e della Porcellana dl Ferrara." Modena, 1871, p. 142. Pefc '^aro. 1 6 1 the Signora Contefla Violante, " con tutta quella domejiiche-z.'z.a^^ which he defired ; how he was prefented with fix hacili filled with delicacies made by the nuns, fent to him by the daughters of the Countefs, and which were kept in the diflies. That fome of his family wifliing^to buy Majoliche painted by RafFaelle of Urbino, a great quantity of hacili and taxzoni was brought to them, not by Raffaelle, but painted by a certain ancient profeflTor of that kind of painting denominated *' // " Gahiccio^'' " le furono portate gran quantita di hacili e di tazzoni o frut- " tiere^ non gia de Raffaelle^ ma dipinti da un tale antico Profejfore di tali " pitture denominato il Gabiccio" who, as the Marquis Campori fuggefts, was probably that Girolamo di Lanfranchi, the maejiro of the eftablifh- ment at the Gabicce. It then goes on to relate that thefe dealers in antiquities, like fome of their brethren of the prefent day, afked too much money, to wit a hundred dohle for a Rinfrefcatore^ certainly well painted, but for which they offered twelve ! And that they only fuc- ceeded in acquiring another Rinfrefcatore^ and a large turtle, that would ferve as a bafin or a difh, painted with grotefques and figures on the bowl and the cover, for which they paid 22 doble. The Marquis Campori obferves, that the cover of this '■'•Tartaruga" was fold not long fince in Modena to a foreign amateur, and when laft in Florence the writer learnt that fuch a piece was then in the hands of Signor Rufca of that city. He had himfelf feen at Rome the lower portion of a large turtle or tortoife-fhaped difh in the Palazzo Barberini, which may perchance belong to the cover in Florence, or be the other half of a fimilar piece. PafTeri tells us how rapidly the art declined after 1560, wanting the encouragement of a reigning ducal court ; he alfo afcribes much evil influence to what he confiders the bad tafte of preferring the unmeaning defigns of the oriental porcelain, which was greatly prized by the wealthy, and the painting after the prints of the later German fchool of Sadeler, &c., to the grander works of the old mafters 5 the landfcapes were, however, well executed. He gives us alfo a hiftory of the revival of the manufacture in his own time, under the influence and encourage- ment of the cardinal prelate Ludovico Merlini. In 17 18 there was only one potter at Pefaro, Alfonzo Marzi, who produced the mofl ordinary wares. In 1757 Signor Giufeppe Bertolucci, an accomplilhed ceramifl of Urbania, in conjundion with Signor Francefco di Fattori, engaged workmen and artifls and commenced a fabrique, but it was foon abandoned. Again in 1763 Signors Antonio Cafali, and Filippo Antonio Caligari, both of Lodi, under PafTeri's influence came to Pefaro, and were joined 1 62 Italian Pottery, by Signor Pietro Lei da Safluolo of Modena, an able painter on Majolica, and on the 13th Auguft eftablifhed a fabrique producing wares of great excellence hardly to be diftinguiftied from the Chinefe. The worthy Pafleri concludes with a hope that he may fucceed in eftablifhing a fchool of defign for fubjedls, with the affiftance of the Abbate Giannandrea Lazzarini, one of the moft able " Maeftri di Pittura." The following examples of the wares produced under that revival are worthy of record. Mr. Chaffers doubtingly afcribes a medicine vafe painted with the fubje£t of Adam and Eve driven from Paradife and infcribed ell: r. P C.P. 1757. to this place, but we cannot relieve his doubt. A fmall plate or ftand for a broth balin, in the writer's poffeffion decorated on the white ground with flowers and birds flightly raifed in relief and painted, and with other flowers delicately painted on the flat furface, is infcribed in fmall letters on the reverfe — C.C Pefaro 1765 P.P.Lj. This can be no other than the mark of the laft firm fpoken of by Pafleri, the upper initials ftanding for Cafali and Caligari^ and the lower for " Pinfe Pietro Lei." It is carefully executed, but weak in colour and in fhape and general flyle in the manner of the other fine Italian enamelled earthenwares of the lafl: century. A plate in the poflTefliGn of Mrs. Lockwood at Rome has a fimilar mark ; it is more imitative of porcelain and of confiderable technical excellence ; the ground is dark blue, covered with foliated ornament incifed into the pafle, filled in with gilding and enclofing panels painted with children, flowers, &c. The Marquis d'Azeglio poflTeflTes another piece figned with the initials of this firm. In the Debruge-Labarte CoUecSlion was a one-handled jug or pot, painted with flowers in white medallions on a blue ground, and on the foot engraven in the pafte — " Pefaro 1771." A manufa6lure at prefent exifls of painted tiles for pavement, re- moved to Pefaro from Urbania, and which did produce vafes and plates in the manner of the Urbino iflioriati pieces, as alfo lufl:red wares after the fl:yle of M. Giorgio. It has, we are informed, ceafed making thefe imitations, and now confines itfelf to the firft-named clafs of goods. Pefaro. 163 EXAMPLES IN THE MUSEUM. As before ftated we have for convenience of reference claflified all the early luftred pieces attributable to this fabrique, (but doubtingly by fome) as aclafs in itfelf among the wares of Gubbio, retaining under this head : I ft. The early polychromatic examples ; 2nd. The " iftoriati " pieces of the Lanfranchi fabrique. Among the former. No. 5 1 6 is a remarkably careful and interefting piece which we are difpofed to confider as almoft typical of the early period of the Pefaro decorated wares, although we are without pofitive proof of that origin. No. 4078 is interefting alfo from its connection with the defign of the luftred pieces and from the mark. No. 3030 is an allied piece bearing a different mark not unlike that upon 2595, which has been attributed to the fame artift as the firft mentioned. No. 516. Of the ijioriati pieces produced at the Lanfranchi botega, No. 7167 is undoubtedly by the fame hand as the figned piece in the writer's poffeflion (vide ante)-^ and No. 8927, is a fine work attributable to the fame painter. The plate No. 8965 is one by an abundant artift of Pefaro or Urbino, many of whofe works were fubfequently luftred at Gubbio in the Giorgio fabrique. His manner appears to be founded on that of Xanto, to whom, however, he is inferior. Nos. 8398, 8896, and 8899, among the luftred "iftoriati" pieces are probably by him as are Nos. 1787, 1746, &c. in this fedlion. The cup No. 355 is of great intereft ; we believe it to be an example of the decoration with real gold on enamelled ware, for which the Lanfranchi got a fpecial edi6l under Guido Ubaldo H. in 1567. L 2 164 Italia?i Pottery, MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. This mark occurs on a plate ftated by Denniftoun in his Hiftory of the Dukes of Urbino to be of the ancient Pefaro fabrique ; it is in the Mufeum at the Hague. We place the mark here, doubting as to whether it ought not to be among thofe of the firft feilion in the Gubbio clafs ; we do not recolle6l having feen the piece in queftion. Pungileone refers to one having the letters G.A.T. interlaced. No. 2. On a baclle in the Britifh Mufeum, fubjeil: a half-length female por- trait, with a fcroll infcribed, " PER . " DORMIRE NON . S . AQVISTA." Scale border of yellow, orange, &c., the Gubbio fcroll in black alfo occurs on the reverfe. Mr la m If 9^ 1 9 T ««*' i No. 3. Infer iption on the reverfe of a tazza in the writer's pofleffion, reprefent- ing the creation of animals. By the fame hand is the following. Pefaro. 165 I -^____^__ No. 4. Is on the reverfe of a fruttiera^ alfb belonging to the writer, and important as a typical example of the produce of the Lanfranchi hotega^ perhaps painted by Maeftro Girolamo. (^ }Ceyon9 ihjuliQ' ^^^^ m. /4 No. 5. On the reverfe of a plate in the Mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna, reprefenting nymphs at the bath ; it is by a lefs able hand than the laft, that of " jachomo," fon of Maeftro Girolamo. hWo in J uafov i(Xi\)Ovno pmL)"^ No. 6. Is upon a plate in the Britifh Mufeum, reprefenting Circe and her companions changed into hogs. { ^ ^ i CO ^ f^i-O't y^ln^Mh^p ri 1 66 Italian Pottery, No. 7. By the fame hand, perhaps both carelefs works of Jachomo ; it is alfo in the Britifh Mufeum. 1? « f Bolo arminio - ,, i o I Thefe are all mixed together Feretto di Spagna - .,2 31" and difTolved in red vinegar. Cinabrio - - ,, o 3 J Under B are the proportions for the " Majolica di oro," mixing therewith a " car- " lino " of calcined filver. - " Lettera, Di Maeftro Giorgio/' Gubbio, 6th Jan. 1857. 1 8 2 Italian Pottery. Maeftro Giorgio was an artift by profeffion, not only as a draughts- man but as a modeller, and being familiar with the enamelled terra cottas of Luca della Robbia, he is faid to have executed with his own hands and in their manner two large altar-pieces : one of which in 151 1 he placed in the church of S. Domenico at Gubbio, in the chapel of the Bentivoglio family dedicated to S. Antonio Abbate. The original receipt for this work is in the archives of the town (Brancaleoni). It was divided and fold in the laft century, but the ftatue of the faint is ftill in the church.^ In 15 13, for the fame church, he is faid to have made the altar of the " Madonna del Rofario," the central fubjeft and other portions of which are now in the Mufeum at Frankfort-on-the-Maine. Alfo in 15 13 he is faid to have made the high altar (ftill in fitu) of the church of the Oflervanti, the " Annunziata," a mile from Bevagna. In a chapel near Affifi were formerly fix figures of angels holding candlefticks, decorated with ruby luftre on the wings and drefs ; one only of thefe exift, and is in the pofTeffion of the Marchefe Brancaleoni. Other pieces in rilievo are mentioned, decorated with the metallic luftre. We were difpofed to think that great confufion exifted in refpedl; to thefe altar-pieces in rilievo, and were inclined to the belief, that although fome of the fmaller luftred works may have been modelled by Giorgio, the larger altar- pieces were really only imported by Andreoli. Judging from the moft important, which we have been able to examine, the " Madonna del " Rofario," we thought it approached more nearly to the work of fome member of the Della Robbia family. Too good for Giovanni, it differs in manner from that of Andrea, although of equal excellence with his later produ6lions. This fine work is in part glazed, and in part coloured in diftemper on the unglazed terra cotta, in which refpe6t it precifely agrees with works known to have been executed by Andrea della Robbia affifted by his fons. There are no figns of the application of the luftre colours to any portion of the work, but this might be accounted for by the great rifk of failure in the firing, particularly to pieces of fuch large fize and in high relief. The principal fubje6l is the Madonna del Rofario, della Mifericordia, or Del Popolo, who fhields under her mantle the faithful of all ranks and nations from Pope to pilgrim. Above, in a half circle, are figured the Father and two kneeling angels ; on the bafe or predella Chrift rifing from the tomb, with Mary, St. John, St. Sebaftian and St. Roch. This well known general arrangement of Della Robbia's altar-pieces will be at once recognifed by 1 One of the angels is faid to have found his way to the Paris mufeums, and is perhaps that numbered G. 722, in the Louvre. Gubbio, 183 thofe who are familar with them. It was taken down at the invafion of Italy by the French, and remained in pieces till 1835, when it was purchafed for the Frankfort Mufeum. A fomewhat ecftatic notice of this altar-piece was publifhed in the Athenaeum, No. 928, in 1845. But this is not the complete work : for it would feem that only the central fubjeft, the lunette and the predella, were fecured for the Stadel Mufeum at Frankfort, where it has been reftored in apparent entirety. In its original ftate, however, it had a furrounding of a feries of fub- je6ts known as the " Mifteri del Rofario," and confifting of the facred hiftory from the Annunciation to the Coronation of the Madonna, executed in rilievo. One of thefe is now in the Mufeum of the Louvre,^ and the remainder are (1870) in the pofleffion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome. They confift of a feries of oblong-fquare panels about 15 inches in length, each occupied by a fubjedl complete in itfelf, and modelled with great care and artiftic ability in high relief; the group- ing of the figures and compofition of the fubjedls ftiow them to be the invention of an able artift, and the free handling of the " ftecco " proves it to be the work of a praftifed hand. A fubfequent examination of the Frankfort altar-piece aflured the writer that it is by the fame modeller, and in this the marked beauty and expreflion of fome of the heads are convincing of his excellence. Like to the productions of the Delia Robbia in technical quahties, it differs in manner from any work of that family or fabrique known to the writer, who is familiar with nine-tenths of the extant works of that fchool. On one of the quadri is a large mafk, and the infcription in diftinft Roman charafters. A.S. MC C C C C X I II. The drapery of the figures and other parts are glazed in white and colour, the flefh has been left unglazed, and fubfequently tinted with diftemper. From a confideration of the ftyle of this work, the record of others, fome of which are heightened with the luftre colours, and the fadt ftated by the Marchefe Brancaleoni, that the receipt for the altar-piece of S. Antonio is ftill preferved in the archives of Gubbio, we are inclined to think that hiftory muft be corredl: in attributing thefe important works in ceramic fculpture to M^. Giorgio Andreoli. If they were 1 We believe it to be that reprefenting the Circumcifion and numbered G. 776 in M. Darcel's catalogue. We regret that the late diftreffing ftate of the French capital has prevented a more recent examination of the fpecimens in her mufeums. 184 Italian Pottery, his unaflifted work, he deferves as high a place among the modellers of his period as he is acknowledged to have among artiftic potters.^ To go back twelve years in the hiftory of the produdls of this fabrique, we have in the South Kenfmgton Mufeum a very interefting example of a work in rilievo, No. 2601, a figure of S. Sebaftian, luftred with the gold and ruby pigments, and dated 1501. Notwith- ftanding its inferiority of modelling when compared with the above- named works, we are in little doubt that this is by Mo. Giorgio's own hand, agreeing as it does in the manner of its painted outline and fhading with the treatment of fubjeds on the earlier difhes, believed to be by him. We muft alfo bear in mind that an interval of twelve years had elapfed between this comparatively crude work, and that beautiful altar- piece whofe excellence caufes us fome doubt in afcribing it to his un- aided hand ; and we may obferve at the fame time an equal difference in the merit of his own painted pieces. Pafleri ftates that he brought the fecret of the ruhy luftre with him from Pavia, and M. Jacquemart (Merveilles de la Ceramique) infers that he muft have produced works at Pavia before going to Gubbio ; but we are inclined to think with Mr. J. C. Robinfon, that it was from an artift previoufly working at Gubbio that he acquired the art and the monopoly of the ruby tint ; and it is by no means improbable that this artift, or his predeceflbr, may have emigrated from Pefaro as flated above. The following conclufions arrived at by Mr. Robinfon after the careful ftudy of a vaft number of examples of the Gubbio and other works, are endorfed by the writer, who, having contributed fome few of the fails upon which thofe conclufions were bafed, has himfelf examined the contents of the principal European colleilions. Thofe conclufions are : — ifl. That Maeftro Giorgio did not invent the ruby luftre, but fucceeded to, and monopolized the ufe of a pigment, ufed by an earlier artift of Gubbio. 2d. That the figned works were really painted by feveral diftindt hands. 1 The queftion has occurred to the writer whether M°. Giorgio may not have de- rived affiftance in the modelling and execution of thefe works from one of the pupils of the Delia Robbia fchool. Agoftino da Duccio worked at Perugia in 1461, and the fame, and perhaps perfonal knowledge of his works at that city may have infpired M°. Giorgio, who may alfo have received direft affiftance from Pietro Paolo Agabili da Saffoferrato, who made the " Ancona" for an altar at Arcaria in 1513, and which is fpoken of by Ricci as a fine work worthy of the Delia Robbia. This " Ancona " is now at Sinigaglia. — (Perkins' Tufcan Sculptors, vol. i. p. 201.) Gubbio, 185 3d. That his own work may be diftinguiflied with approximate certainty. 4th. That probably nearly all the " iftoriati " pieces (1530-50) of Urbino, Cartel Durante, or other fabriques, enriched with luftre, were fo decorated by a fubfequent operation at the Giorgio " botega,"^ and, 5th. Confequently, the ufe of luftre colours was mainly confined to Gubbio, where painted wares by Xanto, and other artifts working at Urbino and other places were fent to be luftred. Before entering upon the fubje6l of Maeftro Giorgio's own works, it will be neceflary to glance at thofe earlier produdtions of his prede- cefTors, and probable inftru6lors. In the abfence of more pofitive evidence of the manufadlure of early luftred wares at Pefaro, as ftated by Pafleri, and with a view to keeping all the luftred wares together as much as poflible ; we have thought it more convenient to include thofe pieces which may probably have been made at that city, in the catalogue among the luftred wares of Gubbio, always affixing to each fuch piece the name of Pefaro and of Gubbio, with a (?), and arranging them as a feparate clafs. And in order to facilitate the methodical ftudy of the rife and development of the art at Gubbio, we have claffified the luftred wares in the following manner, and in probable fequence of date : — A. Works afcribed to Pefaro (or Gubbio ?), the typical " Bacili," referred to by Pafleri, &c. B. Works believed of the early mafter who preceded M". Giorgio at Gubbio. C. Works afcribed to Maeftro Giorgio's own hand. D. Works of the fabrique, and pieces painted by unknown artifts, though bearing the initials of the mafter. E. Works by the artift figning N., and by his affiftants. F. Works painted by other artifts, at other fabriques, and fubfe- quently luftred at Gubbio. G. Works of Mo. Preftino, and of the later period. Of the firft clafs A. are thofe early •' Mezza-Majolica" diflies having a luftre of a peculiar pearly effedt. They are frequently painted with ' The works painted and luftred at Diruta are of courfe an exception to this inference, but its general application feems to be confirmed by the ftatement of Piccolpaflb in his fupplement on the " Majolica " decoration. He fays : " So bene " ch' ella fi dipinge fopra il lavori forniti : quefto ho veduto in Ugubio in cafa di un " M". Cencio." (I well know that it is painted over finiflied (or executed or fupplied) works ; I have feen this in Gubbio at the houfe of one Mafter Cencio.) The fa6l of the Gubbio fignatures to the pieces being always in metallic luftre colours is, we think, another proof that this additional decoration was a " fpecialite." 1 86 Italian Pottery, portraits and armorial bearings, and have by many writers been afcribed to the Diruta potteries. No. 7160 is a chara6leriftic example of the ufual type, while in No. 1606 we have an early fpecimen of the ruby luftre. On the back of No. 3035 is found the only mark with which I am acquainted on pieces of this clafs, it is the well-known Gubbio fcroll executed in manganefe colour on the courfe yellow glaze. The vafe No. 5 1 5 is remarkable as fixing the date of a large number of fimilar pieces, viz., about a.d. 1514. A plateau in theBritifh Mufeum, of the fame form as No. 245 but probably fomewhat earlier and more carefully executed, bears the mark No. i (of thofe on pieces in other colledlions, p. 194,) the only inftance I know on a fpecimen of this very numerous clafs of wares. Amongft thefe two-handled vafes, bowls on ftems, plateaux, and plates are frequent ; decorated with rays, gadroon, fcale, and fcroll patterns, and frequently with female portrait centres ; luftred with a brilliant pearly golden effedl:. Clafs B. is important as connecting the former with the works of the Gubbio furnaces. We would refer to the remarks on the indi- vidual pieces. No. 7682 is a typical piece, bearing another variety of the Gubbio fcroll mark in dark colour. No. 7684 is alfo a remarkable example, as is alfo the fine vafe No. 500. Clafs C. contains of courfe the cream of the manufacture, being the works afligned to M^. Giorgio's own hand. The Mufeum feries is very complete, containing as it does examples from the earlieft period of his unfigned work, down to the piece dated 1532. A coarfely painted and luftred bacile of Mezza-Majolica, having the centre filled with the fubjedt of the " Ecce Homo," and round the border the infcription : "DON. GIORGIO, 1489," Ms in the mufeum at Sevres. It cannot be afligned to the mafter's own hand, but may be the work of one of the previous artifts, perhaps of Clafs B. It has been furmifed that the Don, an abbreviation of Donno, may be fynonymous with " Maeftro," and may be the fignature of, or allufive to Giorgio's elevation to that title, but the date on the plate is unfortunately nine years anterior to that event. On the other hand it has been argued that priefts of a certain rank take that title, and this was perhaps one of a fet, each having the owner's name upon it. We are more inclined to the latter interpretation. It is the earlieft dated piece of luftred ware on record. In this Mufeum (Faenza, No. 521), is a circular plaque with the facred monogram, and M. 149 1. G. — the G being furmounted by a crofs. This alfo has in error been ^ The laft figure is by fome read as a 5. Gubbio, 187 afcribed^to M°. Giorgio. The piece is not luftred, probably of Faenza, and the initials are thofe of a title of the Virgin, the " Mater Gloriofa." Similar letters occur on plates and other pieces. Among the unfigned pieces of an early period is a Tazza in the Louvre, on which is a portrait head in partial relief, of Federigo Duke of Urbino, having the infcription " Dux Urbin " on the face of the piece. He died in 1482, and as it has been thought that the portrait was con- temporary, this would be of earlier date than the Don. Giorgio difh. It cannot, however, be one of thofe referred to by Pafleri (p. 26), having the portraits of Federigo and Guid' Ubaldo I., becaufe he fays that on them, " fie in quejie vi e rojjo di forte alcuna^" neither on them is there any fort of red (ruby luftre). The firft dated piece, which we have every reafon to believe a work of Maeftro Giorgio, is the rilievo of S. Sebaftian, No. 2601. Other but undated works in rilievo exift, which, as in this inftance, are heightened with the gold and ruby pigments. Among the unfigned pieces No. 7161 is interefting, as one of his early works, after the manner of the ancient " bacili." The vafe No. 8407 is a rare and important example. No. 8890 is a brilliant fpecimen of the ruby luftre and of admirable general efFe6t. The earlieft example having a mark which may perhaps be that of Giorgio, and painted by him, is a fmall plate in the pofleifion of Monfignore Cajani ; a central medallion with half figure of S. Petronio, is furrounded by a border of the ftyle of the early wares, beautifully and carefully drawn and luftred with ruby and gold ; it is marked at the back with a fort of G, interfedled by a crofs and a paraphe. (Mark No. 2.) A fimilar form of the letter occurs on the mark No. 6. The Marquis Brancaleoni [op : cit :) mentions a plate formerly in the " Cafa Piccini," with arabefque border, and fubjed of the Sacrifice of Abraham, defigned with freedom and precifion. The mark at back (which has been afcribed to Faenza) given at No. 3, confifts of an arm and hand holding a pike or halbert, the blade of which cuts a rainbow,^ and the date 15 15. The former in ruby luftre, the date in blue, with Gubbio fcrolls in gold. This is probably the plate referred to in Marryat and in Chaffers (p. 84) as having been loft fight of from the Bernal Colleftion. We now come to the period of Giorgio's figned pieces, fome of the firft of which ftiow to what perfection he had brought his art. The earlieft known figned and dated piece is in the colleftion of Mr. Robert > It has been fuggefted that this is, perhaps, a poetical allufion to Giorgio's art of applying the rainbow hues to the decoration of his pottery. 1 88 Italian Pottery. Napier ; the border is decorated with trophies, &c., among which occurs the date 15 17, written in blue, while at the back 15 18 is pencilled in luftre colours. Another plate of the fame fervice and having the fame initials of the owner, a piece of exceeding beauty for the quality of the luftre colours, is in the Britifh Mufeum ; a facfimile of the central initials and of the date on the back is given at No. 4 of the Marks Among the arabefques the word " azuro " is written on the ground, being doubtlefs a direction to the affiftant who filled in the blue grounding of the piece. The beautiful plate No. 401, having for fubje6l S. Francis receiving the ftigmata, is dated 15 18 on the face, and on the reverfe the full fignature and date 1519. No. 4422, although without fignature, is alfo a fine example. Brancaleoni mentions a tazza in " Cafa Tondi," at Gubbio, referred to by Pafferi j — white glaze with foliage and " rabefche " in blue, yellow and ruby luftre, figned and dated 25 October 15 19. (Mark No. 6.) It is faid to be of very porcelaneous quality. M°. Giorgio's manner of decoration confifts of foliated fcrolls and other ornaments, terminating in dolphins, eagles, and human heads, trophies, mafks, &c. ; in the drawing of which he exhibited confiderable power with great facility of invention. Thefe " grotefche " diff^er ma- terially from thofe of Urbino and Faenza, approaching more to the ftyle of fome of the Caftel Durante defigns. In the drawing of figures, and of the nude, Giorgio cannot be ranked as an artift of the firft clafs. From 1 5 19 his fignature, greatly varied, occurs through fucceed- ing years. It would be ufelefs to repeat the many varieties, feveral of which will be {.Q^n in the Catalogue and among the marks on fpecimens in other collections. We believe that to whim or accident may be afcribed thofe changes that have tafked the ingenuity of connoifl^eurs to read as other names. Thus on Mark No. 5 the G is more truly a C, although the date 15 19 precludes the idea that it is Cencio's. Occa- fionally it is accompanied by other initials, a crofs, &c. doubtlefs thofe of the owner of the piece, and not merchant's marks, as has been fuggefl:ed. Several pieces of a fervice fome of which are now in the Britifh Mufeum, and one of fingular beauty, in the pofi'efiion of Mr. Henderfon, have the mark No. 10 ; this, as does No. 11, includes the letter S which M. Jacquemart, we think wrongly, fuggefts may be the initial of Salim- bene, Giorgio's brother. Others, as Nos. 7 and 9, are varioufly orna- mented ; fcrolls plain or foliated in luftre colours generally adorn the fides of the reverfe. M. Leroy Ladurie pofi^efi'es a plate in rilievo, with the fignature " Matr^ Gio " twice repeated on the border. One in the Louvre afcribed to this fabrique, with portrait of " Julia Bella," has the Gubbio. 189 infcriptlon " ex . o . Giorg " on a ribbon. Other complications of the lignature occur on the works of his afliftants, of which more anon. His finer and more important pieces were generally figned in full, " Maeftro Giorgio da Ugubio," with the year, and fometimes the day of the month. The plateau No. 7157 is an important piece, and No. 8939 is one of the moft carefully drawn of his figure fubjeils. Nos. 1690 and 1755 are of the fame fervice as the finer examples in the Britifli Mufeum, where are 18 of Giorgio's, chiefly from the colle6tion of the late Abbe Hamilton, of Rome. No. 7166 is of unufual fize ; and on No. 1633 occurs the lateft date on any piece in the Mufeum, which may with probability be afcribed to Giorgio's own brufh. About the year 1525 he executed fome of his moft beautiful works ; perhaps the fineft large difh, and of the higheft quality which has been preferved to us, is in the pofTeffion of the Baronne de Parpart, whofe late hufband acquired it from Prince Bandini, at Rome.-"- In that piece a rich grotefque border furrounds the fubjeil of Diana and her nymphs, furprifed by Actaeon ; in careful drawing and colouring it has all the quality of the fmall tazza No. 8939 : the facfimile of the fignature at the back is given in Mark No. 12. This fine difh has been figured by Delange in the " Recueil" (pi. 65), as alfo a plate of earlier date, figned "Mo Giorgio 1520. a di 2 de O'tobre in Ugubio B. D. S. R.," having for fubjeft the Judgment of Paris after RafFaelle (pi. 64). It is in the colledion of M. Dutuit of Rouen, and on it the reflet is artiftically fubordinated to the painting ; the four initials would feem to indicate that another artift had painted the fubjeft, and it is remarkable that the fignature of Giorgio, as well as the initials, is written in blue colour. (We have not had an oppor- tunity of feeing this exceptional piece.) The choice examples in Mr. Fountaine's rich colle6lion are well known, particularly one men- tioned by PafiTeri as then belonging to him, with fubjecl: after a print by Robetta (1505) called the " Stream of Life " j (Mark No. 9), and aflat plate having for fubje6l the Three Graces after Marc Antonio, purchafed from M. RoufiTel of Paris, one of the choiceft works of the mafter. In the Louvre are about 75 fpecimens of Gubbio ware. The mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna has fome remarkably fine pieces, and there are others in the Hofpital for Incurables at Pefaro. One of great fize and beauty in the Bologna colledlion reprefents the Prefenta- 1 During the laft revifion of thefe pages, we have been informed that Madame de Parpart has been induced to part with this noble piece, for the funi of 22,000 francs, = 880/. fterling. iQO Italian Pottery. tion of the Virgin, and is figned and dated 1532 j " fini da maiolica ;" an unique inftance of the quality of the ware being ftated in the infcrip- tion (Mark No. 19). This noble piece rivals that in the Parpart Collec- tion, the fubjedl covering the vv^hole furface and executed with great power. It will be obferved in comparing thefe with the earlier produc- tions of his brufh, that in his more youthful and unfigned works, Maeftro Giorgio was unable to temper and modulate the luftre colours, which though powerfully, were fomewhat heavily applied ; in the works of his beft period, juft confidered, he will be found to have perfected their ufe by fubduing them to the general etFe61:. The Marchefe Brancaleoni mentions a fine plate in his library, the fubjeft, Magdalene wafhing the Saviour's feet, after an engraving by Albert Dvirer : this piece is cited by Pafleri, and is figned and dated 1528. He alfo men- tions having feen pieces painted in Giorgio's manner but not luftred. Signor Caftelletti of Perugia fpeaks of a plate, then at Citta di Caftello, figned by Giorgio, but not luftred. In the Cafa '' Bonaventura An- dreoli " at Gubbio, belonging to a defcendant of Giorgio, is a plate with cupid centre, and date 1526. Maeftro Giorgio is faid to have been living in 1552. M. Jacquemart obferves that from 15 18 his figned works increafe in quantity till 1527, when they diminifh in number. They again increafe till 1532-3 and '34. A lapfe of two years then occurs ; at laft 1537-39 and '41 clofe the feries. In the next divifion D. are the works of the fabrique under the Maeftro's diredlion and pieces, which though manifeftly painted by other hands, are figned in luftre with his initials or full fignature. Of thefe we dire£t fpecial attention to No. 534, a candleftick of great beauty, perhaps the work of the Maeftro's hand : — to the pine cone, No. 519, on which occurs an Arabic numeral : — No. 8906, a beautiful fpecimen of the embolTed ware, and No. 6864 of exceptional character. No. 7685 is a plate with cupid centre fomewhat in Giorgio's manner and figned in full, with the date 1526 : but this although not in the ftyle of the artift figning with an N, is hardly afcribable to Maeftro Giorgio himfelf and, like others of fimilar chara6ter, was probably by an artift working for him. We have no means of learning what part his brothers undertook in the manufactory or " botega." A feparate divifion has alfo been formed of the works afcribed to, or figned by the artift who ufed the letter N, varioufly formed, as his monogram. Mr. J. C. Robinfon has ingenioully fuggefted that this letter, containing as it does the three, V I and N, may really have been adopted by " Vincenzio," the only one of his fons known to have aflifted. He fucceeded M^. Giorgio in the fabrique, where he was Guhbio. 191 generally known as M^. Cencio.' It is but a theory : we have no proof of the fignature being his, and M. Jacquemart does not agree to the idea, referring to a cup where the N occurs together with the initials of Giorgio. He thinks it more probably has reference to Nocera, an out- (kirt of Gubbio on the Via Flaminia, where it has been fuggefted by Mr. Marryat that a branch pottery may have exifted. Whichever view may be correal, we have the fadt of a number of examples, figned with this letter, the greater part of which are painted in a fimilar ftyle, and by the fame hand. Neither is that hand recognizable, nor is that fignature feen, on pieces of an early date : and hence the not improbable inference, that they are the productions of M^. Cencio, working on his father's, and fubfequently on his own account. Brancaleoni ftates that he worked with his father till 1536, when he married and fet up for himfelf. He made his will in 1576. Piccolpaflb in the Appendix to his work fays that it was from M". Cencio that he gained the receipt for the luftre pigments, which he makes known. The piece quoted by M. Jacquemart would be of the former period, bearing the initials of his father as Maeftro of the fabrique, and the N allufive to his own name, or to the branch " botega " (if fuch exifted) under his charge. Among the fpecimens in the Mufeum, No. 502 is one of the earlieft on which the letter is known to occur ; about 1525-30. No. 8903 is a typical example, figned with the N, whilft No. 8908 is clearly painted by the fame hand, although figned with Giorgio's initials and dated 153 1. No. 8910 figned with the fame letter, and dated 1535, is the fineft fpecimen of his hand. Nos. 8961, 7690, and 8895 have varieties of the initial, and Nos. 7689, 8908, and 7688 are all initialled with Giorgio's monogram alone. Among the marks on examples in other collections are given varieties of that ufed by this artift : one, No. 27, accompanying the initials of Giorgio, alluded to above j another. No. 29, accompanied by a C or G ; another with the M for Maeftro, on a piece in the Sevres Mufeum, No. 30. There is little doubt that although Mo. Giorgio may himfelf have occafionally applied the luftre pigments with his own brufti to the pieces painted by other artifts, at other places, the majority of thofe fo enriched were executed by his fon, or affiftants. M. Darcel thinks that ^ Giufeppe Raffaelli publifhes extrafts from deeds referring to " Vincentius " M. Georgii Andreoli figulus de Eugubio." " M. Vincentio M. Georgli de " Maiolica de Eugubio prefente," &c. {Memorie delle Majolkhe Durantine. Fermo, 1846, />. 60.) 192 Italian Pottery, this pradlife did not begin earlier than 1525, in which view we are in- clined to agree ; but M. Jacquemart obje6ts entirely to the idea, thinking it derogatoiy to the dignity of art. The unanfwerable evidence of the pieces themfelves, and the ftatement of PiccolpalTo, prove that the works of others were enriched at Gubbio. Under divifion F. will be found the works of this kind, among which the more interefting are No. 8886, a fine portrait plate ; No. 4726 having the painter's date and mark, and that of him who luftred it ; the very remarkable plaque No, 520, the work of Orazio Fontana, with the monogram of Giorgio Andreoli ; and the fmall plate No. 8907, dated in luftre colour as late as 1549. The luftred works of Francefco Xanto of Urbino are alfo inftances. One in the Napier Colle6lion has the defcription of the fubje6l, ^F^neas carrying off" Anchifes, dated 1532, and figned "Fra Xante daRovigo in Urbino," all in blue colour, whilft the N occurs in ruby luftre. A fimilar plate is in the Correr Colle6tion at Venice, and Mr. Addington had another " De Giove e Semele, F. X. R." in blue, and " 1529 M^. Giorgio da Ugubio," in luftre. Other examples are given among the marks. A plate in the Napier Colledlion, the Judgment of Paris, in the ftyle of an early Orazio Fontana, is dated 1538, with C in luftre colour. Marchefe Brancaleoni mentions a plate, part of a fervice, with the arms of " Luti " of Siena, dated 1539, "^ luftre colour, and infcribed, " Quefti fon fatti a Viftignano in Villa " Piatti, tondi, fcudelle e fcudilli " Per fervire a la Chicuccia Camilla." Maeftro Preftino or Pereftino is the laft artift of Gubbio of whom we have record. He appears to have fucceeded Maeftro Cencio, although we have no knowledge of his connection with the Andreoli family ; his pieces are occafionally figned, and he feems to have revived the production of the earlier embofled wares, which difplayed the luftre colours to fuch advantage. There is no piece in the South Kenfington Mufeum figned by this artift. The laft divifion G. contains works afcribed to him, as Nos. 8948- 49, and examples of the decadence of the luftred wares. Among the marks are facfimiles from pieces figned by Preftino : one dated as late as " 1557 a di 28 di Maggio in Gubbio per Mano di Maftro Preftino," referred to by Brancaleoni. In the Louvre is a bas-relief of the Virgin and Child, the flefti of a rofy white, draperies flighty iridefcent with gold and ruby on blue ground, on the reverfe of which " Pereftino, 1536 " occurs, Mark No. 40. Gubbio. 193 It appears from a notarial deed, dated 1542, that Maeftro Giorgio had three fons : Francefco, a jurifconfult; Vincenzio the potter; and Ubaldo, of whom we have no information. Before clofmg thefe notes on the remarkable products of this abundant pottery, we will refer to feveral marks which occur on pieces in all probability made and painted there, but fome of which we are unable to explain. A plate with bull portrait of a warrior, in the collection of M. Meurnier, of Paris, having four coats of arms on the border and the letters Y. A. E., is infcribed on the face with the name " Gabriel . da . Gubbio." This doubtlefs is a portrait plate, and the letters may allude to the families or individuals whofe arms are blazoned. " Gualdo " is faid to be infcribed on a brilliantly luftred fpecimen, which we have failed to trace, and pieces in the Louvre have been doubtingly clalTed under that name by M. Darcel ; it may have been that of fome neighbouring village, to which the artift had taken his work to paint [vide notice on Caffaggiolo, p. 102), or may it not be intended, though badly indited, for " Ubaldo," the name of Giorgio's third fon ? A man's head, rudely Iketched in luftre colours, occurs on the back of a plate in the Britilh Mufeum, more probably an artift's whim than an intentional mark. The letters MR combined, occur on a luftred piece, perhaps a monogram of M. Preftino. The letter P, varioufly formed, may alfo probably be his initial. About 1560-70 the ufe of the luftre pigments would feem to have been almoft difcontinued ; the fecret of their proper compofition and manipulation was loft during the general decadence of Italian artiftic pottery, and the death of Guid' Ubaldo II. in 1574 was the " coup-de- grace " to the already much deteriorated wares of the Duchy. Thefe beautiful colours, known to the Italians as " rubino," " cangiante," " madreperla," " a reverbero," and to the French as " reflet metallique," " nacre," &c., have been to a certain extent repro- duced. Unfortunately many pieces made in the manufa6lory of the Marquis Ginori at Doccia, have, after chipping and fcratching, been palmed upon unwary amateurs as ancient fpecimens, by unprincipled dealers at Florence and elfewhere. Some of thefe modern examples are in the ceramic gallery of this Mufeum. The moft fuccefsful repro- duftion of the famous luftre has however been made at Gubbio itfelf, by an able young chemift and artift, Luigi Carocci, who conduCled his ex- periments at the pottery diredled by Luigi Ceccarelli of that place. Some of his productions are excellent, though far from having thofe artiftic qualities fo apparent in the finer fpecimens of Maeftro Giorgio's work. M. 194 Italian Pottery, MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. This monogram occurs in luftre colours on the back of a plateau, with female profile buft on a raifed centre, of the well- known early type richly luftred, and which has been afcribed to Pefaro and Diruta. It is the only known inftance of a mark on fimilar pieces. In the Britifti Mufeum. No. 2. On a fmall plate of early period ; central medallion, with half figure of a bifhop (St. Petronio), after Perugino, border of leaf ornament in the rigid ftyle of the early pieces, carefully drawn in blue outline and luftred with ruby and gold ; now in the pof- feffion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome. Gubbio. 195 No. 3. On a plate, formerly in " Cafa Piccini " at Gubbio, and loft fight of from the Bernal Colledlion. The arm, fword, &c. are in ruby luftre, the date in blue, Gubbio fcrolls round the border in gold. The fubjeft is Abraham's facrifice. No. 4. The centre of a tondino of great beauty, in the Britifli Mufeum, is occupied with this combination of initials and emblems ; the date 15 18 is at the back. It is a choice fpecimen of M°. Giorgio's art. \ No, 5. An unufual form of the Giorgio monograin, perhaps acci- dental ; it was on a plate formerly in the Colledlion of the Baron de Monville. Marks fomewhat fimilar occur, but in which the G is more N 2 196 Italian Pottery, developed ; one dated 1520, is in the coUeftion of i^ Mrs. D. M. Davidfon, and one dated 1522, in 4^ Mr. Amhurft's cabinet. /S/f No. 6. On the back of a tazza, faid by Brancaleoni to be in the " Cafa Tondi " at Gubbio, and referred to by Pafleri, remarkable for its porcelaneous quality ; foliage and rabefche in blue, yellow and ruby luftre. The form of the laft letter correfponds with that of No. 2. No. 7. On a piece in the pofleflion of Signor Marnelli. Gubb to. 197 No. 8. On a Scodella ; hunting fubjed, naked men on horfeback, with dogs, &c. ; in the manner of Pollajuolo ; luftred with pale gold and ruby; about 1525. The mark on the face, the darker letters in blue, wafhed round with lufl:re, the G in ruby. (Cafvv.llani CoUeftion.) ^^ No. 9. On a fine difh in the coUedlion of Mr. Fountaine, of Narford Hall, formerly in the Bernal Colledtion, and referred to by PafTeri. The fubje6l is after a print by Robetta (1505), known as "The Stream of Life." % No. 10. On feveral pieces of a fervice in the Britifh Mufeum, and on one in the Henderfon Colledtion ; the central combination, which is alfo feen on fome of the coins of Perugia, occurs painted on the face of two of the pieces, and not conneded with the Giorgio monogram ; it is doubtlefs the emblem or mark of the owner. That from which 198 Italina Pottery, the mark is copied is dated 1524 on the face. Some of the pieces are in Giorgio's beft manner. No. II. A fimilar emblem, perhaps a variety of the laft, on another piece of the fame fervice. It is in the Louvre (Campana CoUedion, G. 476). No. 12. This fignature and exaft date, painted in gold luftre, the fruit in the cornucopiae being in ruby, occur on the back of one of the fineft works of Mo. Giorgio known to us. A difh of the largeft fize, having the fubjedt of Diana and her nymphs furprifed by Actaeon filling the centre, with a border of the richeft grotefche. This noble Gubbio, 199 piece is figured in Delange's Recueil, pi. 65, and now belonging to the Baronne de Parpart, formerly to the Prince Bandini Giuftiniani, of Rome. (This mark is reduced to half fize.) No. 13. On a plate. Subjed : the decollation of John the Baptift, border of grotefche, with fhields of arms j in the writer's colleftion. 1/ ^ 200 Italian Pottery, No. 14. An eccentric variety of the Giorgio fignature. ir U m I 9 r\\ 1.1 » I No. 15. The Gubbio mark, furmounted by initials probably of the owner, or perhaps the painter. They have been fuppofed by Lazari to be of Baldafara Manara of Faenza. The fubjeft, Aurora in a biga and the hours, is after Marc Antonio. It w^as in Mr. Barker's Col- le£tion. s M ^ ^^ Gubbio, 20I No. 1 6. The G here is formed as one of the well-known Gubbio fcrolls. No. 17. Another variety. 202 Italian Pottery, No. 1 8. A piece painted by another artift and luftred at Gubbio > from the CoUedion of Signor Marnelli. \}^ "P I CO CLy^C^^^^^. o ff^^% ^^ No. 19. On the magnificent circular dilh in the Mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna, one of the fineft pieces of Majolica remaining to us. The whole furface is covered with the fubjeft of the Prefentation of the Virgin, admirably drawn and richly luftred in gold and ruby. The infcription on the reverfe beneath the fignature is remarkable, and the only inftance recorded. (Mark reduced.) ^T'^y^^ m^o£ Gubbio, No. 20. A late fignature of the ufual type. 203 No. 21. On a plate in the Correr Mufeum at Venice with grotefche border of fine work : the M . G in ruby, the reft in gold luftre. / WM %^ No. 22. On a fine Gubbio plate, having the Torregiani fliield, with trophies, &c. Sold by Sig. Gagliardi in Paris. No. 23. A fimilar mark to the laft. 204 Italian Pottery, No. 24. In luftre on the reverfe of a plate, cupid centre, formerly in Mr. Farrer's Colledlion. A fimilar mark occurs on a piece in the Louvre (G. 535). No. 25. A fimilar mark occurs on No. 4726 of this Mufeum, and on a plate — Hercules and Cerberus — in the Campana Colledlion at the Louvre (G. 318). 7^1^ /s~jC No. 26. On a piece in Mr. Barker's Collection. Gubbio, 205 No. 27. On a plate formerly in the Colle6lion of Monfig. Cajani. W m. # No. 28. In the Correr Mufeum at Venice. The S in blue, the N in ruby, and the date in gold luftre. «-, No. 29. A variation of the mark on a piece in the Campana CoUedlion, Louvre (No. G. 527). 206 Italian Pottery, No. 30. On a plate in the Sevres Mufeum. o It No. 31. On a coarfe piece, with a dog in the centre; ruby and gold luftre ; in the Britifh Mufeum. No. 32. The N O in luftre ; the other mark in blue. A piece with^ fimilar marks, and dated 1535, was in the hands of a London Gubbio, 207 dealer fome years fince. A plate painted by the fame hand and with the blue mark, not luftred, is in the writer's coUedion. No. 33. On a plate in the Britifh Mufeum. Subjeft, the Centaur NefTus, from the Bernal Colledlion. The painting is not in the manner of Mo. Giorgio. 2o8 Italian Pottery, No. 34. Another variety. No. 35. On a plate in the Britifli Mufeum, with fcale border and the name " Diamante " in the centre. It is more in the ftyle of the Gubbio than of the Diruta wares. A fimilar mark is on a piece (No. G. 533) in the Louvre. m No. 36. A curious fignature given by M. Delange in the appendix to his tranflation of Pafleri's work. It has been attributed to an unknown M*". GilHo., on a No. 37. Similar to the laft, and important for the date. It occurs plate reprefenting Hercules and Antaeus after Pollajuolo in the Gubbio. . 209 Bafilewflci Colleilion, and alfo on a piece in the Louvre (G. 359. )> fiibje£l, Abraham vifited by the Angels. They are probably Maeftro Giorgio's fignature by " procuration" of a carelefs hand. A fomewhat fimilar but blurred name is on a plate in the Sauvageot Collection of the Louvre (G. 475.)} fubjedl, two hunters, vi^ith dog, hare, &c., and border of trophies. \ ? I No. 38. Occurs on a plate in Mr. Barker's Colleftion •} trophies, fhaded in blue on yellow ground ; ftiield of arms in the centre, and date 1540. 1 Now, for themoft part, Mr. Cook's, Vifconde de Montferfat, of Doughty Houfe, Richmond. M. O 2IO Italia7t Pottery No. 39. Is on a tazza in the writer's pofleffion, fomewhat coarfely painted in the ftyle of the Fontana fabrique, with the fubje6t of Con- ftantine crofling the bridge, and feeing the crofs in the fky. It is faintly luftred in gold, and has the mark on the reverfe in gold luftre colour. See No. 8899, page 277. No. 40. On a fquare bas-relief, enriched with metallic luftre ; fubjedl, the Virgin and Child. The loop at the end of a label, on which the date is repeated, has been miftaken for the letter C, and it has hence been fomewhat haftily inferred, that that letter ftanding for " Cencio," combined with the fignature " Pereftino," would indicate that they were one and the fame perfon. T ^Wo ►f- rj^^ G lib bio. 211 J No. 41. Another fignature of " Maeftro Preftino," on a plate, fubjedt Venus and Cupid, belonging to Mr. I. Falcke. No. 42. This letter may alfo ftand for a monogram of Preftino, formed of the two firft letters of his name, with a paraphe. It occurs on a bowl, having for fubjedt the Virgin and Child painted in luftre colours, and is in Mr. Fountaine's Colledlion. A more decided P occurs on a piece, in the Louvre (G. 518) ; and again formed more like to a D, with the date 1533, on a plateau in the Bracon Hall Collection of the Rev, T. Berney : fubje£t, the eftablifliment of the throne of David, after a loft work of Raffaelle. No. 43. Thefe marks have been adopted by Meflrs. Carocci, Fabbri, and Co., the manufacturers of the modern luftred ware at Gubbio. Sig. Pietro Gay is the artift who perfonally fuperintends the work. Specimens were fhown at the International Exhibition in 1862. CATALOGUE. Pefaro or Giibbio, A. — Worls afcribed to Pefaro (or Guhh'to f) the typical '' BacUi " referred to by Pajferly &c. 7160. '60. IIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr Luftred ware. " Mezza Majolica" In the centre a female buft portrait in profile, with fanciful head drefs, and a fcroll, on which is infcribed " Chi be guida fua "bacha efepe in porto " ; border of rayed compartments, filled in alternately with fcale-work and foliated ornament. Reverfe, grounded in dull yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio?) About 1490 -1 500. Diam. i6f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. (See engraving.^ A fine example, clear and careful in oudine and detail, and brilliandy luftred. Mr. J. C. Robinfon fays : " This piece is a charac- teriftic fpecimen of a very fertile mafter, whofe works, however, (never figned), afford the only information we have refpecfting him. They are executed on a v^^hite ground, in a firm precife blue oudine, fhaded with the fame colour, and profufely enriched with a yellow iridefcent luftre." Thefe works vary in quality and in careful exe- CIRCULAR DISH. BUST PORTRAIT OF A LADY. Fcjaro or Gubhio (?), about 1490-1500. (7160. '60.) Pefc ^aro or Gubbio. 213 cution, the numbers 7162, 3034, and perhaps 3035 and 3036, may be afcribed to him, as alfo the ruby-luftred bacile, No. 1606. Wc {hould be difpofed to aflign even an earlier date, perhaps 1580-90, to this fpecimen, and cannot agree with fome connoifTeurs who would afcribe thefe works to the Diruta furnaces. As already ftated in the introdu6lory notice to this fabrique, and to that of Pefaro, we are inclined to attach more weight to the ftatement of Pafleri, that Pefaro produced about 1480-1500 wares of this defcription, the work of an individual artift. He further ftates, that the ruby luftre was occafionally ufed, and that about this time, or fhortly after, the fecret of the luftre pigments was taken to Gubbio. In the " bacile," No. 1606, we have an example of the ufe of ruby luftre, apparently by the fame artift ; on No. 3035, lefs carefully treated, probably fome few years later, and if not by the fame hand by a pupil or imitator, occurs a fcroll mark or ornament at the back which we afterwards find conftantly repeated on the works of the Gubbio fabrique. May we not derive fome evidence from a comparifon of thefe examples, fupporting Pafleri's aflertion, and in default of more certain data, clafli fy thefe early bacili as of Pefaro or Gubbio ? We have abfolutely no knowledge of the early produilions of Diruta, and are not fatisfied from the figned examples which have defcended to us, that luftred wares were produced at that place anterior to thofe of Gubbio. 7162. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bactkr Luftred ware. " Mezza Majolica^ Female buft portrait, with fcroll infcribed " Memento mei ;" border of enriched fcale-work pattern. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio .f^) About 1500. Diam. 16.^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Soulages Catalogue, remarks : " This piece is by the fame hand as No. 7 (7160. '60). The works of this mafter, eafy recognifable from their great fimilarity one with another, are of frequent occurrence. The luftre is heavier in tint and lefs brilliant than that of M. Giorgio ; the ruby colour is never (?) found." A peculiar " Madreperla," or fliell-like effed^, is noticeable on the wares of this artift. Refer to the remarks on Nos. 7160, 1606, and 3035, in reference to the ruby pigment, &c. 214 Italian Pottery, 3034- S2>' CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr Luftred ware. " Me%za Majolica^ Profile portrait of a lady, with banderole, infcribed *^ Andreana Bella " ; border in divifions, a quartiere of foliated ornament and fcale-work ; the whole outlined and fhaded blue, filled in with golden luftre on the white ground. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio ?) About 1500. Diam. i6f in. Bought, 8/. 15^. By the fame hand as the typical piece No. 7160, this is a lefs excellent example. The reader is referred to the remarks upon that and upon Nos. 1606 and 3035. 7163. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacikr Luflred ware. " Mezza Majolica." Female bufl portrait in profile, with fcroll, infcribed " Timor . Domini . fui . e filium fuum " ; border of foliated ornament, outlined and fhaded in blue on white ground, filled in with gold luftre. Reverfe, plain yellow glaze. Itahan. (Pefaro or Gubbio .'') About 1500. Diam. I5f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 2,0/. Probably by the fame hand as Nos. 7162 and 7160, but more cloudy in the fhading, and lefs careful in the outline. 1606. '55. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacile." Luftred ware. " Mezza Majolica." Female profile portrait, draped in ruby and gold luftre ; on a ribbon is infcribed CHI . biene . givida . sva . BARCA . E . SEP I . PRTO {fempre in porto) ; border of fcale pat- tern, outlines and fhades blue, filled in with luftre on the white ground. Reverfe, coarfe yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or CIRCULAR DISH. BUST PORTRAIT OF A LADY. Pijato or Gubbiu (r), about i joo. (1606. '55.) Pefaro or Gubbio, 215 Gubbio?) About 1500. Diam. 16 J in. Bought, 20/. (See engraving.^ A rare and important example in ftudying the development of the luftre pigments. This piece has been afcribed to M^. Giorgio, but we are difpofed to confider it by the painter of No. 7160, and others of fimilar flyle. One of the earliefl fpecimens, believed to be of Giorgio's own work, is the bacile No. 7 161 (page 232), on which the evidence of a young and " prentice hand " is clearly marked. The prefent example has the dry and careful, yet firm hand of an experienced artifl, and more- over appears to us to be of earlier date than that juft referred to. The abundant ufe of the ruby luflre makes it exceptional to the general type, with which in all other refpcdts it agrees, and we think may be clafTed. Refer to Nos. 7682, 3, and 4 of the next divifion at page 224, with which this piece is a fort of connecting link, although by another hand. 1614. '56. CIRCULAR Difh. " Baciie." Luflred ware. ^' Mezza Majolica" Diaper of fir-cone fcale pattern in yellow luftre, white, and blue, radiating from a central flar. Reverfe, coarfe glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio?) About 1500- 15 10. Diam. 15I in. Bought, i/. lis. Another of the fo-called Diruta pieces, without fubjedt, but effec- tively covered by a pattern, probably derived from the fcales of the cone of the ftone pine {Pinus pinea) ; the bafe of each fcale is touched with a dark blue fpot, they are feparated by a network of the white ground, lined with blue, and are filled in with the gold luftre j a blue ftar of eight points forms the centre. S^SS- 53- CIRCULAR Difh. " Bactle." Luftred ware. " Mezza "^ Majolica." Profile portrait of a lady ; infcribed fcroll "asm avaz achi fvrtvn ap^s a"; border a quartiere^ in alternate compartments of foliated ornament and fcale-work. Reverfe, coarfe yellowifh-white glaze, on which are two fcrolls 2l6 Italian Pottery, painted in grey blue. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio ?) About 1500. Diam. i6|- in. Bought, 4/. This is an interefting piece from the occurrence of a mark or ornamental fcroll on the back, precifely fimilar in chara6ter to that conftantly feen, but in luftre colour, on the reverfe of pieces of the Gubbio fabrique of Maeftro Giorgio. In all other refpedls it is a fair example of thofe early " bacili " of " Mezza Majolica " outlined in blue, and luftred in a golden tint, which either by the aftion of time, or fome peculiarity in the compofition or firing of the luftre pigment, poflefTes that charadteriftic fhell-like refledlion, known as " Madre- perla " by the Italians. The treatment of the female profile portrait, the well-known pattern of the border, and the nature of the colours and glaze, clafs it at once among the works of an artift or a fabrique, which Pafleri ftates to be of Pefaro, but which it has lately been the fafhion to confider as Diruta. On this fubje6l the reader is referred to the remarks on Nos. 7160 and 1606. The evidence, little more it is true than the tpfe dixit of Pafleri, which declares thefe pieces to be produ6tion of the Pefaro furnaces, is at leaft as good as any given againft it, and we are in- clined to think that the fcroll mark on the back of this difli is more than an accidental whim of the potter ; it occurs on no other pieces known to the writer, with the exception of the fomewhat fimilar fcroll on the back of No. 7682, a tranfitional example of great intereft. If the ufe of the luftre pigments was learnt at Pefaro as ftated, and brought to Gubbio under the influence of M^. Giorgio, who about the fame time alfo acquired the knowledge of the tin glaze, may it not be CIRCULAR DISH. THE INCREDULITY OF ST. THOMAS, Pijaro or Gubbio{?), about i i;oo-2o. (303<5- '53-) Pefaro or Gubbio, 217 that the difh under notice was made there by an artift of Pefaro and marked for diftin6lion with the G-like fcroll ? The tin-glazed difties Nos. 7682, 83, and 84 mark the progrefs of the art, and in No. 7 161 we have one of the earlieft works prefumably of Mo. Giorgio's own hand, followed by others in fucceflion down to 1517-18, when he figns and dates the finer pieces of the fabrique. 303^' '53- CIRCULAR Dlfh. " Bacikr Luftred ware. " Mezza Majolica." The incredulity of St. Thomas, with the infcription on a banderole " to ma qv imeve disti . e tc re DEDis Ti ;" border, a wreath of flower buds, outlined and fhaded blue, filled in with yellow luftre on the white ground. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian (Pefaro or Gubbio). About 1500— 1520. Diam. \6\ in. Bought, 4/. los. (See engraving.) Of the fame ware, and probably by the fame hand as Nos. 3034, 7160, &c. This difh is more interefting from the fubjeft, the incre- dulity of St. Thomas, which fills the centre, and which is drawn with confiderable power and dignity. The works of this artift evince a firm, accurate, and rapid hand. The glaze of the prefent example has not been fo fuccefsfully fired, and the luftre effe6l is lefs brilliant than in many others. s^s- '65- VASE. Amphora fhape. Two-handled. Luftred ware. " Mezza (?) Majolica" On each fide of the upper part of the vafe is a fhield of the Medici arms, furmounted by the papal tiara and crofs keys (arms of Leo X.,^ who was Pope 1 5 13-21), the reft of the ground filled with acanthus fcroll foliage, gadroon ornaments, &c., in yellow iridefcent luftre with blue outline and ftiading on the white ground. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio?) About 15 13-21. H. loi in, W. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. (See vignette.) This carefully finiftied and fine vafe is fpecially interefting as bear- ing the arms of Pope Leo X., by which the date of its produilion is 1 Thefe might alfo be the arms of Clement VII. (Giulio de Medici), elefted 1525, died 1534; but we believe this piece to be of earlier date. 2l8 Italian Pottery, fixed within a period of lefs than eight years. It is to be regretted that no mark of the fabrique at which it was produced was alfo recorded upon it. The argument that becaufe the Diruta fabrique was in the Papal States, it was moft probably made there, is equally met by the fuggeftion that it was the produdi of Pefaro or Gubbio, made for and prefented to the Pope by the Duke of Urbino (Francefco Maria I.). If this latter prefumption is correal, the date of the vafe would be between 15 13, when Leo X. afcended the papal throne, and 15 1 5, when, lofing the Pope's favour, the duke was fuperfeded in his command as Gonfalonier of the Church, and had his territory invaded in the following year. [Vide Denniftoun's Dukes of Urbino.) The bacile, No. 3033, alfo bearing the Medici arms, was probably made at the fame time and place, part of the fame fervice of " Piatti da Pompa," or fhow pieces ufed for the decoration of the '' credenza " or fideboard of the Dining Hall. The drawing on this piece differs fomewhat from the earlier ftyle, as feen in No. 7160, &c., being lefs formal and rigid in the outline. CIRCULAR Di{h. ''Bacile." Luftredware. " Mezza Majolica." Shield, bearing the Medici arms in the centre, furrounded by two foliated cornucopige, outlined and Pefaro or Gubbio, 219 fhaded blue on the white ground, and filled in with yellow luftre, Reverfe, brownifh yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio.?) About 15 13-21. Diam. 16^ in. Bought, 6/. 6s. Remarkable as bearing the Medici arms, probably thofe of Leo X., who was Pope from 1513 to 1521. The doubt of its being of the fame fervice of which the vafe No. 512 was prefumably another piece, and which may have been prefented to the Pope by Francefco Maria I., Duke of Urbino, arifes from the abfence of the Papal tiara above the fliield ; the form of this, however, and the general ftyle and execution are precifely fimilar in both pieces. In the Britifti Mufeum is a fimilar bacile with the arms of Pope Adrian VI. ; he reigned one year only, 1522-3. 8917. '^^. SMALL Plateau. Luftred ware. " Me'zza (?) Majolica:' In the centre, a medallion with female profile buft and vertical branch of flowers, outlined in blue on a white ground, and luftred with pale ruby and yellow ; border of foliated and geometrical ornament on pale blue ground. Reverfe, con- centric lines in yellow luilre. Italian. (Gubbio or Pefaro.'') About 1490-1500. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. By the fame carefully mannered hand as Nos. 507, 2997 and others. The luftre on the pieces by this artift are of great brilliancy and pearly effect. We are inclined to afcribc them to an early date, probably anterior to 1500. 8918. '62,. PLATEAU. Luflred ware. ^'^ Majolica" In the centre, a raifed medallion with female profile bufl and a flowering plant before her ; the hollow is in compartments of fcale pattern and foliated ornament, and outer border of conventional leafage ; the whole outlined in blue on white ground and luflred with yellow. Reverfe, concentric lines in luftre. Italian. (Gubbio 2 20 Italian Pottery. or Pefaro ?) About 1500-10. Diam. I2f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. " Similar in defign to the preceding piece, and painted by the fame hand, but luftred in yellow or gold colour only. The yellow luftre of this period, common apparently to the prefent and three or four other Maeftri, although lefs pleafing in its pofitive tint than the luftres of M. Giorgio, being of a dull or dirty yellow colour, is fuperior to nearly every other pigment of this nature in refpe6t of the extraordinary ' reflet ' or iridefcence, which aflumes all the prifmatic variety of colours of mother-of-pearl — this is in fa6l the true ' luftro Madreperla ' of the Italians."— (J. C. R.) BOWL, on elevated ftem. " Piadene.'" Luftred ware. " Majolica. " In the centre is a female profile portrait with two lilies (?), furrounded by pointed rays alternating with flowers, above which rifes a border of leaves and bloflbms. Exterior decorated with fcale-work pattern and gadroons, yellow iridefcent luftre outlined with blue on white ground. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio ?) About 1500. H. 6\ in., diam. 9! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A typical and charadteriftic example of a large clafs of wares which, however they agree in form and general decoration, are not always of the fame period, nor perhaps of the fame manufaftory. The fuperior fliarpnefs and precifion of the earlier and finer examples are feen in this fpecimen ; many were produced by the fame hand, but whether working at Pefaro or Gubbio is ftill unknown. VASE. Globular, with three handles, Luftred ware. " Mezza (?) Majolica." Enriched with a leaf diaper, and with three large fcroUs, on which are refpedlively infcribed " ifpera dio," " memento," and " Pafa tepo " ; the under part of the vafe and the foot decorated with pointed rays alter- nated with conventional flowers ; yellow iridefcent luftre out- lined with blue on white ground. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio?) Pefaro or Gubbio. 221 About 1 490- 1 500. H. 9|- in., diam. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. The form of this piece is unufual, its careful execution and brilliant luftre mark it as of the beft period of this able potter's work, to whom may probably be afcribed Nos. 7160, 7162, 7163, &c. We are in- clined to believe that fome of them are of an earlier date than has been generally fuppofed, perhaps even 1480 to 1500 would not be too early a limit. VASE. Amphora fhape. Two-handled. Luftred ware. '^ Majolica." Scale-work patterns, fcroll foliage, gad- roons, &c., in yellow luftre, outlined and fhaded in blue on white ground. Italian. (Gubbio or Pefaro?) About 1500. H. 9f in., diam. 7^^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 61. A typical example in form and ornamentation of a large number of vafes, both luftred and in colours, which were produced at various fabriques of the period. They were probably ufed for ornamenting the credenza or fide board, and in fome inftances for the fpezieria. The vafe No. 514, of fimilar form, is apparently of later date, and perhaps of another (Diruta?) origin. The prefent piece is of the fame period, and by the fame hand as the plateau No. 245, and it may have been ufed as a ewer to ftand upon it. ^45- '53- PLATEAU. Luftred ware. "Majolica." On the raifed centre an *' Agnus Dei " ; the hollow of the plate in alternate compartments of fcale and foliated ornament ; the rim of diaper pattern, outlined and ftiaded with dark blue on white ground and filled in with gold luftre. Reverfe, concentric lines of gold luftre. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio .?) About 1500. Diam. 13 J in. Bought, nl. A fomewhat carelefs and perhaps rather later example of this frequent type. As in many other inftances it is difficult to fay whether this is of Majolica covered with a tin enamel or with the white flip of the Mezza Majolica; the back as well as the face of this piece is glazed. Some of the earlier and more carefully, but dryly painted pieces are unglazed on the reverfe. The vafe No. 513 is by the fame hand, and perhaps intended to ftand as a ewer on this piece. 2 22 Italian Pottery. 2997. '56. PLATE. " Tondino." Luftred ware. '' Majolkar In the centre a profile portrait of a youth, furrounded by- rays ; border of fet foliated ornament, outlined in blue, filled in with gold luftre on white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines of gold luflre. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio ?) About 1500. Diam. 10^ in. Bought, 7/. 4J. Of about the fame period and perhaps by the fame hand as No. 8936. The drawing is extremely fimple, but maflerly ; the outlines of the face and hair are very effective. The glaze appears to be flanniferous, and this is another example of its early ufe, and pro- bably then recent introduction into the Pefaro or Gubbio fabrique. The gradual progrefs through this to No. 8936 is worthy of obfervation. 439^- '57- VASE. Two-handled and globular. Luftred ware. " Majolica." The centre furrounded by a band of fcale- work; on each fide of the neck is an oval medallion with clafped hands, beneath a label fcroll infcribed " Co pura fe," and foliation under the handles ; the lower part banded with ferrated rays and flowers between ; the foot with alternate fpotted and plain rays ; all in blue outline on white ground filled in with yellow luftre. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio.?) About 1500. H. ii-J in., W. I of in. Bought, 10/. A neady pencilled and good example of the wares which we afcribe to Pefaro or Gubbio. The luflre pigment is not brilliant, probably from the imperfedt action of the firing. 1443- ^S?>' PLATE. "Tondinor Luftred ware. ''Majolica." In the centre the letter V in a lozenge, on a fquare medal- lion; border of rays with flowers between; outlined in blue and luftred with gold and ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines of gold luftre. Italian. (Gubbio or Pefaro .?) About 1500. Diam. 9I in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). Pefaro or Gubbio. 223 528. '65. CUP or Tazza, on raifed ftem. " Piadene." Luftred ware. " Majolica'' In the centre is a medallion buft portrait of a woman holding a flower in her hand ; border of oblique gadroons and concentric lines ; the outfide is decorated with leafage ornaments and concentric lines, outlined with blue, filled in with ruby and yellow luftre on white ground. Italian. (Gubbio?) About 15 10. H. 3I in., diam. 8-J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. " The ruby tint feldom occurs in connexion with the variety of yellow iridefcent luftre feen in this piece." — (J. C. R.) 518. '65. VASE. Luftred ware. ^^ Majolica^ In the fhape of a pine cone (cover wanting). Grounded with gold luftre, the foot having fpiral gadroons in ruby ; underneath the foot is a mark, in ruby luftre, N (?). Italian. (Gubbio ?) About 1510-20. H. %\ in., W. 5 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. The mark (?) under the foot is fo roughly executed that its inten- tion may be doubtful. It has been taken for the Roman numeral IV^., we, however, incline to think it a badly formed letter N. 4622. '58. CIRCULAR Difti. ''BaciUr Luftred ware. " Majolica:' In the centre a half figure of St. Francis, a church in the diftance ; border a quartiere in compartments of fcale, leafage, and flower ornaments, divided by radiating bands ; outlined and fhaded in blue, and filled in with yellow luftre on the white ground. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian. (Pefaro or Gubbio?) About 1500-20. Diam. 16^ in. One of the ufual type of bacili, brilliantly luftred. 224 Italian Pottery. Gubbio. B. — JVor\s believed to he hy an early Ma/ier, who pre- ceded M\ Giorgio at Gubbio. y6S2. '6i. IIRCULAR Difh. Form, " Bacile." Luftred ware. " Majolica." Two equeftrian figures in richly- decorated, armour, one bearing a lance, the other a banner ; border of foliated ornament ; the defign executed entirely in gold luftre on white ground, outlined with manganefe black and fhaded with grey. Reverfe, yellow glaze, with mark in centre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1490-1500. Diam. I4|-in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), Sol. {Sto, engraving.) Thefe figures may probably reprefent a mailed knight and his ftandard-bearer. A great change in the enamelling of thefe wares is illuftrated by the prefent example. The form, the holes in the foot for pafTing a cord "BACILE." TWO MAILED HORSEMEN GALLOPING. Guhl'iu, about 1500. (7682. Yn.) Gubhio, 225 for fufpenfion, the yellow lead-glazed back, and the brilliant pearly- golden luftre, as alfo the fharp dry outline of the drawing, all agree with the early luftred wares whofe precife origin, from the time of Pafleri to the prefent day, has been a fubjeil of doubt and fpeculation to connoiffeurs. But the prefent example would feem to be glazed with the, then newly introduced, white enamel, prepared with the oxide of tin, and which fuperfeded the engohe or flip of white earth previoufly in ufe on the " Mczza Majolica." The outline is traced in manganefe colour probably mixed with " ZafFara," the fhades are bluifh grey ; the drawing is remarkably careful, fomewhat dry yet vigorous, the adlion of the horfes at full gallop being very energetic ; the ornaments of the armour and other details have been carefully elaborated. The luftre is very brilliant, having in fome lights a golden, in others a filver and a pearly reflet. Works by this painter are not frequent in colle6lions, one, a bacile, with a boar hunt, is in the writer's pofleflion ; it is in the fame manner as the prefent difh. This artift perhaps alfo executed fome of the finer portrait and other pieces in " Mezza Majolica." The occurrence of a mark, which is executed in the fame colour as the outline, at the back of the prefent fine fpecimen (which is perfectly inta6l) alfo gives to it additional intereft. The reader is referred to the remarks on Nos. 7683, 7684, 1606, and 500, the two former of which are probably by the fame hand. 8936. '6^. DEEP Plateau. " Bacino:' Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' In the centre, on white ground, is a female profile buft in rich drefs, furrounded by fcroll ornament ; border and margin of rays and conventional flowers ; the whole luftred in greenifti yellow, outlined with deep blue on white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1500. DIam. I of in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. The form and ftyle of decoration is much in the manner of thofe numerous pieces by an unknown hand which have been afcribed to the Diruta fabrique ; there are, however, many points of diff'erence in the nature of the glaze, which is more creamy and foft, and there is lefs general rigidity in the drawing. The enamel is probably ftanni- ferous. This is another fpecimen of the tranfition from the earlier and harder ftyle, decorated in a fimilar manner, but by a different hand and on a different furface ; probably by the fame artift as No. 7682. 2 26 Italian Pottery. 7683. '61. CIRCULAR Difh. '' Bacikr Luftred ware. ''Majolica^ In the funk centre is a large crowned eagle, the cognifance of Montefeltro ; border of rays and conventional flowers alternated, outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground, and filled in with brilliant gold and ruby luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1500. Diam. 16 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. An exceptional piece of confiderable intereft in tracing the progrefs of the manufafture. From the well known early examples of mezza majolica with golden madreperla luftre, we find the application of a fimilar pigment over a ftanniferous glaze in the hacile^ No. 7682. On the prefent fpecimen the fame tin-glaze is adopted, and perhaps the fame hand has painted, but the luftre is richer in golden effeft, and heightened by the ufe of a deep coppery ruby on fome parts of the ornament. The fame ruby is ufed alone on the large portrait plate No. 7684, the remarks upon which, as well as thofe upon Nos. 7682, 1606, and 500, are referred to. A bacile in the pofleflion of the writer, with allegorical fubje6t, is in a like manner, and pro- bably by the fame hand as the prefent example. 7684. '61. LARGE circular Difh. Luftred ware. " Majolica^ Female buft portrait in profile, with a fcroll, infcribed " chi a tenpo non dorma " ; on her fleeve is a device of a burning heart bound round with a cord ; inner border of flower buds, and outer rim of fcroll and palmette ornaments ; executed entirely in ruby luftre, blue outline and fhading. Reverfe, concentric lines in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). About 1500. Diam. 16 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. This alfo is one of thofe rare and interefting tranfitional examples, made at the period when the newly difcovered tin enamel glaze, and the Gubbio, 227 ruby luftre pigment were being ufed together. The form of the prefent difh differs from that of the early bacile, on two of which, in the opinion of Mr. J. C. Robinfon, we find the work of the fame painter. His remarks on this piece, in the catalogue of the Soulages Collection, are as follows : " By the fame hand as the two previous pieces. This ancient artift, there is every reafon to believe, was the mafter, or, at any rate, the immediate predecefTor of Giorgio, and it is prefumed that he was the inventor of the ruby luftre, his pieces being the earlieft in date on which this celebrated pigment has, as yet, been obferved to occur. Both the luftre tints are unufually brilliant, the gold or yellow (fee previous pieces) furpafling even that of Giorgio ; the ruby inclines to orange or copper colour, as contrafted with the more perfedlly developed pigment of Giorgio. The blue colour has a peculiar ftrength and power of tint, being of a full dark indigo ; this peculiarity alone rendering the works of this mafter eafily recognifable. His ftyle of execution is fimilar to the early manner of Giorgio, manifefting, perhaps, greater force and precifion of outline, though with the fame careful, timid modelling or ftiading in the fimple blue pigment, which, as ufual with the early Gubbio mafters, is the only colour employed in the flefli. The three pieces of this mafter are all of them fplendid fpecimens." The form is better adapted to the fubjedl of the piece, doubtlefs a prefent from the admirer of the fair lady portrayed, who bears upon her fleeve the emblem of his bound and burning heart. The glaze is of the tin enamel. The artift has revelled in the newly difcovered ruby pig- ment, ufing no other. No mark occurs at the back, which, inftead of being coarfely glazed in lead yellow, is covered with the white enamel and decorated with the concentric circles of ruby luftre, which afterwards were fo frequently ufed upon the Gubbio wares. The blue of the outline is, as Mr. J. C. Robinfon remarks, of great intenfity, and its improve- ment in brilliancy may be traced from the black and grey of No. 7682 through the brighter quality of No. 7683, to the purer colour of this piece ; a quality which feems to have been afterwards adopted for the earlier wares of the Giorgio fabrique. The works of this early artift are not frequently met with, the South Kenfington Mufeum being richer than any colledlion known to the writer. Another portrait plate, fomewhat fmaller, and decorated with funk hollows and rayonnated border, is in his pofleilion ; it is by the fame hand and of the fame period. See the remarks on Nos. 7682, 7683, 1606, and 500, all of which pieces may have emanated from the fame " botega " and have been executed by the fame artiftic and pradlically excellent potter. 228 Italian Pottery, 500. '65. VASE. EmbofTed and luftred ware. " Majolicar With cover and two fcroll handles. The body is divided into three belts by projedling mouldings, the upper and central enriched with bold projedling oval bofles, the former on white, the latter on blue ground ; oblique gadroons with raifed edges decorate the lower belt ; leafage fills in the intervals ; the foot is painted with pointed rays, and the cover with fcale ornament. The whole is in dark coppery luftre, outlined with blue on the white ground. Italian (Gubbio). About 1500. H. 10^ in., W. 8^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. This vafe is of very great intereft and beauty ; there can be little doubt that it is by the fame artift as the large circular difh No. 7684 ; the quality of the enamel glaze, which is of a remarkably clear white- nefs, the tone of the blue colour, with which the outlines and fome of the ground is executed, and the peculiar colour of the coppery ruby luftre, are fimilar in both examples. It is pro- bably a very early example of the ufe of the true ftanniferous enamel glaze on a piece of luftred ware made in Italy, and at the fame time it is an equally early example of the ufe of the ruby luftre. The vafe No. 498 may alfo be by the fame hand, although on that fpecimen the ruby is more brilliant and lefs coppery in tone; the varied aftion of the fire would abundantly account for the difference, although the fame pigment may have been ufed. The vafe No. 499, although of a different tone of metallic colour, and the fcodella No. 895, which is remarkable for the purity of its glaze, may perhaps be afcribable to the fame able potter. The admirable way in which the moulded ornament of this vafe is arranged to fliow the full effe6t of the luftre pigment, and the bold yet harmonious defign are worthy of obfervation. Gubbio, 229 8905. '(y^- BOWL, or deep " Fruttiera " or " Bacinettoy Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica" In the centre the (acred monogram I . H . S . in relief, outlined in blue and grounded in luftre colours ; border of oblique concave deprefled gadroons and circular hollows, outlined with blue and luftred. Reverfe, oblique fpiral fcroll ornaments and marginal lines in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1500. Diam. 8 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. The brilliancy and purity of the white enamel ground, and the perfedl fuccefs with which the combined luftre colours have been applied and fired, render this example remarkable ; it would feem that the ruby had been painted over and about the yellow luftre, to heighten the efFe6t, this fame method of ufing the metallic tints may be obferved on other pieces, but it is here particularly apparent, enriching and at the fame time foftening and harmonizing their effe.LVGUQ-iyoi^l ^ru*S\.CL*^ £ieZ PLAQUE. FIGURE OF ST. .SEBASTIAN, IN RILIEVO- Ctuhhio, dated i 501, (afSoi. '56.) Gubbio, 231 (Gubbio). About 1500. H. 9J in., W. io\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. This is a bold and charadleriftic piece. It may have been for a drug pot, or merely an ornamental vafe, perhaps furmounted by a cover. The white ground is of confiderable purity, and the ruby luftre of great intenfity approaching to a blood crimfon. The triangular handles, looped dow^nw^ards from the fhoulder of the vafe, are twifted at the bafe. The quality of the colours and general flyle of the piece leads to the conclufion that it is by the fame hand as the difh, No. 7684. 1662. '53. WALL or Floor Tile. Painted with a ftar in ruby luftre and blue; bordered by a line of ruby with fpots at the angles. Italian (Gubbio). About 1510-20. a,\ in. by 4 in. Bought, i/. \Qs. Tiles with ruby luftre rarely occur. This may have formed the angle to an ornamental border of tiles furrounding fome picture or rilievo of fimilar enamelled pottery. We have alluded to fome of thefe in the notice on M°. Georgio and the Gubbio fabrique. The colour of the ruby agrees with that on Nos. 500, 7684, &c. Gubbio, C.- — Worh afcrihed to Maejiro Giorgio' s own hand. 2601. '56. ILAQUE. Luftred ware. '' Majolica r Figure in relief of St. Sebaftian, ftanding in an architedural niche ; one of the earlieft dated fpecimens of luftred ware extant. Italian. (Gubbio, probably by Maeftro Giorgio.) Dated 1501. H. 20 in., W. yf in. Bought, 12/. (See engraving.^ 232 Italian Pottery, This highly interefting fpecimen demands particular attention. The figure of the faint ftands in full face ; his hands behind his back are faftened to a column ; a cloth is tied round the waift, and a nimbus iur- mounts his head. The figure ftands on what is intended to reprefent a circular pedeftal, and in a niche formed by two twifted columns fupport- ing a fhell-fliaped canopy, in the angles above which are two winged cherub's heads. The outlines, the (hading, and the infcription are in blue, paling off" to a greyifh tint ; the columns, bafe, background, and projedtions of the fliell canopy are in yellow luftre colour, as is alfo the cloth round the waift and the lines of the hair. Bands of ruby luftre occur on the architrave and bafe, and the blood from the faint's wounds is of the fame tint. Although of fo early a date it is not a mezza-majolica, but is enamelled with the tin glaze. This work has been afcribed by M. Jacquemart and others to the Diruta fabrique, but after careful examination and comparifon with other examples of the wares of Gubbio and Diruta, we are inclined to difi^er from that able author, and to believe that it is one of thofe modelled works by Maeftro Giorgio, for which we know that he had gained repute. This fubje61: has been confidered in the introductory notice to the Gubbio fabrique and the works of M°. Giorgio ; the reader is referred thereto for further remarks. 7161. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. "5^a7^." Luftred ware. '' Majolica r In the centre a female buft portrait in profile, with a fcroll infcribed " Pvlifena. B." ; border of geometrical diapered ornament, enriched with ruby and gold luftres. The defign fimply outlined and fhaded in blue on the white ground. Reverfe, yellowifti white glaze. Italian (Gubbio). An early work by Maeftro Giorgio. About 1500-10. Diam. 14 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. This is fpecially interefting as probably one of the earlieft examples of Maeftro Giorgio's own work. Here we have the old well known " bacile " but of " Majolica," the reverfe covered with a coarfe yellow glaze, probably plumbiferous, the rich application of the ruby luftre, the arrangement and ftyle of the portrait and other decoration, exadlly Gubbio, 233 derived or copied from thofe earlier pieces which have been afcribed to Pefaro and to Diruta, and w^hofe real hiftory is ftill unknown to us. The gradual change of ftyle, and the nice differences, which, in feparating, connect thefe earlier and later examples, incline us to believe that all had the fame general origin, and that Gubbio, if not their native, became their adopted locality. The earlier bacili, the two handled vafes, the large piadeni and the plateaux with raifed centre, all with fimilar fcale work, foliated and rayed ornament, &c., and luftred with a golden pigment having that peculiar madreperla refledlion, gradually merge into thofe with more or lefs of ruby luftre ; much of the fame ornament (on the border) but by a different hand, and in a different luftre tint are feen on the bacile No. 7683, and probably the piece now under confideration may be regarded as the next ftage. A change in form and general decoration foon follows. The exiftence of furnaces under other maeftri at Gubbio is highly probable, and would be fuificient to account for the variations in technical quality, among the fpecimens which have come down to us of the earlier luftred wares. The difcovery and application of the ruby luftre, and a certain additional brilliancy to the golden, does not appear to have been made by M°. Giorgio. The fine bacile No. 1606, which is rich in ruby, does not bear the imprefs of his hand, but ftiows a much nearer approximation to No. 7160, and others by an unknown earlier artift, to whom we are inclined to afcribe it. It appears to be anterior to Nos. 7682, 7683, and 7684, which form the next links in the fcale, and on which the newly difcovered tin glaze is feen. Thence we come to the prefent fpecimen, on which the manner prefumed to be of M°. Giorgio's early hand is apparent, and from this the advance of his art is traceable in this colletlion. The remarks appended to the numbers above-mentioned are referred to as bearing on the fubjeit. 8900. '63. DEEP Plate. '' Bacile r Luftred ware. '' Majolica r 111 the centre clafped hands, the male hand adorned with a thumb ring, the female with two rings on the fecond, and two on the fourth finger. Ab<^e them a heart in ruby luftre transfixed with arrows ; underneath the "hands is a fire, the flames in yellow luftre. Border of rays in golden luftre, between which are flowers in ruby, on white ground, with 234 Italian Pottery, pale greyifh blue outlines and fhading. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian (Gubbio). Probably one of the earlieft works of Maeftro Giorgio. About 1500-10. Diam. \\\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. An interefting ancient example of an '* amatoria " or love gift, per- haps of mezza-majolica, and fimilar to the large early bacili of Pefaro and Gubbio. It will be obferved how nearly the border pattern agrees with that on No. 7683 and others. The ruby is of great brilliancy ; the outline of grey blue, carefully drawn, agrees with other pieces afcribed to Mo. Giorgio. It may in all likelihood have been prefented on the occafion of a betrothal, or of a marriage. The pieces painted with Cupids probably ferved as gifts, declaring the lover's admiration, and fometimes his defpair ; the clafped hands would indicate an ac- ceptance and betrothal. " Fede " rings with joined hands were in ufe from a very early period, and were probably of fimilar fignificance. PLATE. Small « Bacikr Luftred ware. '' MajoUcar In the centre a helmeted profile buft, with a ftem of flowers on either fide ; border, radiating leaf pattern charged alter- VASE. ■.L15B10. Asctibcd to Afaestro Giorgio. Adout 1515. Guhbio. 235 nately with fcales and ftrawberrles ; the whole richly luftred in gold and ruby, outlined and fhaded in blue on white ground. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian (Gubbio). Afcribed to Maeftro Giorgio. About 15 10. Diam. 11 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. An early piece, perhaps by the hand of M°. Giorgio ; it agrees in ftyle of treatment with Nos. 8890 and 8900, and alfo with Nos. 7681 and 501. The decoration has a certain degree of Morefque feeling, as is the cafe with many of the earlier fpecimens of luftred ware. It is remarkably heavy and thick, of a coarfe red earth, glazed at the back with yellow lead glaze, and apparently faced with a white ftanniferous enamel. 8407. '62,. , VASE, with two handles and cover. Luftred ware. " Majolica" The body of the vafe is grounded in gold and ruby luftre ; on one fide is a fhield of arms, with ribbons or fcrolls, fupported by two cupids outlined and fhaded in blue, and on the other fide a dance of three cupids fimilarly painted ; beneath is a frieze of cupids playing with a fnake and a tortoife or turtle ; cherubs heads adorn the foot, on dark blue ground, and a frieze of cupids on fimilar ground encircles the lid ; the handles are of gold luftre, their jundlion with the vafe being continued by an acanthus leaf, painted in ruby ; mouldings, knobs, &c., of ruby and gold luftre, with which the cupid fubjeds are alfo heightened. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1 515. H. loj in., W. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 200/. (See coloured plate.) Mr. J. C. Robinfon remarks of this rare example : *' The drawing and execution of the amorini are in the timid early ftyle of the mafter, and as the piece is neither figned nor dated, it was doubtlefs executed before 1 5 18, after which year there are few fpecimens to which Giorgio's well-known fignature is not appended. In perfection of luftre, enamel 236 Italian Pottery. glaze, and depth and power of the blue pigment, this important fpecimen. is unfurpafTed by any other piece of the mafter." The drawing of the figures is not merely timid, but rude and inferior, yet having a certain force of expreflion. The power of the blue colour refembles that of the CafFaggiolo works, and has confiderable affinity to the plate No. 8941, as alfo has the drawing of the figures. There is moreover fome refemblance to the ftyle of the large circular difh No. 7684. We are, however, inclined to agree with Mr. J. C. Robinfon in afcribing this piece to the early period of M°. Giorgio's handiwork, and as fuch, as well as from the extreme rarity of vafes, made exclufively for ornamental purpofes, and fo brilliantly enriched with the luftre pigments, it muft be regarded as of great intereft. 501 ^5'- BOWL, on elevated ftem. " Piadene." Luflred ware. " Majolica." The bottom of the bowl forms a medal- lion fubjed: of Cupid {landing, holding in one hand a ball, in the other a cornucopia, painted in blue in the ufual early manner of the mafter; the fides, both in and out, are covered with geometrical foliated decoration ; beneath and on the ftem are pointed rays in luftre colours, outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1 51 5. H. 6 in., diam. 10 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 80/. A brilliant example of the luftre colours, which are laid on in pro- fufion, but with excellent effect. The manner and pattern of the ornament is precifely fimilar to that on No. 8890, a plate of great beauty, and which has a marked Oriental charailer in its general effect. The fame hand doubdefs painted it, and at about the fame time, indeed it may have formed portion of the fame creden'z.a} It is alfo worthy of note how entirely the form, and the radiated ornament of this piece, agree with thofe fomewhat earlier, or contemporary bowls of golden luftre, by fome afcribed to the Diruta works (Nos. 507, 508, &c.) The prefent is a fpecimen of great rarity, few fhaped pieces of fuch character having been preferved. ^ This word was ufed to denote the fideboard, and alfo the fervice of veflels for its adornment, as we ufe the phrafe " a fideboard of plate." Guhbio, 237 8890. '63. PLATEAU. Luftred ware. '' Majolica." On the ralfed medallion centre a rabbit on a rock ; the hollow is filled by foliated diaper ornament, arranged as the petals of a flower, margin of flowers, the whole in rich ruby and gold luftre, outlined and fhaded with grey blue on white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 15 10-1520. Diam. I2-| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. Although unfigned by the Mafter, as an example of excellent deco- ration and perfe6t fuccefs in the production of the luftre tint, this is one of the moft interefting examples of the Gubbio ware. The painting of the centre is rapid but mafterly, the rabbit of golden luftre fits upon a grey fward, which covers a rock of the moft brilliant ruby ; con- centric circles of gold and ruby furround the raifed medallion, from which fpring a double feries of leaves or petals, which fill the whole " cavetto" of the difh. Each alternate leaf carries a ftrawberry of the richeft ruby luftre, the leaves themfelves being outlined and fliaded with a grey blue, on the white ground of the piece. The w^hole centre of the piece thus has the effeil of a rich open flower, blazing with metallic luftre, but cooled and foftened by the grey ftiadows. The outer margin is covered with a fequence of a flower and two leaves, gold and ruby. The quality of the glaze and the richnefs of the luftre colours would lead us to infer that it was made about 1520. There is a ftrong reminifcence of Moorifli character in the general effeft of this beautiful plateau, which in form is fimilar to thofe fo abundantly made at an earlier period. See Nos. 1779, 6659, ^^' 7681. '61. CIRCULAR Difli. " Baciler Luftred ware. " Majo- lica.'' In the centre medallion is a cupid riding on an unicorn, encircled by concentric bands of ruby luftre and diaper flower; the hollow ("cavetto") of the plate is en- riched with oval funk pools or gadroons grounded with gold luftre ; the outer border, of fcalework, diaper flower and ruby 238 Italian Pottery, edge, all outlined with blue on white ground, and richly filled in with yellow and ruby luftre colours. Reverfe, concentric circles in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1510-20. Diam. 14! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. Gorgeous with luftre colour, and thus, as in the manner of the centre medallion, having affinity to No. 8890. It is an important fpecimen of the early period of Mo. Giorgio's fabrique, and has the advantage of being almoft intadt and well preferved on the furface. 8932. '6^. DEEP Tazza. " Fruttiera^ Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica." In the centre a female buft-portrait on blue ground, infcribed " Baldafina ;" the border of oblique radiating gadroons, and pellets or balls in relief, outlined with blue, and luftred in gold and ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines in yellow luftre. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1518-20. Diam. io| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. The outlines of the head are carefully fketched in that bright blue colour which was in ufe about 1520, a flight fliading of a weaker blue is ufed about the head and drefs ; probably " From the hand of the Maeftro himfelf, in his delicate and careful early manner — profufely luftred. The ruby tint applied in mafs on the coftume of the figure."— (J. C. R.) 401. 54. TAZZA Plate. " Fruttierar Luftred ware. " Majolica^ On a fquare centre, framed in ruby luftre, and dated 1 5 18, St. Francis receiving the Stigmata. At the angles are four cherubim heads, trophies of arms filling the intervening fpaces on a pale blue ground, all richly luftred. On the reverfe, concentric lines of ruby and radiating gadroons of (4°' — .•)•) Gubhio. 239 gold luftre. Signed in full and dated 151 9. (The earlieft dated piece of the mafter in the colle6lion.) Diam. 9 J in. Bought, 30/. (See coloured 'plate.') Although one of the earlieft figned and dated fpecimens by the hand of Maeftro Giorgio (the earlieft recorded being in the col- ledion of Robert Napier, Efq., and which bears the date 15 17 on the face, and 15 18 on the back), this tazza, for careful execution and brilliant decoration, has few rivals. The centre is occupied by a fquare pidlure, framed by a broad ruby, and an inner narrow line of golden luftre. The faint, who has dropped on the left knee, is in front of a cave, and on the turfy ledge of a precipitous rock, beneath which is the fea ; a caftellated bridge and town are in the diftance. A crucifix with fix ruby wings is in the fky above, and from its five wounds rays of ruby light pafs to the upraifed hands, the feet, and fide of St. Francis, habited as a monk, and having tonfure and nimbus on his head. The outlines of the figure, the 'crucifix, the diftant town, and the fea, are executed in that clear vivid blue which Giorgio ufed in all his earlier works, the ftiading being in a weaker dilution of the fame pigment ; the (fr> drefs of the Saint, the nimbus, and fome few touches to heighten the land- fcape, are in yellow luftre ; on the lower fide of the frame occurs the date 15 18. The grounding of the plate is in blue of a pale greyifh tone ; at the four corners of the frame are winged cherubim heads, and between them trophies of arms, all outlined in blue of a darker tone, filled in with 240 Italian Pottery. golden and ruby luftre, harmonioufly diverfified. The efFecSt of the whole is very brilliant. A fomewhat unufual degree of decoration has been beftowed upon the reverfe of this piece, radiating gadroons of yellow luftre and concentric lines of ruby furrounding the centre, where occur the fignature and date in golden luftre, as ftiown in the accompanying fac-fimile. 4433. S^. DEEP Tazza. " Scodelkr Luftred ware. " Majolicar Grotefques on blue ground ; in the centre, in a fquare compartment, Hercules and Antaeus, in a rocky landfcape. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian (Gubblo). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1518-20. Diam. 12 in. Bought, 4/. (See engraving.^ This is a fpecimen of great excellence although unfortunately ill- ufage has fomewhat dimmed the brilliancy of its furface and luftre colours ; on the dark blue ground, the quaint forms of the human and animal headed ferpents, and winged four-legged monfters, are admirably interlaced and terminated in floral ornament ; the expreflion of the heads is powerful, and the whole effe6t highly decorative, broad, and bold ; the drawing and general treatment in the fquare centre is not of equal excellence. The figures, Hercules, whofe club is on the ground, and Antaeus, whom he clafps round the waift, are not admirable ; a rocky background and a town in the diftance complete the piilure. The luftre colours are applied to the whole furface of the grotefque animals, whofe wings, foliated manes, &c. are coloured green ; parts of flowers are in ruby, as is alfo the drefs of Antaeus in the centre fubjeft. The furface appears to be enamelled with the tin glaze, whilft, probably for economy's fake, the back has merely the ordinary lead glazing to cover the rough red earth of which the piece is formed. 8893. '6^. FLAT Plate. " "tagliere." Luftred ware. " Majolica^ On a dark blue ground a fnield of arms, cherubim heads, flaming cornucopiae, and a banderole infcribed '^ viva . viva . DEEP TAZZA. HERCULES AND ANT^US, WITH BORDER OF GROTESQUES. Guhhio. By M'\ Giofgio ^ about 1518-20. Gubbio, 241 IN . ETERNUM " ; blue outlines and fhading, flefh tints glazed with light orange. Reverfe, concentric lines, and the initials of M°. Giorgio in ruby luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520. Diam. 9-1 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 70/. A very effedlive although not highly finifhed example, probably of Giorgio's own work, the dark blue ground contrafting well with the rich luftre tints j this is an early inftance of the ufe of another colour than blue in fhading the flefh ; the fignature differs from the ordinary form of the G. PLATE. '"Taglierer Luflred ware. '' Majolicar In the centre a fhield, bearing a tree with purple fruit between a leopard on its hind legs, and a lion, both holding the tree, a cherub's head and grotefque ornament furrounding ; outlined in blue on golden luflre ground. Reverfe, con- centric bands of luflre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. Entirely of the Gubbio fabrique and painted by a very able hand, whofe decoration in grotefques of great force and quaint expreflion generally occurs combined with the mofl brilliant luftre. There is every reafon to afcribe thefe pieces to M°. Giorgio himfelf, though many fuch occur without any fignature or mark. The fine plate No. 4422, arid others, are fimilarly treated, although in that inflance with more care ; the period of their produftion would probably range from about 1518 to 1528. 242 Italian Pottery, 7^93- '^i- PLATE. "Fruttierar Luftred ware. ''Majolicar Pro- ceffion of fix warriors in antique armour, carrying banners ; outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground, richly luftred with gold and ruby. Reverfe, decorated with oblique fpiral gadroon ornament in ruby luftre, the monogram of Maeftro Giorgio, and the date 1520. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. \i\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. Dated pieces of this year, 1520, are feldom met with, and are generally notable for the excellence of the enamel glaze and its even furface ; thofe known to the writer, of which one is in his own colleftion, are moftly outlined in a bright blue colour, and are remarkable for the extreme brilliancy and fuccefsful application of the luftre pigments ; the ruby is very rich, as feen in the prefent example, which may with probability be confidered as the work of Giorgio's own pencil. 7157. '60. PLATEAU. Luftred ware. '' Majolica^ With raifed medallion centre, on which are the arms of the Brancaleoni family ; around it a wide border of grotefque ornament, confifting of cherubs' heads and interlaced eagle- headed foliation, painted in luftre colours on an alternate green and blue ground ; the margin decorated with an inter- laced ftrap work or guilloche pattern on a ground of gold luftre. Reverfe, decorated with the well-known entwined knot and foliated fcroU ornament in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1520. Diam. 15 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 1 20/. (See engraving?) The defign and execution of this plateau, which doubtlefs had its accompanying ewer, are of a very high order 5 the furface is admirably covered with well difpofed ornament, drawn in a bold and vigorous manner and coloured with great care. The medallion, grounded in green upon the blue backing, is an arrangement of colours probably derived from the works of the Perfian or Rhodian potters ; the luftre PLATEAU. ARMS OF THE BRANCALEONl FAMILY ; BORDER OF ORO'IKSQ^I ES. Gubbio. By M". Giorgio, about 1520. (7'S7- '^'O-) Gubbio» 243 pigments have been applied with great delicacy, and of a fomewhat fubdued tone, the ruby particularly having that pale rofe colour feldom met with, and generally found on Giorgio's moft carefully finifhed works. 8891. '6^. PLATE. " Taglierer Luftred ware. " Majolica^ The furface occupied by the fhield of arms of Duke Francefco Maria I. of Urbino, furmounted by the ducal coronet, and furrounded by grotefques on a blue ground, among which occur the date 1522, and the words "Amor," " Penfa a dios," and " Aiurai felice," the whole richly luftred with gold and ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines of golden luftre. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. Dated 1522. Diam. ii\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 100/. The decoration of this very fine piece is what is termed "gro- tefche " in Piccolpaflb's work. " The ornamental details confift of dragons, interlaced ferpents, fphinxes, mafks, military and mufical tro- phies, garlands, infcribed cartouches, &c. ; they are almoft entirely grounded in the ruby and yellow luftres, exhibiting a perfedl blaze of the moft brilliant * reflet.' " — (J. C. R.) There can be no doubt that it is the work of the mafter's own hand, and but for fome accident in the firing, by which a granulated effedt has been produced on fome portions of the luftred glaze, this would have been, from the richnefs and har- monious difpofition of the luftre tints and the fine free drawing and artiftic invention of the grotefques, one of the choiceft examples of Giorgio's fkill. It is moreover extremely interefting from the ftiield of arms, and the infcription, by which we may conclude that it was a gift plate, from or to the Duke, probably on the occafion of a birthday, the receiver having happinefs foretold to him, but accompanied by the wifeft and beft precept, " Think of God." 7686. '61. PLATE. '"Tondino." Luftred ware. "Majolica:' In the centre a cupid nurfing a dog, the fides grounded in gold luftre ; the border of fcroll and palmette orna- ment, luftred in gold and ruby on dark blue ground. 244 Italian Pottery, Reverfe, concentric lines in luftre colours. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1522. Diam. iif in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. Probably by Giorgio's own hand, and an early example of this well-known pattern. The luftre colours are not of the moft brilliant quality. 8451. '63. PLATE. ''Fruttierar Luftred ware. '' Majolica r The Virgin feated on a throne and bearing the Infant Saviour, in an Italian architedural interior. Through the interftices of the columns is feen an extenfive landfcape, with rivers winding ; the fea with fhips in the diftance. Reverfe, fcroll decoration in gold luftre. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. About 1520-25. Diam. io|; in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. " The group of the Virgin and Child is evidently after RafFaelle, and has confiderable refemblance to the ' Madonna di Foligno ; * the drapery of the Virgin, the chequered pavement, the columns, and other details of the archite6ture, are enriched with the ruby and gold luftres, in unufual quantity and of the moft brilliant and harmonious tones." — (J. C. R.) The glaze of this fpecimen is remarkably fmooth and regular ; although not figned, and fomewhat different in the ftyle of the fcroll enrichment at the back, there can be little doubt that this piece was painted and luftred by Giorgio himfelf. The landfcape background is fimilarly treated to that on No, 8939. 7695. '61. PLATE. " Fruitier a.'' Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' The fight for the ftandard, a compofition of three mounted cavaliers, taken from an early Italian print, by an unknown mafter, of which an impreftion is preferved in the Britifli Mufeum. Reverfe, fcrolls, interlaced knots, and con- centric rings, with the date, 1522, and " M. G." in luftre Gubbio. 245 colours. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. Diam. jij in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. One of the cavaliers, bearing a ftandard, is attacked by another with a ftiletto ; the third, alfo engaged in the melee, is habited in Roman armour, and has a commander's baton in his hand ; two flain foldiers, with bucklers and other arms are trampled under foot, while on the left a foot foldier is fleeing away. Landfcape background, the fky grounded dark blue, powdered with ftars in luftre colour. The piece is very profufely luftred, the ruby tint being applied in malTes ; the out- lines are in greyifh blue, fhading with the fame of a lighter tint, the lights are left of the white enamel j the forcible expreffion of the faces is rendered by few lines. 1788. 'zc,. PLATE. Luftred ware. " Majolica^ At the bottom of the deeply funk centre, of yellow luftre, is a fhleld of arms, " Gules, on a chief argent, a porcupine " ; border covered with the fubjedl of the death of Pyramus. Reverfe, fcrolls and the monogram of M*^. Giorgio, and date, 1522, in ruby and gold luftre. The ftyle of painting of this piece differs fomewhat from that of No. 7692, although the date is fimilar. The fame hand may, however, 246 Italian Pottery, be traced in both. Like other Majolica painters Giorgio varied greatly in the care with which he executed the various pieces, doubtlefs giving more attention to the more highly paid fpecimens. The fliield of arms is probably that of the Martini family of Siena. 1789- 'ss- PLATE, with deep centre. '■^ Tondino" Luftred ware. " Majolica.'" The fubjed of Diana and Adlason covers the wide border ; the fide of the funk centre is of golden luftre, and the bottom is filled by a medallion, cupid playing with a child's horn. Reverfe, rude fcroll decoration in gold luftre. Monogram of Maeftro Giorgio, and date 1524. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. lof in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. There is much in the charafter of this plate which leads us to doubt its having been painted by M^. Giorgio's own hand, notwithftanding it evinces a very able execution. The dark colour of the foliage in the background, and the heightening by white enamel, have more affinity with fome works of the Urbino fchool ; on the other hand, there are fo many and gradual fhades of difference in works which we have every reafon for afcribing to the mafter, that this alfo, although fome- what removed from the more accepted types, may be his, or that of one of his brothers at his fabrique. SMALL TAZZA. SUBJECT FROM THE "• STREAM OF LIFE," AFTER ROBETTA. Gubbio. By M". Giorgio, about 1525. (8939. '63.) Gubbio, 247 8939. '6 O" SMALL Tazza or " Frz^//z>r^." Luftredware. '■^Majolica'' A man and woman {landing befide a ftream and em- bracing, taken from, a compofition known as the " Stream of Life," engraved by Robetta. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls, and the mark in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio. Probably painted in 1525. Diam. 7 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 100/. (See engraving.^ Eredl, in the centre of the compofition, a nude male and female figure are feen embracing ; on the left is a cupid feated on the fward ; in the background an extenfive landfcape, with a town in the diftance, and a river, with various tributary ftreams meandering through the fore- ground. Richly, but moft artiftically heightened with ruby luftre. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Catalogue of the Soulages Colle6tion, fays, " This exquifite fpecimen is of the moft perfeft ' technique ' of the mafter ; there can be no doubt, although not dated, that it was executed in the year 1525, the year in which fo many of Giorgio's really fine works were produced ; it is of precifely the fame quality both in drawing, colouring, and perfe£lion of enamel glaze and luftre, as the well-known fpecimen reprefenting the Three Graces in the colledlion of M. Rouflel^ of Paris, and of the plate reprefenting a battle fubjeit, belonging to H. Scudamore Stanhope, Efq. ; and laftly, of the celebrated plateau, painted with this fame compofition on a larger fcale, acquired at the fale of the Bernal Colle6lion by Andrew Fountaine, Efq. (all three dated 1525).^ Giorgio was not a powerful draughtfman ; ' Now in the colleftion of Andrew Fountaine, Efq. - To thefe we may add the noble plate belonging to the Baronne de Parpart (fee mark No. 12). 248 Italian Pottery. his execution, generally fpeaking, is far inferior to that of many other Maeftri, his contemporaries ; but this fmgle piece would fuffice to efta- blifh his claims as a colourift. The harmony and luminous quality of colour here difplayed would be admirable in any material ; whilft, techni- cally fpeaking, the pigments themfelves and their mode of application, fpecially the ruby luftre, which is feen in its full perfeftion in the drapery of the female figure, have never fince been furpafled in any Ceramic vehicle. The prefent fpecimen may vie in thefe refpe(Sls with the fineft pate tendre porcelain of Sevres." 1690. '55. PLATE, with deep centre. " 'Tondino'' Luftred ware. " Majolica^ A woman at a well, (on which Is the date, 1525) and two other figures in coftume of the i6th century, under a portico ; landfcape background, painted in pale blue on white and luftred with ruby and gold colour. Reverfe, foliated fcroll ornaments, the initials of Maeftro Giorgio, and date, 1525. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. yf in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), ill. In the fame manner as No. 1755, and probably portions of a fer- vice, feveral pieces of which are in the Britifh Mufeum, and one in Mr. J. Henderfon's colledlion. Some of them are among the moft beautiful fpecimens of the Gubbio wares, the latter being fpecially remarkable for the brilliancy and variety of effeft produced by the luftre. Two or more of the pieces are dated 1524, others have the mark No. 10 ; the peculiar central figure of this mark occurs on the face of fome of thefe plates. It probably is intended for a private emblem or mark of the owner, not having reference to the artift who painted the piece on which it may occur. No. 11 is a mark of fimilar chara61:er. There can be little doubt that thefe plates were painted by Mo. Giorgio, and it is fingular to notice the fuperiority of fome over others, executed as they muft have been within a fliort interval, and for the one purpofe. PLATE, with deep centre. ** Tondino." Luftred ware. " Majolica." Tritons and fea nymphs. Painted in pale blue and luftred In ruby. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls in ruby and Gubbio. 249 gold luftre, with the Giorgio monogram and date, 1525. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 7^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), ill. By the fame hand as 1690, the fame general remarks on which apply alfo to this piece ; the accidents of firing would be quite fufficient to account for the poverty of the colours and luftre tints. 8940. '6^. PLATE. " Tondino." Luftred ware. '' Majolica." In the deep centre a fhield of arms ; the border, " a foglie," of foliated fcrolls on a white ground, lined and fhaded with blue, and luftred with gold and ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). Afcribed to M^ Giorgio. About 1530. Diam. 8 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. A bright and pretty fpecimen, well luftred and decorated with the favourite " a foglie " pattern round a fliield of arms, bearing, azure, on a fefs bordered or, three ftars of the fame, in chief an oft rich argent, bafe paley, azure and or. 7166. '60. PLATEAU or Circular Difti, with deep funk centre and wide border. Luftred ware. " Majolica'' In a me- dallion centre is the ftanding figure of a faint, between two dogs, in landfcape background, and the initials "S. L." The drapery and nimbus of the faint are in ruby luftre. The *' cavetto " of the plate forms a band of gold luftre, and the wide border is decorated with grotefques, cupids, and medallions, on a blue ground. Reverfe, fcrolls and interlaced knots, the date 1530? (fomewhat illegible), and initials of M°. Giorgio in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 1 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 150/. The figure reprefented holds what may be a portion of a palm leaf in the right hand, and is in the a6t of feparating a piece therefrom with 250 Italian Pottery, his left ; the left foot refts on a fquare ftone or book ; the drapery and nimbus of the faint are in the ruby luftre. The ornamentation of the wide border confifts of interlaced ferpents with human and animal heads, foliated fcroll work, and amorini, with four large medallions furrounded with wreaths of green foliage ; thefe contain : — Firft, An amorino feated in a landfcape and holding an eel, which is Aiding through his fingers ; and the motto " Cosi fugi la vita noftra " (fo flies our Hfe). Second, Female buft in blue outline, with the wheel and palm branch, infcribed " fanta caterina ;" this medallion is entirely wafhed over with tranfparent ruby luftre, through which the outline of the defign appears. Third, Female buft infcribed " Fauftina," fimilarly grounded with gold luftre. Fourth, Laureated buft of an emperor, infcribed " Hero rex," doubtlefs an error in writing, being more probably intended for " Nero ;" it is fimilarly grounded with gold luftre. Mr. J. C. Robinfon adds to his defcription, " this is one of the largeft and moft important pieces of the Mafter known to exift, and is entirely from his own hand." The fize and elaborate decoration render it fo remarkable ; the drawing is fomewhat carelefs, and the general execution inferior to many examples in this, and in other collections. -^^ZZ' '55- TAZZA or Bowl. " Fruttiera." Luftred ware. " Ma- jolica." St. Francis receiving the Stigmata; landfcape background, to the right a monk feated, afleep, in front of an architedlural facade. Painted in colour and luftred with ruby and gold. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls, the date 1532, and the initials of Maeftro Giorgio in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. I of in. Bought, ill A fomewhat hafty and carelefs example, perhaps by M''. Giorgio's own hand. The general arrangement and colouring of the landfcape background is confufed, the trees exaggerated, and the diftance badly managed ; the luftre colour has been laid on ftrongly in large mafl^es of ruby on the drefles of the two monks, and in the rays of light defcending from the angel, whofe wings are alfo of ruby, and again in heightening the fky and landfcape background, and archite«5lure. Gubbio, 251 1706. '55. PLATE. " Tagiiere." Luftred ware. " Majolica." A man felling a tree, which is being transformed into a nymph or dryad ; another looks on in furprife, and a dead body, with fevered head is on the ground ; the whole enriched with metallic luftre. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls and date in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). M°. Giorgio. Dated 1533. Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. loj-. There is confiderable vigour in the carelefs drawing of the fubje<5t, which may have been the hafty work of M". Giorgio himfelf. On the other hand fome minute attention has been given to the lights and fliades on the tree ftems, and other minor details, perhaps executed by a younger affiftant. Gubbio, D. — Works of the fahrlque, and pieces painted by unknown artjfts though hearing the Initials of the Majier. 7168. '60. LATE. '' Bacile," Luftred ware. '' Majolica r In the centre a fhield of arms, on a band within which is the word "Vafo;" the border in compartments of fcroll foliage, in ruby and gold luftre, with blue outlines and ftiading. Reverfe, yellowifh white enamel. Italian (Gubbio). About 15 10. Diam. i if in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. An early piece of the Giorgio fabrique. 252 Italian Pottery, 534. '65. CANDLESTICK. Luftred ware. '' Majolica r The form and defign adapted from the damafcened bronze candlefticks of Oriental and Venetian workmanfhip of the 1 5th or 1 6th centuries; a belt of interlaced ftrap work, enclosing ruby flowers on dark blue ground, encircles the foot. Italian (Gubbio). Perhaps by Maeflro Giorgio. About 1520-30. H. 5 in., diam. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. This rare and beautiful piece is an interefting example of the appli- cation of metal work defign to another material, a method which, although generally fallacious, has, in the prefent inftance, been fo varied and modified as to produce an excellent refult. The glaze of a creamy white and fine texture forms the ground of the tabular foot, the upper face of which is decorated with foliated arabefques ; thefe and all the mouldings and edges are of gold luftre. The nozzle is unfortunately broken, but the globular fwelling of the ftem has a leafage moulding in ruby and gold. A band of dark blue ground, covered by interlacings in white, heightened with gold luftre, and panelling flowers and fprays of the richeft ruby, is the moft marked and efFedlive feature of the whole. The general efFedt is one of great richnefs without being glary. The execution has been careful, and it is afluredly of the beft period of the manufa6lure at Gubbio. If not drawn by the hand of M". Giorgio himfelf it muft have been the work of an able artift under his fuper- intendence. VASE, amphora fhaped, with fcroll handles. Luftred ware. " Majolica^ Decorated in bands of foliated arabefque between raifed mouldings ; outlined, and with flowers in blue, filled in with ruby and gold on the white ground. The foot reftored. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520. H. 9^ in., W. 7-J by 6 in. Bought. (Bandinel Coll.) A decorative vafe of good form and ornamentation, the latter having a ftrong Oriental feeling, derived from the Morefque pottery or the Guhbio, 253 engraved metal work of Damafcus. In the writer's coUedlion is a tazza of fimilar ftyle, brilliantly luftred, and with central medallion of a female buft. This vafe has been reftored in the foot, which was wanting, and part of the handles ; the luftre tints are fomewhat pale. 519- '65- VASE with Cover, in the fhape of a pine cone. Luftred ware. "Majolica.'' White ground, touched with green and orange, and with ruby and gold luftre, the foot enriched with leaf ornament In luftre on blue ground. Underneath the foot the figure or mark, being the Arabic numeral 4. Italian. (Gubbio or Diruta ?) About 1 520. H. loj in., diam. 6\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. M. Jacquemart ftates that all thefe pine cone vafes were made at Diruta, but without giving a fufficient authority. The prefent example has much more of the charailer of the Gubbio ware, in the quality and arrangement of the colours, efpecially on the foot ; the luftre colour has that fuUnefs and rich purple tendency, which is fo frequent to the works of this factory, and never feen on authenticated Diruta pieces. 524. '^^. VASE, two-handled. Luftred ware. " Majolica." Con- centric belts of foliated ornament, gadroons and lines in ruby and yellow luftre on white, outlined and ftiaded in blue. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520-30. H. 65 in., W. 7 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A vafe of elegant form derived from the antique, and partaking of the Crater and the Amphora. The decorations are harmonioufly blended, but the luftre pigments have not acquired their full force in the firing i of the fabrique, if not by the hand, of M°. Giorgio. 2 54 Italian Pottery, JUG. '' Mejcirohay Luftred ware. '' Majolica^ With trefoil lip and fcroll handle. Painted with zones of fcroU foliage in ruby and gold luflre, on white ground, lined and fhaded with blue. Italian (Gubbio). About 1525. H. 9f in., W. 6J- in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. A richly covered and brilliant example of the Giorgio works, the luftre colours nearly concealing the ground. It is worthy of remark that the upper and lower zone of ornament, confifting of a wreath of ovals, intended to reprefent conventional flowers, precifely correfpond with that fo ufually occurring on the two-handled vafes and plateaux w^ill have been afcribed to the Diruta fabrique (Nos. 413, 503, 245, &c.). This, doubtlefs, was an ornament in vogue at the period, but may with fome probability be regarded as connecting fuch pieces with the Gubbio fadlory. 8887. '63. PLATE. " Taglierer Luftred ware. " Majolica^ In the funk centre is a rofette from which the foliated ornament of the border radiates ; the whole luftred with gold and ruby, outlined and fhaded with blue on a white ground. Reverfe, concentric Hnes in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. A fomewhat early piece from the " botega " of Maeftro Giorgio, w^hich has become w^arped in the baking ; the luftre tints in fome places have failed in the firing, one of the leaves on the border, which ought to have been like the reft of golden luftre, remains yellow, and without metallic reflection ; the reducing fmoke of the furnace has failed to affedt this part, and the original colour of the pigment remains. The decoration is good, and rather Oriental in character. A triple hillock furmounted by a ruby dot, which occurs on each leaf, may have refer- ence to the Chigi family of Rome, whofe armorial bearings are fomewhat fimilar. Gubbio. 255 8893. '62,. PLATE, with deep centre. " tondino." Luftred ware. ^^ Majolica." In the medallion centre a label is infcribed, "Viva." The hollow "cavetto" of the plate is grounded with gold luftre, and the wide border decorated with oblique radiating leaves ; the whole outlined and fhaded in blue, filled in with golden luftre nearly covering the furface, and heightened with circles and touches of ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520. Diam. lofin. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. A richly luftred example of the more ordinary wares of the Giorgio fabrique ; probably one of thofe made for general purchafers. This may have been ufed as a birthday prefent. 7^79' '^i- PLATE, ''rondimr Luftred ware. '' Majolica r In the centre an efcutcheon of arms, with landfcape back- ground, in a funk hollow of golden luftre ; wide border of running leaf pattern, *^ a foglie," in yellow and ruby luftre, outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground. Reverfe, fcrolls and interlaced knot patterns in luftre tints. Italian (Gubbio). Fabrique of Maeftro Giorgio. Initialed and dated 1525. Diam. 14 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. A fine bold fpecimen, probably painted by one of the art workmen of Mo. Giorgio's fabrique, and luftred under his fuperintendence. The golden tint has a ftrong orange colour, when the light fo falls upon it as not to ftiow its metallic efi:e6t. The ruby is very brilliant. It is of the beft period of the art. DEEP Plate. " Fruitier a^ Embofted and luftred ware. ^^ Majolica!' In the centre are clafped hands, a fire beneath, and a heart pierced by an arrow above ; the border M. 98-1- 2 s6 Italia?t Pottery. of raifed oak leaves and fruit on white ground, outlined and fhaded with blue; the whole luftred in gold and ruby. Reverfe, plain. Itahan (Gubbio). About 1520-30. Diam. 8^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. A good bright example of one of tlie " fede " gift plates, probably prefented on the occafion of the betrothal, with preferved fruits or other fweets. 8906. 'G]^. TAZZA or Bowl. " Fruitier a.'' Emboffed and luftred ware. " Majolica.'' In the centre the facred mono- gram in relief, furrounded by rays ; border of raifed acanthus leaves, alternating with pellet-fhaped fruit ; the relief ornament is outlined in blue, and grounded on gold and ruby luftres, on a white furface of great purity. Reverfe, concentric lines of ruby luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520-30. Diam. 8f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 2S^- (^^^ vignette.) Mr. J. C. Robinfon in the Catalogue ot the Soulages Colledion fiys, " This exquifite little piece exhibits the full power obtainable by Gubbio, 257 the introdu6tion of the luftre tints, in a degree, perhaps, unfurpafTed by any other example in the colle6lion ; the yellow luftre has a full rich golden tone, and the ruby a pure vivid red, peculiar to this fpecimen. It is evident that the perfe61:ion of the pigments here feen is in great meafure due to the fine quality of the enamel glaze on which they are applied. The entire arrangement of the ornamentation, moreover, ftiows a perfedl appreciation of the decorative ufes of the luftre colours ; and on the whole, although evidently manufactured in an expeditious manner as an objedl of commerce, this fpecimen is a mafterpiece of the Ceramic art. It is difficult to determine whether it is by the fame hand as the many fpecimens of nearly fimilar defign ; if fo, it muft evidently be regarded either as an ifolated inftance of unufual perfedlion, or as one of a more coftly clafs, which, from its comparative limited manufadlure, has now become very rare." Although we confider this eulogium fomewhat fuperlative, there can be no doubt that this is an exceptionally fine fpecimen of its kind, of which No. 3266 is a more ordinary example. They were formed in moulds, of which a defcription and drawing is given in the work of PiccolpaflTo, and were called fmartellati and fcannellati. A fimilar and equally fine fpecimen in the collection of Mr. J. Henderfon, is dated 1530. Moulded works in rilievo, but without luftre, were produced at Caftel Durante and at Faenza, decorated with arabefques frequently *' a quartiere" and of which Nos. 8895, 8943, 8902, &c., are examples. TAZZA or Bowl. " Fruttiera" EmbofTed and luftred ware. " Majolica." Monogram of Chrift in the centre, border of acanthus leaves alternated with pellets, in relief; out- lined blue, filled in with ruby and gold luftres. Reverfe, con- centric lines of luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520-30. Diam. 9f in. Bought, 10/. Another example of the pieces formed in a mould, but very inferior in quality and richnefs of the luftre pigment. It is difficult to affign an exa6t date to thefe pieces, as the fame moulds probably remained in ufe during feveral years. 258 Italian Pottery. 8902. '^'^' TK7JLK. " Fruttiera^ Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica." In the centre a golden heart In the midft of ruby flames, transfixed by a dart and dagger, above it two eyes ; in the border raifed pine cones or leaves of brilliant gold luflre, alternated with flowers in ruby, green foliage, &c. on white ground, outlined and fliaded with blue. Reverfe, con- centric lines of gold luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520-25. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. Apparendy a very early fpecimen of the raifed or embofled ware produced at the fabrique of Maeftro Giorgio. This was probably made for the ufe of a church dignitary or monaflic eltablifhment. The heart being perhaps intended for that of the Virgin Mary, burning though pierced, fuftained and watched over by the all-feeing eye above. This fubje6t is frequently found on objects for religious ufe, and fometimes is the emblem of the order of the Sacred Heart. It is varioufly treated and is indeed occafionally miilaken for the burning or the wounded heart emblematic of love, as reprefented on many of the lover's gift- plates. It occurs fometimes crowned, and has frequendy been miftaken when engraved on rings and other objedts for the Douglas heart, the armorial bearing of that family. (See No. 2558, p. 84, Nos. 8944 and 844.) 8889. '63. TAZZA Plate. " Confettiera" Raifed and luftred ware. " Majolica." In the centre a raifed figure of St. Francis receiving the Stigmata ; border of raifed pine cones, figs, and flowers, with foliated ornament in luftre, outlined and fhaded in blue on the white ground. Reverfe, without ornament. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530. Diam. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A good fpecimen of a numerous produdl of the Gubbio factory, afcribed, with fome doubt, to the mafter who figns with an N. No. 8902 is an earlier example of the clafs. They were formed in moulds made of plafter of Paris, upon which the rolled clay was prefled by the fingers, and finiihed externally on the wheel. Guhhio, 259 S^9' '65. CAUDLE Cup. " Ongarejcar One of a fet of pieces fitting together and known as " Vafi puerperali." Luftred ware. " Majolica y In a medallion at the bottom of the cup is a cupid (landing near a large vafe, on blue back- ground ; the reft of the interior of the piece being grounded in gold luftre ; the exterior painted in fplayed compartments, with fcale work and foliated ornaments, " a quartiere ;" the circular centre with the letter A. Ruby and yellow luftres on white, outlined and fhaded with blue. Italian (Gubbio). By Maeftro Giorgio.^ About 1520-30. H. 3 in., diam. G\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. This is one of a fet of pieces which fitted into each other {o as to form one vafe ; they were called " Vafi puerperali," being generally pre- fented to ladies on their accouchement. They are accurately and naively defcribed in the work of Piccolpaflx) and have been referred to in the Introdu6tory notice. The letter A is doubtlefs the initial of the owner. It is much to be regretted that no complete fet of thcfe veflels has been preferved to our time. in- '^5- PLATE. " Tagliere." Luftred ware. " Majolica:' Around a funk medallion, bearing a female profile buft, are compartments of foliated ornaments, ^^foglie a quartiere:' The outlines and fhades are of dark bluj, f:!!cd in with luftre colour on the white ground. Italian (Gubbio). About 1520- 30. Diam. lof in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. A bold richly luftred fpecimen of probably one of the more ordinary products of the fa»£lory dire£l:ed by M". Giorgio. It is hardly to be fuppofed that at the period of its greateft profperity he could execute with his own hand all that came from his fabrique. ^Ve know that he had afliftants in his brothers Salimbcne and Giovanni ; but unfortunately we have no means of determining their individual works. The maeftro would doubtlefs have been engaged himfcU on the more important pieces, and in the general fuperintendence of the factory. M. R 2 -1— 26o Italian Pottery, PLATE. " BaciUr Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' Leaves and fcroUs on white ground, lined and fhaded with blue ; in the centre, above a chequered ground is the letter B ; the whole luftred with yellow and ruby. Reverfe, flight fcrolls in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530. Diam. 9fin, Bought (Soulages Coll.), 8/. A coarfe inferior piece. 1731- 55- PLATE. '■'- TondinoJ' Luftred ware. "Majolica." Dark blue ground with arabefques ; in the centre a fhield of arms between the letters M and F. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in luftre colours, and date 1531. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. los. A fairly good chara6leriftic example ot the wares of the Giorgio fabrique, of which many were produced, having this well known border decoration, derived from the Grecian honeyfuckle pattern. Gubbio, 261 6864. '60. PLATE. ''Scodellar Luftred ware. '* Majolicar Arabefque or damafcene interlaced pattern in white, heightened with luftre tints on a black ground. Reverfe, the ufual foliated fcrolls, initials of M°. Giorgio, and date 1537. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 9 in. Bought, 24/. This is a curious fpecimen, and deferves fome attentive examination. The quality of the glaze is fomewhat different from that of the Gubbio wares ; and it will be feen that the interlaced pattern has been produced by referving the white ground of the piece, and filling in the intervening fpaces with a black pigment. Thefe ribbons have been further height- ened by a thin line of white enamel, bianco fopra bianco. Thus it had probably been finifhed at the Caffaggiolo or Durantine factory ; but further embellifhment was defired, and at Gubbio the lines of white enamel on the ribbon interlacings, were traced over with gold luftre, and the foliated enlargements with ruby. It may be afllimed that this piece was not painted expreffly to receive the luftre enrichment, which was fuperadded at the Gubbio fabrique, and the then plain reverfe decorated with fcrolls, the Giorgio initials, and date 1537. 1601. '55. PLATE. '"Tondinor Luftred ware. " Majolicar Arabefque border of foliated interlacing in luftre colours on dark blue ground, and in black on four circular medallions, grounded with green ; in the funk centre, of gold luftre, a medallion of cupid holding a fox by the tail, on dark blue ground. Reverfe, concentric lines, the date 1525, and the initials of Maeftro Giorgio in golden luftre. ItaUan (Gubbio). Diam. iif in. Bought, 20/. An interefting and beautiful piece. The rabefche decoration, and more particularly the arrangement of the colours, viz., green medal- lions on a dark blue ground, fliow how much the Italian artift was influenced by the produ£lions of the Eaftern potters, as feen in the Damafcus and Perfian wares. The green medallions might indeed have been diredlly copied from an oriental piece. The interlaced pattern and the brilliant luftre are remarkable j the drawing of the cupid hafty but effective. It is of the good period of the Giorgio 262 Italian Pottery, fabrique, 1525, and was probably a love gift, the fox perhaps allufive to fome family emblem, or the nic-name of the giver. Although bear- ing his initials, we have fome hefitation in afcribing this piece to Mo. Giorgio's own hand. 7691. '61. PLATE. " "Haglterey Luftred ware. " Majolica:' In the centre a cupid, with ruby-luftred drapery on a ground of yellow luftre ; the border of fcroll-palmette and interlaced knot ornaments, a rahefche^ in luftres on blue ground. Reverfe, foliated fcroll ornaments and concentric circles all in brilHant luftre. Italian (Gubbio). Signed "Mo. Go. da Ugubio," and dated 1526. Diam. loj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon remarks, " This beautiful fpecimen, executed in a year in which the mafter feems to have attained to the fummit of his powers, is remarkable for the profufion and brilliancy of the luftre tints, no lefs than for its unufually careful and finiftied manipulation." Notwithftanding this eulogium and the fignature and date, we have fome hefitation in afcribing it to Giorgio's own hand. The drawing and expreflion of the cupid are vigorous and artiftic. The plate No. 1632 is probably by the fame, and is fimilarly figned and dated. Nos. 1601 and 7685 are in the fame manner. 1632. '56. PLATE. "Tagliere" Luftred ware. ''Majolica" Arabelque border, palmette pattern in luftre colours on dark blue ground. Centre, on ruby ground, a cupid holding an oak branch in grifaille. Italian (Gubbio). Signed in full by Maeftro Giorgio, and dated 1526. Diam. 11 in. Bought, 19/. The fabrique of Mo. Giorgio was at its greateft perfection at this time, and although not a fine example of the period from an accident to the luftre colours in the furnace, its ftyle of decoration is excellent. It is an " amatoria " or love token. The cupid clings to a young branch of an old oak ftem, perhaps allufive to fome member of the Delia Rovere family. The palmette border was much ufed on plates of this kind. Although figned in full by M°. Giorgio, we have con- fiderable doubts of its having been executed by his hand. No. 7691, Gubbio, 263 fimilarly figned and dated, more nearly approaches to the manner of the mafter. Nos. 1601 and 7685 are perhaps by the fame artift as the prefent piece. 7685. '61. PLATE. '"Tondinor Luftred ware. '' Majolkar The hollow " cavetto " of the plate grounded with gold luftre ; on the central medallion, cupid Twinging on a tree, in grifaille on dark blue ground ; " rabejche " border of fcroll and palmette ornament, richly luftred with gold and ruby on blue ground. Italian (Gubbio). Signed " Mo. Go. da Ugubio," and dated 1526. Diam. iij in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. The painting is in all probability by the fame hand as Nos. 7691, 1632, and 1 60 1, and although figned with the name of M°. Giorgio, may have been adlually the work of another artift. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in his notice of this plate in the Soulages Catalogue, fays, " This piece is probably from the hand of M^. Cencio." If however the examples figned N are really by that artift, there is confiderable in- feriority ftiown in their painting, bearing evidence of a younger and lefs pra£i:ifed hand. We are more difpofed to afcribe thefe to fome unknown painter 5 perhaps one of the brothers of M°. Giorgio, who may have affifted at this period. The fame remark may apply to the Nos. 8934 and 8952. 264 Italian Pottery, 8934. '63. PLATE. "Fruttieray Luftred ware. "Majolica" St. Sebaftian tied to a tree ; landfcape background, fky of orange ruby luftre. Reverfe, flight fcrolls in yellow luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530. Diam. 8f in. Bought (Sou- lages Coll.), 30/. A fomewhat carelefs work, not without power in the expreffion and treatment of the figure of the martyr, but rudely executed in the land- fcape background and general finifh of the piece. The luftre, heavily laid on, is not of the moft brilliant. By the fame hand and probably a piece of the fame fervice as No. 8952. ^9B^' '^3- ' TAZZA. "Fruttieray Luftred ware. "Majolica" Standing figure of St. Peter, his mantle in dark ruby luftre, rude landfcape background of blue and gold. Re- verfe, fcrolls in ruby. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530-35. Diam. \o\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. The drawing and general execution of this piece is carelefs, although the effe£t of the figure of St. Peter does not want in dignity, and was probably copied from the work of an artift of high merit. There is that in it which recalls the manner of Fra. Bartolomeo. The hands and details generally are rudely executed, and the heavy dark blue lines of fhade, in the folds of the drapery and the landfcape, are very marked. The whole Iky is a blaze of golden luftre. No. 8934 is by the fame hand, and in all probability was one of the fame fervice. In the colle(3;ion of Mr. Andrew Fountaine is a fimilar piece, on which is reprefented the prophet Balaam. Another is in the writer's collec- tion, the St. John, more carefully executed, and upon the reverfe of which is the date 1533.^ There is no fignature on thefe pieces. Mr. J. C. Robinfon attributes them to M°. Cencio. (See the remarks on No. 7685.) 1 This date, the furrounding fcrolls of which have been transformed into an un- readable monogram, is given in the laft edition of Mr. Chaffers's " Marks and Monograms " at page 66, and wrongly alcribed to Urbino on the authority of a "Burn MSS." Gubbio, 265 Gubbio, E. — Works of the art'tft Jigning N, and by bis afjijlants. 8399. '63. LATE. " Fruttieray Luftred ware. " Majolica.'" The Sacrifice of Abraham, painted in colours, and richly luftred in gold and ruby. Italian (Gubbio). Signed by M°. Giorgio and dated 1526. Diam. loj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. " In the lower part of the compofition, which comprehends a double aftion, Abraham is feen with a falchion in his hand, purfuing Ifaac, who is endeavouring to efcape from him ; in the upper part the facrifice of Ifaac appears about to be confummated. Richly luftred, the drapery of Abraham being grounded in a full mafs of ruby, glazed over blue oudine and ftiading, which caufes the luftre to afTume a warm purple hue ; the piece is probably by the hand of Maeftro Cencio, Giorgio's fon." (Robinfon in Soulages' Catalogue.) 502. '6s. DEEP Bowl, on ftem. " Piadene." Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' The bottom of the bowl painted with trophies of arms in luftre on blue ground ; the reft of the furface, both infide and out, covered with geometrical foliated decoration, gadroon ornaments, and fcale work patterns in luftre on white ground, lined and ftiaded with blue ; under- neath the foot is the fignature " N." Italian (Gubbio). About 1525-30. H. 4-^ in., diam. 8^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. An uncommon fpecimen both for form and the great intenfity and power of the luftre tints, the gold being of a deep orange, and the ruby 266 Italian Pottery. having a fliU crimfon colour as well as great brilliancy of " reflet." It is of an early date for the occurrence of the fignature N, which is placed beneath the flrem, and is in golden luitre colour. 7689. '61. PLATE. Luftred ware. " Majolica^ In the centre a Cupid, clinging to a broken column, on ground of gold luftre ; border of fcroll and palmette " rabefche." Reverfe, marginal lines In yellow luftre, the date 1528, and initials of Maeftro Giorgio. Italian (Gubblo). DIam. 9f In. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. The figure of Cupid is fomewhat coarfely fketched in a greenifti grey manganefe colour; the wing, the beaded belt which holds the quiver, the bow at his feet, and a member of the bafe of the column, are in brilliant ruby, which is varied with gold on the border ; it is a piece probably made, painted, and luftred at the fabrique of Gubbio. FLAT gadrooned Vafe. Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' In the centre medallion, a Cupid feated In an archltedtural landfcape, painted In grifallle of yellowlfti brown tint; the exterior enriched with guilloche ornaments in yellow luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1525-30. H. if In., diam. 7 In. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. Probably by the artift figning N., and afcribed by Mr. Robinfon to Maeftro Cencio. The form is unufual and elegant ; it is uncertain whether merely an ornamental vafe, to which a cover belonged, or the lower portion, the *'fcodella" or foup bafin, which was furmounted by the " ongarefca " (fee No. 529), of the fet of vafes prefented for the ufe of ladies during their accouchement, and known as " Vafi Puerperali." Gubbio. 267 SH2,. '65. SALT Cellar. Luftred ware. "Majolica." Formed as two hexagonal tables, with funk centres, the lower reverfed, and fupporting the upper by iix balufters, between which are alternate open fpaces and panels bearing a rofe in relief; decorated " a foglie,' Ymed blue, and luftred with ruby and gold. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530. Diam. 6^ in., H. 2J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 12/. A good and intadl example, probably painted by the artift N. It is reverfible, each face being fimilar ; the hollow centre for the fait is entirely of luftre, which though abundantly ufed all over the furfacc has not taken its moft brilliant effedl in the firing. 526- '6s- VASE. Globular, with loop-ftiaped handles (much muti- lated). Luftred ware. ^'Majolica." Painted with foliated fcroll and gadroon ornament in ruby and yellow luftre on white, lined and ftiaded with blue. Italian (Gubbio). About 1 530. H, 4-I in., diam. 6 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. The form is bold and good ; the luftre pigments have not fucceeded well "in the firing, and it has unfortunately been much broken and re- ftored. 8903. '6 o* TAZZA. " Fruttiera:' Luftred ware. " Majolica^ In the central medallion a profile buft of a man in grifaille, with drapery in ruby and cap in gold luftre on blue ground; 268 Italian Pottery, border of open fir cones and fcroll foliage in gold luftre on white ground, fhaded with blue. Reverfe, fcrolls and the letter N in ruby luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1530. Attributed to Maeftro Cencio, the fon of Maeftro Giorgio. Diam. gj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. This is a typical early example by a mafter who painted many pieces at the Gubbio fabrique ; his work is recognizable, although under the fignature of M°. Giorgio, as in No. 8908, and he appears to have added the luftre enrichment to works of the Urbino and other fabriques. No. 8907 was perhaps luftred by him, and works by F°. Xanto of Urbino exift, figned by that artift, and luftred by N, who has endorfed them with his initial. We have no proof of Mr. J. C. Robinfon's in- genious fuggeftion that the name Vincenzio, that of M°. Giorgio's fon, was really implied by the letter N, but may accept the reading until more exa6l information is obtained. This initial is varioufly formed, as may be feen on Nos. 8910, 8961, 8895, and perhaps 7690. It has been fuggefted that the N may ftand for Nocera, an outfkirt of Gubbio, on the Via Flaminia, where another furnace may have been ere61:ed by M°. Giorgio, or by a rival. The works of this artift are always inferior, the drawing crude and coarfe, the colours laid on heavily, and the luftre pigments applied with fuper- abundant hand, wanting in artiftic harmony of effeft as compared with the works of M°. Giorgio. 8908. '6^. PLATE. " Tondino:' Luftred ware. " Majolica:' In the centre a male profile head in grifaille on gold ground ; wide border of grotefque ornaments in grifaille, fphinxes, cornucopias, mafks, fcrolls, ftrapwork, &c., heightened with gold and ruby luftre on blue ground. Reverfe, fcrolls in luftre, the date 1531, and initials of Maeftro Giorgio. Itahan (Gubbio). Diam. 9J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.) 50/. Although figned with the initials of M°. Giorgio, this piece was not painted by him, but by the mafter who figns N j it is one of a numerous Gubbio, 269 clafs, of which many are in this colle£lion. The typical example, No. 8903, is certainly by the fame hand as the prefent, which is in- terefting as having the fignature of Giorgio. 8909. '6^, PLATE. " T'ondinOy' with deep centre. Luftred ware. "Majolica.'" In the centre a female profile buft in grifaille with a fcroll, on gold ground, infcribed " Daniella Diva;" wide border of grotefque ornaments in grifaille, birds, cornucopias, mafk, arms, &c. heightened with gold and ruby luftre on blue ground. In the upper part of the border a burning heart, pierced by a fcroll infcribed *'Oime;" on a fhield the date 1530. Reverfe, fcrolls in ruby, the date 1531, and initials of Maeftro Giorgio. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. This piece correfponds in ftyle and date with the foregoing, and is clearly painted by the fame hand ; it is an amufmg example of the " amatorii," or love gifts, the portrait of the feir "Daniella" oc- cupying the "cavetto," and the fcorching heart of the fond lover fighing " oime," " woe is me," between two doves above. The head-drefs of the lady is worthy of remark. This, or another plate of correfpond- ing defign, is defcribed by Pafleri.^ ' Iftoria, p. 44, ed. 1857. 270 Italian Pottery. PLATE. " Fruttiera.'' Luftred ware. "Majolica.'* In the centre a female buft portrait, painted In olive grifaille and luftred on a blue ground, between the initials B. B. in gold luftre ; In the border are circular pools or depref- fions, outlined In the form of figs, grounded in luftre, with blue ftiadlng. Reverfe, concentric lines of gold luftre. Italian (Gubblo). About 1530. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. The decoration is peculiar, and although effective, can hardly be thought admirable; fpeaking of the painting, Mr. J. C. Robinfon fays : " The portrait is executed in the ufual greenifh grey chiarofcuro tints, thought to indicate the work of Maeftro Cencio ; the careful drawing and execution would feem to denote it to be an early effay of the matter." The face is better executed than many by this hand, but it is low in tone, and coarfe in general efFedt. It may be perhaps earlier by a year or two than the date to which we have afcribed it, but there are details of the ornament which denote that 1530 is a near approximation. 8895 '6^. DEEP Plate, or " Fruitier a.'' Luftred ware. The centre has a medallion with an Agnus Dei in relief, from which radiate raifed acanthus leaves in gold, and flowers in ruby luftre, on white ground, lined and fhaded with blue. Reverfe, flight fcrolls and the initial in ruby. Italian (Gubblo). About 1530-35. Diam. pf in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A rather coarfe example of the later period of the Gubbio fabrique, made, painted, and luftred there, probably by the artift who figns with the letter N varioufly formed. In general charafter this approximates to the fubfequent pieces of the fabrique executed by M°. Preftino or Pereftino. Gubb to. 271 8910. '62,^ T AZZA, OY '' Fruttierar Luftredware. ''Majolkar The head of St. John the Baptift in a charger, on a deep blue background diapered with fcroJls in ruby luftre ; above is a pendant garland of green leaves and fruit, and on one fide a crofs, and fcroll infcribed " ecce-agnus dei." Reverfe, Giorgio fcrolls, the date 1535, and initial in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. One of the fineft examples by the artift of Gubbio who figns with an N. The painting is by the fame hand as No. 8903, but executed with far greater care and iinifh. The luftre colours, particularly the ruby, are laid on with the richeft effed. The diaper fcrollwork in ruby on the deep blue ground is very efFedtive and harmonious. The oudines of the charger and of the fcroll and wreath are alfo marked in ruby. The hair is heightened by ruby of a more fubdued and purple tone. 7687. '61. PLATE. '■'■ Fruitier ay Luftredware. ^' Majolica^ In the centre Cupid with bow and quiver; the border of military trophies on blue ground. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in ruby luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1535. Diam. pf in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. 272 Italian Pottery, Another fpecimen of a ftock piece of the later period of the Giorgio fabrique, perhaps painted by the fame artift as No. 7690, but with greater freedom. The general effeft is bold. The fcrolls in ruby luftre on the reverfe, frequently occur on pieces of all periods of the failory. 7688. '61. FLAT Plate. " Tagliere:' Luftred ware. ''Majolica:' In the centre a Cupid, with orange drapery, holding a crook or goad in each hand ; the border of mufical trophies, outlined and fhaded in olive brown on a dark blue ground ; the whole heightened with luftre colours. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls, the monogram of M°. Giorgio, and date 1537 in luftre pigments. Italian (Gubbio). Diam. lof in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. A late and rather coarfe example, perhaps by fome workman em- ployed in the fa61:ory. This was doubtlefs one of the ufual ftock pieces made for fale to ordinary cuftomers, on which the work of " prentice hands " was employed. The luftre colours are brilliant, and the plate in perfedl prefervation. 8961. '6^. PLATE. '"Hondimr Luftred ware. '' Majolica^ In the centre the letter A, furrounded by foliage, lined with blue, and luftred in gold ; the border of obliquely radi- ating ornaments, in gold and ruby luftre and blue. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in luftre, and the mark. ItaUan (Gubbio). About 1535-40. Diam. 9 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. An inferior piece of the later period of the fabrique, and chiefly interefting as bear- ing a mark at the back, which, although it may be intended for an N careleffly formed, may equally reprefent the letter V with a " paraphe " acrofs the firft limb. The luftre colours have not taken well in the fire, but both ruby and gold maybe diftinguiftied. Gubbio, 273 7690. '61. PLATE. ''"Tondinor Luftred ware. '' Majolica r In the centre Cupid, with a bow painted in grifaille on ruby ground ; border of fcroll ornament in ruby and gold luftre on blue. Reverfe, figned, and decorated with fpiral fcrolls in luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1550. Diam. 9J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 25/. The fignature or letter at the back may be an N or a V with a paraphe, and is clearly the fame as that on No. 8961. The decoration of the piece in general effeil of luftre colours is good, but the drawing of the Cupid is inferior. The high lights are coarfely rounded by hard lines of white enamel. The ftyle of colouring is different from many of thofe pieces afcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon to Vincenzio, and indeed to feveral pieces marked with the N, and which are moftly painted in a low olive brown tone. The occurrence of the mark, which may be confidered as a variety of the N, would however lead to the belief that they may be the work of the fame artift when young. The manner is feldom feen but on " amatorii " pieces of late date, with cupid centres, which were probably always " in ftock " for immediate and chance demand. Mr. J. C. Robinfon may probably be right in afcribing them to another hand, " in imitation of the manner of Cencio, but much feebler in defign." On a plate with cupid centre, by the fame hand, and fimilar border, in the writer's collection, the N is more diftindlly formed than in either of thefe examples. 1705- '55- PLATE. " Taglierer Luftred ware. '' MajoUcar The ftory of Romulus and Remus fuckled by the Wolf. Shepherds on the banks of Tiber, which flows beneath ; Rome in the diftance, heightened with metallic luftre. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls of luftre. Italian. Luftred, and perhaps painted, at Gubbio. About 1530-40. Diam. \q\ in. Bought (Bernal Colh), 10/. The colours of this piece feem to have fuffered in the fire, and have taken a fmoky tint ; the luftre alfo has not fucceeded to any etteitive degree. The painting of the figures is in the ftyle of No. 7690. 274 Italian Pottery. 8888. '63. TAZZA Plate. "' Fruitier a^ Raifed and luftred ware. " Majolica'' In the centre is the figure of St. Sebaftian in relief, furrounded by a border of raifed pine cones and cir- cular bofles, luftred with deep yellow and ruby, and rudely outlined and wafhed with blue, on white ground. Reverfe, flight fcrolls in luftre. Italian. (Gubbio?) About 1530-40. Diam. \o\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A co2ixk fmartellato piece of the late period of the fabrique. Gubbio, F Works by other Painters, at other fahriques, and fubfequently lujlred at Gubbio. 8886. '6s. AZZA Plate. Form " Fruttiera." Luftred ware. " Majolica.'' Buft portrait of a young girl, on a deep blue ground powdered with luftre ftars, and with the infcription, " Amaro chi me amara " (I will love him, who will love me) in luftre. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Urbino ? luftred at Gubbio.) About 1530-40. Diam. 10 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 100/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Soulages Catalogue, writes (p. 20, No. 19) : " This beautiful piece is by an artift who appears to have fpecially devoted himfelf to painting portraits for this defcription of piece (' Majolica Amatoria '), intended as lovers' prefents ; there is as yet no clue to the name or ' locale ' of this able painter." We believe that the painter of this and of many others of thefe portrait tazze was an artift working at Urbino or Caftel Durante. The greater number are without luftre decoration, that extra enrichment being only occafionally Gubbio, 275 adopted. There is neither date nor fcroll work on the reverfe, and it may have been painted between 1530 and 1540, and fubfequent enrich- ment being executed at Gubbio under Maeftro Giorgio, or more pro- bably the artift figning N. The luftre colours are of great brilliancy, and admirably difpofed to heighten the folds and trimmings of the drefs ; the hair is richly golden, and the lower lip has a touch of ruby to enhance its charms. The yellow colour is very ftrong, but the ruby has failed in the firing and fcarcely (hows upon this piece. The foot has been broken away. 4756. '59. TAZZA. " Fruttierar Lujftred ware. " Majolicar Arethufa efcaping from the purfuit of Alpheus, Re- verfe, dated 1536, with a mark, and infcribed " Alfeo ch' fegue fua diua aretufa," all in blue, touched with luflre ; the Gubbio fcroll ornament in yellow and ruby. Italian (Urbino, luftred at Gubbio). Diam. io| in. Bought, 40/. 6j. 3/^. Another example of the painted work of another artift and fabrique, fubfequently luftred at that of Gubbio. The date, the infcription of fubjedl, and the painter's mark, are all in blue. In the Louvre (Cam- pana, G. 318) is apiece with a fimilar mark and date (Marks. Gubbio. No. 25), and for another fee Urbino. They are all apparently by the 276 Italian Pottery, fame hand ; coarfe and carelefs in the colouring and drawing, over which the luftre colours are applied with equal want of refinement ; thefe were probably added in the fabrique of Maeftro N. 8398. '6^. PLATE. " Fruttiera " or " Bacino,'' Luftred ware. ''Majolica.'' Subjed from the hiftory of Jafon. Reverfe, foliated fcroll ornaments in luftre colours, with a letter, pro- bably N blurred, and the date 1540. Italian (Pefaro or Urbino, luftred at Gubbio). Diam. 10 J in. Bought (Sou- lages Coll.), 25/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Soulages Catalogue, page 18, No. 17, remarks, " This is one of a numerous clafs of works, all apparently by the fame hand, and as evidently imitations of the ftyle and technical peculiarities of Giorgio. The prefent example, and indeed the fpeci- mens generally, are richly decorated with the ruby and yellow luftres, the former tint being, perhaps, heavier and lefs brilliant than that of M. Giorgio. In the abfence of any direct clue to the origin of thefe pieces, it is conje6lured that they were the production of fome fcholar or workman of Giorgio, who had fucceeded in difcovering the fecret of the luftre colours. It is moft likely that the place of their manufa£lure was Gubbio ; they are always coarfer in defign and ruder in execution than the genuine works of the mafter, and even when not initialed by the N, on the .reverfe of the pieces, may be diftinguiftied by the peculiarity of the flefti tints, which are heavily outlined or ftiaded with deep olive, and crudely heightened in the lights with white enamel." We cannot quite agree in this opinion, believing them rather to have been the produce of another fabrique, luftred at Gubbio ; the more fo as this was probably painted by the fame hand as No. 8899. ' Gubbio. 277 8899. '^3- TAZZA or " Fruttierar Luftred ware. '' Majolicar The birth of Adonis ; compofition of feven figures in a landfcape. Reverfe, the ufual fcroll ornaments, the date 1541, in ruby luftre, and the infcription " nafimento d adonis" in black. Italian (Pefaro or Urbino, luftred at Gubbio). Diam. 11 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. We quote from the Soulages Catalogue, quite agreeing with Mr. Robinfon's remarks, that " this fpecimen is one of the clafs of pieces already alluded to, as having been luftred in the ' botega ' of Maeftro Giorgio for the artifts of other manufa6tories. The fubjeft reprefents the birth of Adonis, compofition of feven figures in a landfcape, oc- cupying the entire furface of the piece. The painting, though expe- ditious, is mafterly, and the colour is unufually rich and harmonious. Reverfe, the ufual fcroll ornamentation, the date 1541 in ruby, and the y\G\mtnt^ infcription * Nafimento d' Adonis * in black — the latter, as ufual, written by the painter of the piece." The artift may have been a pupil or imitator of F. Xanto, and working at the Pefaro or Urbino fabrique ; the piece has fome affinity to an example in the writer's colledlion, bearing the mark No. 39. The plates Nos. 8901, 8896, and 8398, are probably by the fame hand. 8896. '61^. PLATE. Luftred ware. '' Majolica r The ftory of Narciffus ; compofition of fix figures in a landfcape, heightened with luftre colours. Reverfe, the ufual fcrolls of 278 Italian Pottery. the Giorgio fabrique. Italian (Pefaro or Urbino, luftred at Gubbio). Dated 1539. Diam. \\\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. The painting of this piece is not of the Giorgio fabrique, but was probably executed at Pefaro or Urbino. The landfcape background, charaileriftic of Umbrian fcenery, with a town and mountain in the diftance, is very elaborate ; the glow of the fun's rays from behind a mountain is given with good effe£l: in the golden luftre colour. The foliated fcroU work of the reverfe in gold and ruby is frequently found upon fine pieces of this period luftred at Gubbio, and in all refpe£ls this is an important example of the fuccefsful application of the luftre tints to the painting of another hand. No. 8398, which was luftred by the artift figning N, was probably painted by the fame hand as the prefent piece. (See alfo Nos. 8899 and 8901.) 8901. '63. PLATE. " 'T'ondino.'' Luftred ware. " Majolica ijioriata." Allegorical fubjedb. Landfcape background, luftred. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in luftre. Italian (Pefaro or Urbino, luftred at Gubbio). Diam. loj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. A female, feated, is converfmg with a man habited in the coftume of the fixteenth century, and holding a halberd. Various animals, a horfe, bull, dragon, peacock, &c. are advancing towards the pair. Three other pieces, all of which were acquired from the Soulages Colleilion, appear to have been painted by the fame hand, much in the manner of the more carelefs works of Francefco Xanto, and indeed they may have been by one of his pupils or an imitator of his ftyle. Pefaro or Urbino was the probable place of their production, although Mr. J. C. Robinfon afcribed them to an artift of Gubbio, at which latter fabrique there is little doubt that they received the luftre colours. (See Nos. 8398, 8896, and 8899.) 8962. '6^. PLATE, with deep centre. " Tondino.'" Luftred ware. " Majolica^ In the centre a trophy of arms on pale ruby ground ; border of trophies in grifaille on blue ground. Gubbio. 279 luftred with yellow and ruby. On. two labels are refpedlively infcribed A • M * and S * P • Q * R. Reverfe, fcrolls and the initial in ruby. Italian (Caftel Durante ? luftred at Gubbio). A-bout 1535. Diam. 9I- in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. An example of the ftyle of decoration termed by Piccolpaflb " trofei," confifting of arms, mufical inftruments, &c., grouped together or tied by ribbons. The letters S. P. O. R. are merely ornamental, referring to thofe on the ancient Roman ftandard, and meaning, " Senatus Populufque Romanus." The initials A. IVI. on the other fcroll are probably thofe of the owner ; it is one of thofe plates ufed to hand confetti or preferved fruits, and perhaps a gift piece. Whether the fafhion and painting were executed at Gubbio, may be queftioned ; there is much affinity with the pro- ducts of Caftel Durante, and it was probably from that fabrique, fubfe- quently enriched with the luftre colour at Gubbio. The mark, which is in ruby luftre, as ill refembles an N as a V. 8894. '6^. PLATE. '' Fruttierar Luftred ware. " Majolica r Perfeus and Andromeda. Reverfe infcription in blue, " Perfeo e Andromeda," and Gubbio fcrolls in luftre. Italian. (Probably made at Caftel Durante, and luftred at Gubbio.) About 1540. Diam. loj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. " This piece is clearly in the category of the works believed to have been luftred by Maeftro Giorgio for an oudying mafter or fabrique. The ftyle of the piece, irrefpeClive of the added enrich- ment in luftre, is fomewhat fmgular, the drawing of the figure is unufually careful and corredt, the colouring feeble and difcordant, the flefli being fimply fhaded in brownifti yellow, heightened with a cold heavy white enamel, whilft the rock to which Andromeda is tied is painted with patches of intenfe black colour and raw orange, forming a violent contraft with the delicate tints of the nude figures. Certain peculiarities feem to point to Caftel Durante as the locality of pro- duction of this piece ; but, on the other hand, the work has every appearance of having been originally executed with a view to receive 28o Italian Pottery, the luftre decoration, which is applied with judgment and unufual care — to a certain extent correfting the patchy efFeil previoufly noticed." -J. C. R. ^-o. '65. PLAOUE or Tile. Luftred ware. *' Majolicar St. Je- rome feated in a rocky landfcape. Reverfe, a large initial monogram, compofed of A and G, in luftre colour. Italian. (The painting afcribed to Orazio Fontana of Urbino, and luftred by M". Giorgio at Gubbio.) About 1540. H. 6 J in., W. 5 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. We quote the remarks made upon this important fpecimen by Mr. J. C. Robinfon, on firft introducing it to notice in the " Catalogue of the Soulages Colle61:ion," page 63, No. 119. He writes : — "This exquifite little fpecimen, apart from the fine execution of the defign and the brilliant enamel glaze and colours, has a particular intereft from the fignature at the back, which, although hitherto unknown, is believed Gubbio. 281 to be that of Maeftro Giorgio. It confifts of a large interlaced mono- gram of a G and an A (Giorgio Andreoli), in gold luftre ; the defign is flightly touched with luftre in the ufual manner of Giorgio's wares, and was in all probability fo enriched in his ' botega ;' but the painting itfelf was certainly not executed by him. It is far more mafterly than any of his produ6lions ; and the writer has no hefitation in exprefling his belief that it is the work of Orazio Fontana — a com- parifon with the initialed pieces, really from the hand of Orazio (in the Louvre, Britifh Mufeum, and Mr. Fountaine's Colleilion), he thinks will bear him out in this opinion. The fa6l of Giorgio having figned works executed by other maeftri is notorious ; but it is certainly fome- what fmgular thatheftiould have fo oftentatioufly taken the credit of this fine work, as, fuppofing the monogram on the back really to be his, would feem to be the cafe. " The monogram, however, is fo much more carefully executed and altogether fo different from the ufual hafty curfive character of the Giorgio fignature, that the author can fcarcely bring himfelf to believe that it was really traced by his hand, and would fuggeft that it was, in fail, affixed to the piece by Orazio himfelf, out of com- pliment to the well-known Gubbio Maeftro, and that the piece was both painted and luftred by Orazio in the ' botega ' of Giorgio. In fupport of this theory, he would remark, that the colouring of the piece, though extremely harmonious and powerful, is fomewhat colder and blacker than in Orazio's ufual performances, approximating in this refpe6l, indeed, to the prevalent greenifli-grey tones of Maeftro Giorgio. To all appearance, it was executed at an earlier period than the beautiful fmall plate (No. 57 in this colledion), alfo attributed to O. Fontana (dated 1549), and it is prefumable that the plaque was painted before he (Orazio) had eftabliflied a 'botega' on his own account. " An examination of the plate is calculated to throw fome lio;ht on the prefent piece. It (the plate) was beyond all queftion luftred in the fabrique of Giorgio, and if the ftyle of application of the luftre decoration to the painted fubjedt, as compared with that of the plaque, be particularly noticed, a marked difference between the two will be immediately perceived tending to fupport the hypothefis that the luftring of the plaque was by the painter (Orazio) himfelf.^ On the plate 1 " Although it isaflumed that Orazio aftually applied the luftre pigment to this fpecimen, it is not neceflarily to be interred that he was acquainted with the fecret of its compofition ; the great probability is, that he was not : documentary evidence, indeed, exifts, which is almoft conchilive on this point." 282 Italian Pottery, the luftre is applied without feeling or intelligence, in the ufual coarfe mechanical ftyle of the Giorgio fabrique, whilft in the plaque, on the contrary, its ufe is fparing in the extreme, being applied only where it is really calculated to aid the artiftic efFedi of the piece, indicating thereby the fober judgment of an artift as oppofed to the 'clinquant' of the mere manufacturer." Although M. Jacquemart ^ does not confider this monogram to be one of Maeftro Giorgio, he adduces no proof, nor has any evidence been brought forward to difcredit Mr. J. C. Robinfon's theory which, on the other hand, is abundantly fupported by fa6ts. That the painting of the plaque is by Orazio Fontana, in his grandeft and almoft Titianefque manner, no one acquainted with the figned pieces by that mafter can reafonably doubt ; but whether the luftre tints, which are of a fmgularly opalefcent quality, were applied by the more artiftic brufti of Orazio or by the hand of Giorgio himfelf, can only be guefled at. We learn from Piccolpaflb that the fuccefsful firing of the luftred pieces was a matter of confiderable rilk, and doubtlefs re- quired the pra£tifed art of an experienced manipulator ; it is there- fore more probable that, even if the pigments fupplied by Giorgio were painted on the piece by Orazio Fontana, with the complimentary addi- tion of a monogram, differing entirely from that in ufe at his brother artift's ftudio, the firing of the piece was fuperintended by Andreoli at his own furnace, which it muft alfo be recolle<5led was of a different conftru6lion to thofe ufed for baking the unluftred wares of Urbino, &c. Two fufficient reafons for the habit, which clearly prevailed, of fending pieces painted elfewhere, to be luftred at Gubbio. 8907. '63. PLATE, ''"raglierer Luftred ware. '' Majolicar An- gelica delivered from the monfter by Ruggiero ; from the ftory in Ariofto. Reverfe, foliated fcrolls, and date 1549, in ruby luftre. Infcrlption, " Angellica ligata al duro fcoglio," written in blue by the painter. Italian (probably painted by Orazio Fontana of Urbino, and luftred at Gubbio). Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. ^ " Merveilles de la Ceramique." Gtibhio, 283 " In the centre Angelica is feen bound to a rock, whilft a huge monfter, admirably drawn and coloured, apparently arrefted in its advance, turns towards Ruggiero, who is defcending to the attack on a hippogriffin ; on the oppofite fide is a galley with three figures, and in the background rocky iflands in the fca, with the fun rifing." • There can be no doubt that the fubjedl of this elegant plate was painted by Orazio Fontana of Urbino, and there is alfo every reafon- able ^probability that the luftre pigments were applied at the Gubbio furnaces. We have the true artiftic feeling, both in the details, and the breadth of efFedt in the colouring, which is fo remarkable in the finer works known to be by Orazio, and which are fo manifeft in the plaque No. 520 ; but in the prefent inftance the luftre pigments have been applied more profufely, though by a lefs judicious hand. The date 1549 is late for the ufe of thefe enrichments, and, indeed, this is one of the lateft dated examples on which they occur ; probably the fucceflbr of M°. Giorgio, Vincenzio, was then in pofl'eilion of the fadlory. 284 Italian Pottery. PLATE. The fubjed, Palinurus falling from the gallery of Tineas. Painted by Francefco Xanto. Signed and dated 1545, and richly luftred. This example, defcribed amongft the works of Xanto in the Urbino fabrique, is merely noticed here, having been luftred, as we believe, at Gubbio. Gubbio, G. — Works of M°- Prefi'mo and of the later period. 8948. '62,. lOWL or Saucer. " Bacinetto." EmbofTed and luftred ware. " Majolica ^ St. Jerome and the Lion, in relief, outlined in blue on white ground, luftred with yellow. Italian (Gubbio). Afcribed to Maeftro Preftino or Pereftino. About 1540. Diam. 6 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. 8949. '^Z- BOWL or Saucer. Embofled and luftred ware. *' Majo- licaT St. Sebaftian tied to a tree, in relief, outlined in blue on white ground, luftred with yellow. Italian (Gubbio). Afcribed to Maeftro Preftino or Pereftino. About 1540. Diam. 6 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. Gubbio. 285 " The figures on both are in relief, enriched with pale yellow luftre, and outlined with blue on white ground. Thefe pieces, types of rather a numerous clafs, are from the hand of Maeftro Preftino or Pereftino, an artift of Gubbio, of whom pieces have been noted by the author dating at various periods between 1530 and 1557. The works of this mafter are interefting as exhibiting a return to the flyle of the early gothic mafters of the beginning of the i6th century, the iridefcent luftre being identical with that of the well-known painters of the bacile amatoria pieces. It is poflible that M^. Preftino's fabrique produced the coarfe late fpecimens, enriched with the yellow iridefcent luftre, frequently noticed, and evidently dating far into the i6th century. He is, at any rate, the moft recent mafter hitherto identified ufing the luftre colours."— (J. C. R.) Signed pieces are uncommon (fee general notice on the Gubbio fabrique and Marks), and it is difficult to affign fome of thefe late relievo pieces with any degree of certainty, as it is believed that they were alfo produced at Diruta. (See No. 1804.) ^1^1' 55- CUP or Bowl. Luftred ware. ^' Majolica.'' In the centre a figure of St. Jerome, with the lion at his feet and holding a crucifix, in relief, outlined with blue, the flelh white ; the drapery, beard, nimbus, crofs, and lion, as alfo the earth, in gold luftre ; a backing of dark blue is behind the figure, and buildings outlined in blue and touched with gold. Reverfe, concentric lines of luftre. Italian (Gubbio). About 1540. Diam. 6^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), I \l. lOJ". There is a boldnefs of treatment, the dark background throwing out the figure of the faint in a remarkable manner, and in the ufe of the luftre colour upon the drapery, &c., which render this and the fimilar pieces, Nos. 8948, 8949, worthy of obfervation. The modelling ot the figure alfo is not without merit. They are probably the work of Mo. Preftino. 2 86 Italian Pottery, 4381^. 'c^^. BOWLj with fides gadrooned in rilievo. Luftred ware. '^'^ Majolica r A central medallion bears the facred monogram furrounded by rays. The fides are divided by lines into four quarters. In the centre of each, alternately, are a fleur-de-lis and a vafe ; the reft of the ground fprinkled with knots, fcroll-foliage, &c., all being in golden luftre on the white ground. Italian. (Gubbio ?) About 1560. H. 5J in., diam. 14 in. Bought, 6/. \Qs. The luftre has been more fuccefsfully produced upon this piece than is generally the cafe with thofe of fo late a date. The circular difh fimilarly decorated (No. 4381) belonged to the fame fervice, which was perhaps made for fome prelate or monaftic eftabliftiment of the Florentine territory, from the occurrence of the fleur-de-lis (giglio)-, the emblem of that city. It is difficult to determine accurately when this piece was made. The ware is much like fome of that produced at Montelupo, while the luftre pigment refembles that of Gubbio, to which fabrique we afcribe it, always with fome uncertainty, in favour of Diruta. 4381. '57- PLATEAU, circular. Luftred ware. "Majolica'' The white ground femee with fcrolls and fleurs-de-lis ; in the centre, on an oval cartouche bordered by rays and having a crown above, are the crofs, the three nails, and the facred monogram ; edging of concentric lines, all in pale gold and ruby luftre. Italian. (Gubbio or Diruta.?) About 1560. Diam. i6§ in. Bought, 61. 10s. Portion of the fame fervice as No. 4381(7, and perhaps of No. 2609, both of which are of the fame period and place of manufacture. The latter is doubtful. Gubbio, 287 2609. '56. SAUCE Boat. Shell-fhaped, with foot formed of three inverted fhells. Luftred ware. " Majolica.'" Inter- laced arabefque ornament in ruby and yellow luftre. Italian. (Gubbio?) About 1560? H. 3| in., L. 8 in., W. 5! in. Bought, il. An example of the later and degenerated manufacture of the luftred wares, probably made at Gubbio or by fome workman who had learnt the manipulation of the pigments at thofe works. (See Nos. 4381 and 4381^.) CASTEL DURANTE. LTHOUGH there can be little doubt that Caftel Durante was one of the earlieft fites of the manu- failure of enamelled pottery in Italy, as well as one of the moft fruitful ; not only of produce, but of thofe potters who in their own city, and at other eftablifhments founded by them in various parts of Italy, fpread the fame of the Durantine wares and the Durantine artifts throughout Europe j^ it is remarkable that fo few pieces have defcended to us, upon which the names of their authors are recorded, or of the *' boteghe " in which they were pro- duced. Long lifts are given by Raffaelli and other writers, but to identify the works of their hands is generally denied us, from the abfence of figned examples by which their ftyle can be identified. From Caftel Durante came the Pelliparii, who on eftablifliing themfelves at the capital city of the Duchy, took the name of Fontana, to which is attached fome of the greateft triumphs of their art. " Francefco," the able painter who probably worked at Urbino and afterwards at Monte Bagnolo near Perugia, was as he ftyled himfelf " Durantino." A new life feems to have been given to artiftic pottery in Venice by the immigration of a Durantine artift Francefco del Vafaro in 1545 ; and even later in the hiftory, when the independence of the Duchy was opprefled and local patronage had waned, — when decadence had declared itfelf in the art, — another potter, M" Diomede Durante, tried his fortune at the eternal city, being joined by the painter Gio. Pavlo Savino, of a recorded family of Durantine artifts. Others 1 Piccolpaflb ftates, " Buona parte degli maftrl che lavorano in Urbino fono della " Terra di Durante." C aft el Durante. 289 went to France, to Flanders, and Corfu, fpreading the art, which attained important development at Nevers, at Lyons, and other French centres. Caftel Durante, which rofe from the ruins of Caftel Ripenfe in the thirteenth century, took the appellation of Urbania on being raifed by him to the rank of a city in 1635, under the reign and in compliment to her native Pope, Urban VIII. It is now a fmall dull town on the banks of the Metauro, on the poft-road from Urbino to Borgo San Sepolcro, and about thirteen Italian miles diftant from the former city. The alluvial banks and depofits of the river furnifhed the material for her pottery. It will be well to trace the hillory of her manufacture, firftly in recorded documents, and then by means of thofe figned pieces which are known to us ; but before doing fo, we fhould not omit to notice the fadl, that to a Durantine Maeftro we owe the earlieft, and only con- temporary hiftory of the procefs of the potter's art in the fixteenth cen- tury, accurately defcribed in the MS. by Piccolpaflb, now preferved in the library of the South Kenfington Mufeum. The talent of this author, a profeffor of medicine during the earlier part of his life, for art, proved by his acknowledged excellence as a defigner of ornamentation, probably induced him to become the Maeftro of a pottery. This having been fuccefsfully conducted, he determined to put on record his experienced knowledge of the details of the manufadlure, and in 1550 completed his work enti- tled, " I tre Libri dell' Arte del Vafajo del Cav. Cipriano Piccolpaffi " Durantino."^ This curious MS., minutely defcribing the details of the working, the nature of the pafte, the pigments and the glaze, is illuftrated by drawings of the furnaces, the mills, and inftruments neceflary to the art as then pradifed ; but unfortunately gives us but little information of its hiftory and development in other parts of Italy, or the means of recognifmg the works of artifts or of fabriques, by their monograms or by their ftyle. For documentary hiftory of the local manufacture we are mainly indebted to Signor Giufeppe Raffaelli, who has afliduoufly gathered many interefting notices preferved in the archives of the city, and com- bining them with information derived from the MS. of Piccolpaflb, has 1 This MS. has paffed from the hands of Signor Giufeppe Raffaelli of Urbania, to the Library of the South Kenfington Mufeum. It was publifhed at Rome in 1857, with engravings from the Iketches. A tranflation in French, with lefs accurate illuftrations, was publifhed in Paris in 186 1. " Les trois Livres de TArt du Potier, par Claudius Popelin." M. T 290 Italian Pottery, publifhed his valuable " Memorie." ^ From thefe we will make the following notes. He flirmifes that the manufacture of glazed pottery, as an art, was introduced at the time when Monfignor Durante built a " Caftello," at the badia of St. Criftoforo at Cerreto, on the Metauro, in 1284, for a place of fecurity to the Guelphs. From documents we learn that 70 years afterwards in 1361, the then deceafed Maeftro Giovanni dai Biftugi of Caftel Durante is referred to, who probably was fo named to diftinguifti him from the workers in glazed ware. This glazed ware was doubtlefs the ordinary lead glazed pottery or " mezza " ware, which preceded the ufe of that with ftanniferous enamel and does not, as M. Darcel would fuggeft, afford any proof that the ufe of this enamel was known here, before its application or flated difcovery by Luca della Robbia.^ At that time even thefe lead glazed wares were little known, and it was not till 1300 that they feem to have become more generally adopted. Thenceforward their manufadlure continued, for in 1364 a work is mentioned on the bank of the torrent Maltempo at " Pozzarelli," perhaps fo named from the pits dug for extrafting the loam. About this time one known as '' il Vafaio " is mentioned ; and in the Adla Civilia of 20th January 1480, M. Angelm Magljlri Vafarii ; and in 1495 Petro Angeli Vajfarii are named as of Durante : while in 1461 in a book of the ducal expenfes, the entry occurs on the 20th Augufl, *' Spefi per 4 boccali et 5 mezze tolte da M. Gentile holognini 5." Of the works of one of thefe early artifls there exifts the fhield of arms of the Feltrefchi, over the door of the poft locanda at Urbania, built about 1440 by Cecco Gatti ; the arms are "three bars with the eagle of Feretrana," in rilievo, with the infcription " Ofpes Ciccus Gattus falvere te jubet ;" the creft is a crowned griffon. The early wares were coarfe, painted with coats of arms and half figures, the flefh being left white and the drefs in gay colours. Signor RafFaelli had not feen any early pieces, prefumably of this fabrique, with the gold or ruby luflre. Defendente Sacchi fays,^ that foon after its difcovery by Luca della Robbia, the tin glaze was applied to Majolica difhes, &c. at the fabriques of Faenza and Caflel Durante. * Giufeppe RafFaelli " Memorie Iftoiiche delle Maioliche lavorate in Caftel " Durante o fia Urbania." 8vo. Fermo 1846. ' Notice des Fayences Peintes, p. 152. ' Album, 1838, Art. 31, page 241. Cajiel Durante. 291 About 1490 the following artifts were working : — Pier del Vafaro. Superchina. Bernacchia. The Sabatini. Savini. Marini. Picci. Gatti. Morelli. whilft Francefco di Firenze procured engravings, and Bernardino Dolce gave defigns. In 1500 both the "mezza" and the enamelled wares, as well as the " fgraffio " work were produced. Guido di Savino took the art to Antwerp (or may he not have taken wares for fale ?), of whom nothing more is recorded. The manufacture was at its perfection about 1525 and 1530, and continued to produce good wares even till 1580. In connection with the " iftoriati " pieces, with mythological fub- jeCls, the following artifts are recorded : — Luca and Angiolo Picchi, Pier Francefco Calze, Ubaldo della Morcia, Simone da Colonello, the Fontana, &c., alfo the Appoloni, Georgio Picchi, Lucio, Bernardino, and Ottaviano Dolci. Giovanni Tefio and Lucio Gatti went to Corfu in 1530, and taught the art in the Ionian Iflands, while Francefco di Pier del Vafaro, according to Piccolpaflb, fent to or ereCted the largeft furnace in Venice. Lavolini introduced defigns of the Roman fchool by Raffaellino del Colle, who was working at the church of Corpus Domini, and the Duke Guidubaldo II. called Giambattifta Franco from Venice to make defigns for the pieces here produced. At that period thirteen " vaferie" were at work in Caftel Durante, a remarkable proof of the development of one branch of artiftic induftry in a fmall Italian Duchy. It would appear that the great artifts only painted the more im- portant fubjeCt of the piece, leaving the ornamentation to be finifhed by the pupils and afliftants. At pages 22 and 23 of his work, Signor Raffaelli gives a lift of artifts and of painters whofe defigns were ufed, Piccolpaflb informs us that the earth or loam gathered on the banks of the Metauro, near Caftel Durante, is of fuperior quality for the manufacture of pottery ; a variety called " celeftrina " was ufed for making the feggers (" aftucci") when mixed with the " terra rofla ;" but for the finer clafs of work the loam depofited by the river, which when waflied was called " bianco allattato," and when of a blue fliade of colour, was referved for the more important pieces. The turnings of this variety mixed with the fliavings of woollen cloth, was ufed to attach the handles and other moulded ornaments, and was known as " barbatina." 292 Italian Pottery, He tells us that the red pigment of Faenza, known as *' Vergiliotto," was not ufed at Cartel Durante. We prefume this pigment to be that ochreous red ufed for heightening and (hading the draperies, &c., by the painters of the Fontana fabrique at Urbino, and that of Lanfranco at Pefaro, and fome others ; if fo, the abfence or prefence of this pigment would be ufeful as evidence in determining the origin of a piece. Signor RafFaelli thinks that many of the wares, generally known as of Urbino, were fo called from the province, and frequently included thofe which were really the produce of Cartel Durante. Vafari fpeaks of theDurantine pottery when lauding Battirta Franco of Venice, who, having no equal as a defigner, was employed by the Duke of Urbino to make an infinite number of drawings for the excellent ceramic painters of Cartel Durante, the potter's earth of which place is the fineft in Italy. Among other authors Felibieni in France writes, " Caftel-Duranti autrement Urbania ville du Duche d'Urbin dans I'Etat Ecclefiartique en Italia, etoit celebre par les ouvrages de terre qui Py fairtbient dans le XVI. Siecle." Pafferi alfo fpeaks in high commendation of the Durantine wares, and Pozzi, in his Dizionario di Fifica, &c., rtates that it was the rival of, and only fecond to Faenza in the quality of its productions. The fatal blow to this branch of induftry was the death of the laft Duke Francefco Maria II. on the 28th April 1631, when there being no longer a court, the trade declined, money became fcarce, and the artifts emigrated. The young Amantini however, aflifted by the moulder Pompeo Savini, produced fome rilievos of the Madonna, faints, Prefepi, &c. in bifcuit, which in fome inrtances were fubfequently coloured and gilt. By the middle of the 17th century the art had declined almoft to its loweft ebb, as proved by a vafe in Signor Raffaelli's pofleilion, figned by one " Giambattirta Papi 1652," and only wares of the more ordinary kind were manufailured. In 1750 a revival occurred under the influence and encouragement of the Cardinal Prefident Stoppani. The Signori Luzi and Bifcioni produced both enamelled pottery and porcelain, which is referred to in the work of Pafleri (p. 108). The bert artifts at Urbania were the Lazzarini, the Frattini, and Biagini, who painted from prints by Sadeler, Martin de Vos, the Caracci, Baflano, Temperta, &c. 1 Felibien, " Des Principes de TArchiteflure, de la Sculpture, et de la Peinture." 4to. Paris, 1676. Cajiel Durante, 293 Subfequently Pafleri induced Giufeppe Bartolucci to leave Urbania and eftablifli a work at Pefaro. Within the laft few years another artiftic pottery was eftablifhed, and it is not a little fingular that it alfo has been tranfported to Pefaro. Its produftions were chiefly in imitation of the ancient wares. Of figned examples of the wares of Caftel Durante, the earlieft piece known to be of this fabrique is the beautiful bowl belonging to Mrs. H. T. Hope, which was exhibited in the Loan collec- tion and is defcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon in the catalogue under No. 5160. The ground of this piece is of an intenfe dark and rich blue, entirely covered with a decoration of grotefques, among which occurs a fhield of arms of the Delia Rovere family, furmounted by the Papal tiara and the keys, proving it to have been made for Pope Julius II. ; trophies of books, feftoons of drapery and, above, a boy angel holding a " veronica " or napkin imprefled with the face of the Saviour. At the fides other trophies, fatyrs, cupids, and interlaced foliage are richly and harmonioufly difpofed, among which are two labels infcribed refpedlively " Iv. II. Pon. Max." and *' Tu.es. facerdos . I eter." There is another fhield of arms : — barry of four, argent and fable, a chief gules ; a trophy of two axes in faltire beneath a quiver and fhield. The reverfe is enriched with interlaced arabefque foliage in blue, and in the centre the infcription — " 1508 adi 12 de Seteb. fa61:a fu, i Caflel Durat " " Zona Maria Vro." There is every probability that this bowl was among the prefents made to his uncle by the young Duke Francefco Maria della Rovere, on his fucceflion in 1508 to the Duchy of Urbino, in right of his mother Giovanna, daughter of Federigo di Montefeltro and fifler of Guidu- baldo I. *' In the defign and execution of the painting, fplendour of colour, and perfedion of enamel glaze, this magnificent piece is a triumph of the art."— (J. C. R.) The name of the painter, " Giovanni Maria, Vafaro," ' of Caflel Durante, does not occur in the lifl of thofe given by RafFaelli. This beautiful work is however a better record of his excellence as an artifl, and of the perfeftion to which the Durantine pottery had attained in the firfl years of the i6th century. * Mr. J. C. Robinfon reads the abbreviation " VRO " as " Urbino," but we would fuggeft that *' Vafaro," vafe maker, is the more probable interpretation. 294 Italian Pottery, On the fame occafion Mr. Morland exhibited a piece by the fame hand, and we think we recognize variations of the fame manner in two examples of the South Kenfington Mufeum colledlion. (Nos. 1728, 1735O In the rich and even quality of the glaze, the tendency to that form of decoration known as " a candeliere," mixed grotefques, trophies of mufical inftruments, and cupids, in a ftyle of painting which is free, and at the fame time firm and fure, and in the full, yet foft colouring, we fee in Mrs. Hope's bowl a commencement of what became a very general manner in the decoration of the Durantine wares. Of eleven years later we have the pharmacy jars which muft have formed portions of a large and important fervice, one of which is in the Britifli Mufeum and another in the South Kenfington. The fignature on the Britifh Mufeum jar ftates, "iV^ la hotega d' Sebajiiano d' Marforio" and " A di xi de Octobre fece 15 19," and again at the bafe, " In Cajiel dura" (See Mark No. 2.) Thefe vafes were formerly in the farmacia Purgotti at Cagli. In Mr. Fountaine's colledlion at Narford is a beautiful plate (tazza) grounded in the richeft blue, and painted " a candeliere " with fphinxes, &c., and two figures of cupids ; it is a piece of very high quality, and bears on the reverfe the date 1520. It is figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 24. Several " iftoriati " plates are in collections, which may have been the work of one and the fame artift, and are painted with fome ability in colours of confiderable richnefs, but of great liquidity and foftnefs of effedl. They are infcribed on the reverfe in a large loofe handwriting, in yellow pigment. On a fragment by this hand are the letters S. B. (Mark No. 5). The earlieft is a plate till lately in the Azeglio colle6lion, repre- fenting a king diftributing wine and bread to foldiers. It is dated *-' 1524 In Cajiel Durante." A tazza in the Louvre (No. 236) reprefenting Apollo and Marfyas is infcribed " 1525 in Cajiel Durante" Another, No. 237 in the fame collection from that of Campana, has for fubjeCl the rape of Ganymede, with the fame date and place. In the Britifli Mufeum is another, with the fubjeCl of Dido and Afcanius. Dated 1526. (Mark No. 4.) In the collection of Prince Napoleon is one reprefenting the flight into Egypt ; fimilarly infcribed and dated. It is figured in Delange's « Recueil," pi. 68. There are alfo feveral pieces by this painter in the Mufeum at Arezzo, probably portions of the fame extenfive fervice. Cajiel Durante, 295 Another piece in the Louvre (No. 238), with Bacchanalian fUbjeft, is dated " 1530 in Cajiel Durante" An albarello in the Louvre (No. 244), decorated with the ufual trophies, bears on a cartouche " in Cajlello Duranto 1541." Mr. Fountaine has a tazza decorated " a candeliere " on blue ground and infcribed ^'■fata in durat." Mr. Marryat had a pharmacy vafe on which was infcribed " a de fei d* Maggio 1550 a faro in Studii Durantius ." Next in fequence of date are a fet of richly coloured pharmacy vafes with medallions and grotefques on varied grounds, brought by M. Signol from Sicily, one of which was infcribed " Fato in tera Durantin aprejjo a la cita d'Urbino" and another " In Cajlello Duranti a prefo a Urbino miglie 7. 1555." One of thefe infcribed pieces is in the Mufeum at Sevres, the other in the Hotel de Cluny, at Paris. Delange, in the fupplement to his French tranflation of the work of PafTeri, ftates (p. 102), " Si notre memoire eft fidele, il nous femble avoir vu un vafe fur le focle duquel etait ecrit ' Fait dans la boutique de Picolo Pajfo^ mais il se trouvait le nom a la fuite d'un autre artifte qui avait execute la peinture." A vafe, boldly decorated with grotefques, was in the colleftion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome, and is infcribed '' P Majlro Simono in Cajlelo Durate 1562." It is figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 75. This piece was one of a fet of eight which were formerly at Fermo ; they have an armorial ftiield on one fide, with the initials G. E. The letters P. B. have been noted on a plate*' a trofei " in the ftyle of thefe wares. Among the ornaments on the reverfe of a- plate in the Britifh Mufeum (fubje61: the Rape of Helen, well painted in a bluifh tone and afcribed to Caftel Durante), are the letters h b and R h. (Mark No. 7.) On fome inferior pharmacy jars is the infcription *' Giambatijia Carli de Terra Durantis et yohannes Luca filius ejus fecet pillurum^ 1618." Still later we have a piece in the Louvre (No. 291), reprefenting the triumph of Flora, and figned, '' HipolUto Rombaldotti^ Pinfe in Urbania." And another is recorded, " Fatta in Urbania nella botega del Signor Pietro Papa. 1667." It would feem that this fabrique continued to flourifh when thofe of Urbino and Pefaro had comparatively decayed ; this may partly have been owing to the encouragement given by the Duke Francefco Maria II. (1574 to 1631), who frequently refided at Caftel Durante, 296 Italian Pottery, and took fome intereft in the manufacture. It however only produced at this period works of more general utility, artiftic and ornamental pieces being the exception. Signor Frati ^ afcribes to this place and period certain pieces which were in the Delfette colle6lion, particularly two vafes which he thinks may have been made for Urban VIII. when Cardinal MafFeo, the Barberini arms being emblazoned upon them. Their fubjedls are allego- rical, and the fignature " Mellis Opus " which is infcribed on one may, as he fuggefts, be the name of Giovanni Mel or Miele of Flanders from whofe defign they may have been painted. A plate in the fame colledlion " fbiancheggiata " work with medal- lions, he alfo afcribes to this fabrique ; it is marked with the letters P. F. C. L., and dated 1636. Other pieces alfo clafled by him under this head, and which were probably of the lafl century, are marked with the initals HR. P., the two former united, H. P. and another H. R., probably all variations of the fame monogram. A very large difh in the Delfette Colle6lion, No. 885, fubjeil Acis and Galatea, is marked V. Ro. Mr. Marryat refers to three fine vafes in the fame colleftion on which the initials G. F. occur ; the fubjeft of one is after Agoftino Caracci. On two others reprefenting the four elements, are the letters G. F. F., probably the fame initial with the additional F for " fece." A holy water ciftern alfo, with figures of St. Peter and St. Paul in relief and with twifted columns, is marked C. S. Signor Frati alfo furmifes that the cups made with the dufl of the Santa Cafa at Loreto were produced at Caftel Durante. (See Urbino.) The wares of Caftel Durante are generally to be recognized by a pale buff^ coloured pafte, and great richnefs and purity of the glaze. The plates are rarely decorated at the back, except fome it"^ examples, but like thofe of Urbino and Pefaro are generally edged with yellow on the fubje6t pieces, and with grey white on thofe having grotefques, which are in low olive tint on a blue ground. The colours are fometimes rather pale but harmonious, and the carnations are of an olive tint, thought by fome a diftinguifhing mark of the fabrique ; while the abfence of the ochreous red pigment alluded to by Piccolpafi'o, and fo noticeable on the Urbino and Pefaro " iftoriati " pieces is remarkable. In the draperies 1 Frati. Luigi. Di un' Infigne Raccolta di Majoliche Dipinte (Delfette Coll.). Bologna, 1844. Cajiel Durante, 297 painted upon thefe wares, blue and an ochreous yellow predominate. Broadly treated grotefques generally arranged " a candeliere," and trophies of arms, mufical inftruments, books, &c., frequently painted in camdieu of greenifli grey on a blue ground, are favourite fubjefts of ornament ; thefe alfo occur painted in rich colours, among which a deep clear brown may be noted, and furrounding medallions having portrait or fanciful heads on a yellow ground. Subje6l pieces do not appear to have been fo abundantly painted at Caftel Durante as at the neighbouring fabriques, and fuch pieces to which the luftre enrichment has been added are ftill lefs frequent. Many of the tazze, the whole furfaces of which are covered with a portrait head, may probably be afligned to this place, where there would appear to have been one or two artifts who made almoft a fpeciality of this ftyle of decoration. Some of thefe pieces have been afligned to the painter Francefco Durantino, to whom Mr. J. C. Robinfon attributes a portrait of RafFaelle figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 73 and formerly belonging to the Marquis d'Azeglio, but whether painted by him at Caftel Durante, Urbino or Bagnolo, we have no means of knowing. The South Kenfington Mufeum is rich in thefe portrait plates ; among them is a remarkable example on which a likenefs of Pietro Perugino in full face is portrayed, and which we are difpofed to aflign to this fabrique, but always with fome hefitation.^ Another clafs of pieces which we believe to have been for the moft part-made at Caftel Durante, are thofe decorated with oak branches painted yellow on a blue ground, and fometimes in relief, furrounding a fmall medallion central portrait or imaginary head. Thefe " cerquato " pieces were fo decorated in compliment to the Delia Rovere, the reigning ducal family. Caftel Durante feems to have fupplied a larger number of Spezieria or pharmacy jars, vafes and bottles than any other fabrique, perhaps with the exception of Faenza. The blue and yellow draperies of the earlier period were alfo a leading feature in the revival after 1730, a waftiy green was alfo ufed ; the drawing was good and fome of the landfcape pieces excellent, of careful finifti, foft colouring and good aerial perfpedive. We believe, however, that many pieces of this period afcribed to this fabrique were really the produce of Caftelli or Naples. For Francefco Durantino, fee alfo Urbino and Eagnolo, or Bagnara, near Perugia. 298 Italian Pottery, MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On the fine bowl belonging to Mrs. H. T. Hope, the work of Giovanni Maria, vafaro of Caftel Durante, 12 Sept. 1508. Bold and elaborate grotefque decoration on a rich blue ground. ^ J^ ^ / ^^^#"» €>VWA.ltl; -^y^i^j^S^a^ / / \ No. 2. On a pharmacy jar in the Britifh Mufeum, decorated ** a trofei." I ^.^ I J '11 IHMMI—— ■if'^ Cajiel Durante. 299 No. 3. On a fimilarly decorated difli in the Mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna. No. 4. On a plate in the Britifli Mufeum ; fubjedt, Dido and Afcanius, infcribed in yellow colour. ^J >F W W 300 Italian Pottery, No. 5. On a fragment of a Tazza, probably by the fame hand, and reprefenting three river Deities in a landfcape, on the margin of a running ftream. # 1 f P i m No. 6. On a plate formerly in the pofleilion of Mr. Barker. n VCtd No. 7, On a plate in the Britifti Mufeum ; fubjeft, the Rape of Helen. Reverfe, fcroU ornament among which thefe monograms are four times repeated. M Cajlel Durante, 301 No. 8. On a pharmacy jar mentioned by Chaffers. This monogram is more probably that of the owner or donor of the piece. CATALOGUE. Cajlel Durante. 1728. 'ss- LATE. " TagliereJ' On dark blue ground a central fliield of arms, between two wreathed medallions with male and female portraits ; the reft is covered with trophies and grotefques ; on a ribbon are the letters M. A. I. M. Re- verfe, concentric circles of blue. Italian. (Caftel Durante or Faenza ?) About 1500. Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 16I. 10s. An early interefting plate, having confiderable affinity to the fine bowl which was exhibited in the Loan Collection, and defcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon at page 399 of that catalogue, and which is figned by the owner of the " botega " and probable painter, Giovanni Maria, of Caftel Durante, and dated 1508. Alfo to No. 1735 of this colledion, the remarks upon which piece are referred to. PLATE, with deep centre. " TondinoT Two cupids, one drawn by the other in a dolphin-fliaped car, and holding a dart terminated as a child's windmill, occupy the centre ; the fides are painted in " bianco fopra bianco," and the rim with grotefques, cupids, &c. with fmall foliated fcrolls between four medallions, two having S. P. Q. R. on labels ; the others, a profile helmeted buft, and one in full face. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 15 10. Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 36/. (See engraving.) PLATE. CUPIDS, FOLIAGE, AND MEDALLIONS. Ctijh'l Durante, about 1510. ('735- '55-) C aft el Durante, 303 This exquifite little " amatoria " plate is by the hand of an unknown mafter, whofe works are of great rarity. It bears a near affinity to the bowl belonging to Mrs. H. T. Hope, and exhibited at the Loan Collec- tion, in the catalogue of which it was defer ibed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon at page 399. That piece is figned (fee Mark No. i, Caftel Durante) by the artift, one Giovanni Maria " VRO" (which we read as "Vaiaro" and not " Urbinato," as Mr. J. C. Robinfon fuggefts) of Caftel Durante in 1508; and a careful comparifon of this fpecimen and No. 1728 with the bowl has led the writer to the conclufion that all three may be reafonably afcribed to the fame excellent artift, who like other good men of his day, has only recorded his Chriftian name. We fhould be difpofed to confider No. 1728 as the earlieft; followed by Mrs. H. T. Hope's bowl at an interval of a kw years, foon after which this admirably finifhed plate was probably executed. A peculiar manner of drawing the figures and the profile heads of the cupids pertains to the two latter pieces : in all three the fame clafs of pig- ments is employed, a blue grounding darker and heavier in tone than that ufed at Caftaggiolo, a very brilliant yellow, a deep brown orange, a purple (not ufed on this piece) and a liquid tranfparent green : the flefh tones are peculiarly foft and evenly applied, and a vivid fancy is difplayed in the almoft crowded compofition of the grotefques, trophies, &c. which differ materially in ftyle from thofe of Caffaggiolo, of Faenza, or of Siena. We fee here, in fadl, the commencement of a ftyle of decoration which afterwards in a more developed form prevailed fo much at this fabrique. 5475- '59. PLATEAU. On the central medallion a fliield of the arms of Francefco Maria I. (Delia Rovere), Duke of Urbino (1508-38) fupported by two angels and furmounted by a coronet. The reft: of the bottom is occupied by a zone of grotefques, varioufly coloured on a dark blue ground, among which are vafes and dragons, whofe necks pafs through finger rings fet with a pointed ft:one, a device of the Medici family. The fides are in " bianco fopra bianco " and the rim, of orange ground, is covered with foliation and grotefques in blue picked out with green and purple, and two medallions of children on a white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines in dark blue. Italian. 304 Italian Pottery, (Caftel Durante?) About 1508. Uiam. 17^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 80/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon, in the Soulages Catalogue, fays : " The enamel glaze is of the moft perfe6l quality, and the colours are unufually bril- Hant and forcible. The name of the artift is unknown ; feveral other pieces by the fame hand are, however, extant, all of which by their great excellence bear teftimony to the paramount ability of this early mafter." The coat of arms on this fine piece enables us to fix its date with tolerable certainty. Prefuming it to be that of Francefco Maria I., it bears the united achievements of Delia Rovere and Montefeltro, his parental and maternal fhields ; they are furmounted by the Ducal coronet to which he fucceeded on the 14th April in 1508, while there is no pale bearing the papal infignia, to denote his being captain-general of the ecclefiaftical forces to which he attained on 4th October of the fame year ; nor does he impale the arms of Leonora, daughter of the Duke Frederic Gonzaga of Mantua, whom he married on the following Chrift- mas. We may therefore infer that it was painted between 14th April and the 4th October in 1508. The bowl belonging to Mrs. H. T. Hope (fee Mark No. i and the notice to No. 1735 in this catalogue) was made on 1 2th September in the fame year, and was doubtlefs a prefent from the Duke to his uncle Julius II. in acknowledgement of his appointment to the command of the papal forces, with which he was inverted twenty- two days afterwards. We do not however afcribe the bowl to the fame hand as the prefent piece. The occurrence of the ring with the " diamante in punta " among the grotefques, would, however, fuggeft the poffibility that this plateau belonged to Lorenzo II. de Medici, who was inverted in 1516 with the Duchy of Urbino by his uncle Pope Leo X., and might have aflumed the arms of the duchy with his family cognizance. In this cafe Caffaggiolo would be the more probable place of its produdtion. ^7^3' '55- VASE, globular. A central wide zone of grotefques on deep blue ground ; on either fide a fhield of arms : Argent, a bend finifter ftriped chevronwife, azure and vert, be- tween three trees proper ; the neck is grounded in orange, with grotefque maiks, &c. in blue touched with yellow, and two fhields, each bearing a monaftic or owner's mark, confifting of two letters F, feparated by a tranfverfe line in a heart-fhaped VASE. DECORATION OF GROTESC^UES. Cajhl Durante, 1 5 1 9. ('7'3- '55-) CIRCULAR DISH. Portrait of pietro perugino. C.ajhl Durante (?), about 1520-30. (7165. '60.) Cajlel Durante. 305 figure furmounted by a double crofs. The foot, grounded green with fruit, foliage, &c. in blue touched with yellow. Italian. (From the botega of Sebaftiano di Marforio of Caftel Durante. 1519-) H. 15 in., diam. 12^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 23/. (See engraving.^ The bold " a grotefchi " decoration and tone of colouring of this vafe are eminently charafteriftic of the fabrique of Caftel Durante, and by the companion piece, which is now in the Britifh Mufeum, we learn from an infcription that they were made " ne la botega d' Sebaftiano d' " Marforio a di xi de Octobre fece 15 19." (See Mark, No. 2.) They were purchafed from a druggift's fhop at Cagli, where they had been doing duty till a ftw years fmce ; and not many miles from the fpot where they were originally made. 7165. '60. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacile," In the centre a full face buft portrait of the painter Pietro Perugino, on a deep blue background ; on the border a wreath of fruit and foliage, with four oval orange medallions, on which refpedtively are painted, in their natural colours, a goldfinch, kingfifher, grofbeak, and tomtit. Italian. (Caftel Durante ?) About 1520-30. Diam. 18 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 200/. (See engraving.) Mr. J. C. Robinfon, writing in the catalogue of the Soulages Collec- tion upon this interefting piece, fays : " This magnificent work muft be regarded as an unique piece, executed entirely irrefpedlive of the ufual conditions of manufacflure ; it is painted by one of the moft able of the Maeftri-Majolicari, probably from a picture or drawing furnifhed by fome one of the greateft painters of the epoch. The date of the piece is about 1515-20 (Pietro died in 1524). The portrait of Pietro is a well-known one ; we know that his popularity with the young painters of the new fchool, founded by M. Angelo and RafFaelle, led them fre- quently to introduce his portrait into their works. Vafari records that Lorenzo da Credi painted Perugino's portrait, and as in the prefent 3o6 Italian Pottery, work he is reprefented much younger than he can have really appeared at the date afligned to the piece, it is juft poffible that this head may have been copied from Da Credi's portrait. From the analogy of ftyle of execution and colour, this piece is believed to have been painted by the fame artift who executed the celebrated plate acquired by the Marl- borough Houfe Mufeum from the Bernal Colle6lion, which reprefents a Majolica painter in his ftudio painting the border of a plate in the pre- fence of a richly-attired cavalier and lady ; and alfo of another plate from the fame colle6lion, on which is reprefented the St. George of Donatello, from the bronze ftatue in Florence. The latter were exe- cuted at CafFaggiolo, a villa of the Medici family, near Florence, where in all probability the princes of this celebrated dynafty had founded a private manufactory of Majolica ware. The artifts of this ' fabrique ' were probably all of the fame family, as we find feveral diftindt hands making ufe of the fame monogram on their pieces, fometimes accom- panied with the word 'CafFaggiolo' or the letter ' C only ; to all appearance they were an ofF-fhoot from the Faenza fchool. The prefent piece unfortunately has no fignature or monogram ; but in confirmation of its Tufcan origin, it may be obferved that the ftyle of the border, which is very unufual in Majolica ware, is imitated from the borders fo much in ufe in the enamelled relief-fculpture of the Delia Robbia fchool — a ftyle which, at an earlier period ftill, was made familiar to the Florentine artifts in the works of Andrea Pifani and Lorenzo Ghiberti." Notwithftanding Mr. J. C. Robinfon's opinion that it was a work of one of the artifts at CafFaggiolo, we have ventured to clafs it doubtingly with the pieces of Caftel Durante, with which it more nearly agrees in many technical qualities. The back of the piece is without ornament, an unufual circumftance in the CafFaggiolo wares ; the colours ufed alfo approach nearer to thofe of Caftel Durante than to the latter, notwith- ftanding the great fimilarity of the dark blue ground \ the wreath of foliage conftantly occurs on eledtuary vafes, &c. made at the Durantine works, broken at intervals by groups of orange and yellow fruit ; the medallions with birds only are unufual, and certainly not in the tafte of the Delia Robbian fchool. We incline alfo to the opinion that it is from ten to fifteen years later in date. The Marquis d'Azeglio had a tazza which is covered by the portrait head of RafFaelle, on a dark blue ground ; a work which Mr. J. C. Robinfon agreed with the writer in affigning to Francefco Durantino (fee Urbino and Bagnara), and knowing the high qualities of that artift, both in drawing and colouring, as evinced by a tazza in the C aft el Du rante, 307 Britifli Mufeum and other pieces, we fee no reafon againft the fugges- tion that he may alfo have been the painter of this exceptionally- excellent work. On the ciftern in the Narford Collection, a late piece, he figns his name and ftates that it was made at " Mote Bagnolo" in 1551. This may be the fpot now known as " Bagnara " near Perugia, and it is poflible that Francefco, later in life, was the pro- prietor of a furnace at that place, within a Ihort diftance of the road between Pietro's native Citta della Pieve, and that from which he was named II Perugino. 2613. '56. PLATE. " Tagliere." On black ground a buft, three- quarter face, of St. Jerome ; a nimbus is over the head, and one hand holds a ftone ; on a ribbon is infcribed lERO- NIMVS. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Caftel Durante?) About 1520-30. Diam. 9! in. Bought, i/. %s. This is an unufual fpecimen ; we do not recollect any fimilar ; it is executed with ability, perhaps copied from a frefco or oil painting. PLATE. " Tondinoy Decoration in grifaille, on blue ground ; in the funk centre a tablet fupported by a cherub's head, and infcribed " In nomine dom." Sides in " Sopra bianco," and wide border of trophies, on two fcrolls are the words " Ama Dio." Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1527. Diam. 9.^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 25/. The defign and general efFedl of this plate are very pleafmg ; the trophies, fcrolls, and branches of leafage are drawn with a free and able touch. No. 8947 is by the fame hand. 3o8 Italian Pottery, 8947. '63. PLATE, with deep centre. " Tondino" A military trophy in grijaille^ with a buckler, infcribed S • P ' Q^* R on bright orange ground ; wide border of grotefque fphinxes with ferpents, dolphins, &c., in bluifh grey on blue ground ; on two labels are refpedively infcribed A.V.E., and the date 1527. Italian (Caftel Durante). Reverfe, plain. Diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 25/. (See vignette.^ By the fame hand as No. ^957. An interefting early fpecimen of the " a grotefche " plates gene- rally believed to be of the Caftel Durante fabrique. 8960. '6^. PLATE. " Bacinetto." In the central medallion a cameo- like female profile buft on a bluifh-black ground within a wreath of leaves ; the reft of the furface covered with inter- laced oak branches and acorns in orange on deep blue ground. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1525-30. Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), ill. (See vignette.) An unufually brilliant example. " This beautiful defign, not an uncommon one, evidently became popular in compliment to the Delia Cajlei Dura?tte. 309 Rovere family, lords of Urbino, whofe cognifance was an oak branch. — (J. C. R.) This ftyle of decoration was known as " Cerquate." 413- 54- TAZZA Plate or " Fruttiera." Branches of oak {Cerquate) in yellow colour, intertwined on a dark blue ground, re- lieved with green ; in the centre a medallion male buft portrait encircled by a green wreath. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1530-40. Diam. 9I; in. Bought, 5/. {Sqq vigneUe.) A fair example of a mode of decoration much in vogue during the rule of the houfe of Delia Rovere, whofe cognizance, the oak, is thus elegantly applied. 3IO Italian Pottery. 1766. '55. PLATE. " TagUere.'' Border of interlaced oak branch pattern, in yellow on a blue ground ; a fhield of arms in the centre bearing : — party per bend dancettee of two, tenne and or : in chief and bafe a ftar of fix points counterchanged of the field. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). Diam. 9 J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. This pattern is a fort of mixture of the " tirata " and the "cerquata ;" the lift of patterns given in PiccolpafTo's work is, however, very in- fufficient. 1202. 64. DRUG Vafe and Cover. Oviform. Trophies of arms and mulical inftruments, and a large label infcribed, ^U^IO^a r.OtliX, The fhoulder, neck, and feet encircled with leafage and intertwined ornament in blue camieu. The cover is grounded orange with rafpberries in blue. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1530-40. H. 11 in., diam. 8 J in. Bought, III. S^^7' '55- DRUG Vafe. Oviform. On a bright orange ground, two dolphins tied together with a ribbon by the tail ; foliage and a large, fhaped label, on which is infcribed the name of the drug, i^l^rtarliO OJJif* The ftioulders, neck, and foot are encircled with leafage ; the whole outlined and ftiaded blue, relieved with green, yellow, and orange. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1530-40. H. 10 in., diam 8^ in. Bought, 5/. 5J. The companion vafe to No. 1202, and of the fame delicate tone of colour. EWER. " Mefcirohar With trefoil lip and double fcroll handle ; diapered with foliated fcrolls, &c. in yellow and white in geometrical compartments, grounded alternately in Cajlel Durante, 311 blue, orange, and green ; the handle is blue. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1530-40. H. 8i in., W. 5 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. Ewers with their handles, &c., are rare to meet with in fuch perfedl prefervation. 7142. '61. SALT Cellar, with cover. Blue ground, with grotefques, fphinxes, ferpents, &c., in grifaille, and yellow knob and mouldings. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1540. H. 4-^in., diam. 4^ in. Bought, 6/. This has been one of the fet of fitted veffels known as " vafi puerperali," and was the uppermoft piece, the " faliera." For a defcription of thefe veffels fee the introductory notice. 2588. '56. DRUG Pot. Cylindrical " Albarello." Decoration on one fide grounded orange, with trophies, lion's mafk, and a turbaned head on a yellow medallion, all in grifaille. On the other, grounded blue, are foliations, dolphins, and a fatyr's mafk, referved in white, fhaded blue and a fhield of arms in colour. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1550. H. 14 in., diam. 7 in. Bought, 10/. 8 J. The blue fide of this piece is very brilliant, and in manner of ornamentation approaches to the " fopra azzurro " woric of Faenza. In this, however, the arabefques are left white, the ground being filled in with blue. 1773- ^55- PLATE, with deep centre. " Tondino." In the bafm- fhaped centre, on dark blue ground, a label bearing S.P.Q^R. and three ftiields, one with the date 1535 ; on the 312 Italian Pottery. border a green wreath, and fcroll work in white on the white ground, " bianco fopra bianco." Reverfe, plain. Itahan (Caftel Durante). Diam. 8^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 6/. 1751- '55- PLATE. " 'Tagliere.'' Green ground covered with grotefques *' a candeliere," in brown grifaille heightened with while. Reverfe plain. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1535-40. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), il. 8j. A piece of an unufual tone of colour. 1740. '55- PLATE. " Tondino" Jofeph and Potiphar's wife. Re- verfe, concentric lines in yellow. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1 540. Diam. g^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. c^s. The fubjedl covers the whole furface of the piece, and is painted with a predominance of yellow colour ; the high lights are touched with white. 8954. '63. PLATE. " Fruttiera." Neptune and two fea-horfes, painted in colour on a white ground. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1540-50. Diam. 8^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 8/. " This piece, painted with great maftery and force of colour, is pro- bably by one of the artifts ufually employed in painting the fine chiaro'- fcuros of this fabrique." — (J. C. R.) ^^79- '55- PLATEAU. Hannibal at the battle of Cannae. Reverfe, infcription, denoting the fubjedl, " La rotta ch diede Aniballe ali romani a canne." Italian. (Caftel Durante ?) Cajlel Durante. 313 About 1540-50. Diam. lyf in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 111. I J. 6d. A brilliantly coloured and effedlive " Piatta da Pompa," vigorous but fomewhat loofe in drawing ; a group of horfemen combating with fome few on foot, and the fallen dead occupy the foreground ; behind is a landfcape, divided by a rocky eminence and fome large trees, mountains, a town and water in the diftance. A brilliant orange yellow and a liquid green ftiaded with blue are much ufed. 1774- SB- PLATE. " Tondino:' A fhield of arms in the funk centre, furrounded by wave ornament and bearing a horfe's head on an orange ground ; border of grotefques in grifaille on dark blue. Italian. (Caftel Durante ?) About 1540-50. Diam. 9 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/, ioj. The colours are dark, particularly on the border ; we afcribe it doubtingly to Caftel Durante. 7145. '60. PLATE. " Fruttiera." A draped female on horfeback, armed with fhield and fpear, is in the adl of charging at a man feated on a rock and refting againft his fhield ; a cupid above is drawn in a car by two doves ; landfcape diftance. Painted in brown grifaille, warmed with yellow in the Iky and on the white ground. Reverfe, fcalloped ftrap work and waved lines in orange brown outlined with blue, and a monogram, which is repeated on the woman's fhield (pro- bably that of the perfon to whom it was given). Italian (Caftel Durante? or Fabriano). About 1540. Diam. 9 in. Bought, 11/. A very unufual piece, the fubjedl is probably an allegory ; the monogram may be that of the painter or of the receiver of the piece, 314 Italian Pottery, which appears to be a " coppa amatoria ;" the letter B ftands alone in both inftances, and may poflibly fignify the word " bella " as applied to the name of the lady comprifed in the monogram. There is fome agreement in the ftyle of painting on this piece, and on one in the Mufeum of Economic Geology, which by its mark and general cha- radter we have no doubt in aligning to Fabriano : a fabrique, the former exiftence of which has been only recently made known to us, and to the account of which we refer the reader. 12,- '67. JUG. '•'■ Mezzina." Mounted in pewter. In front a pro- file buft portrait of a lady on dark blue ground, fur- rounded by a white fcroll, infcribed CICILIA * BE^A, and a wreath of green leaves tied with orange cord. Italian. (Caftel Durante or Urbino ?) About 1540. H. 8 in.. W. 61 in. Bought (Marryat Coll.), 5/. ^975- S3' JUG. " Mezzina" Mounted in pewter, with trefoil lip. Female profile portrait on dark blue ground, furrounded by a fcroll infcribed ISABETA • BEJ.A, within a wreath of green leafage tied with orange cord. Italian. (Caftel Cajlel Durante. 315 Durante or Urbino ?) About 1540. H, 8 in., diam. 5f in. Bought. (Bandinel Coll.) The compiinion jug to No. 12. '67. If the profile heads are por- traits they muft be of fifters, the difference in features being flight, and the drefs and coiffure precifely fimilar ; the latter is remarkable, the hair which the painter has rendered as golden, is confined behind in a diapered net or bag, giving the effe6l of a " chignon," almoft modern in its development ; a wave upon the forehead efcapes in fmall ringlets on the cheek. The painting is much in the manner of the portrait plate No. 8922. 8921. '^z PLATE. " Fruttiera." On a dark blue ground a profile buft of a helmeted warrior, dreffed in blue, with a white fcroll, infcribed ORITIA. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 8f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. By the fame hand and perhaps the companion plate to No. 8922. 892:2. '6 O' PLATE. " Fruttieray On a dark blue ground a profile buft of a young man in a green cloak and orange brown hat, with a white fcroll infcribed CAPITANIO GINTILE. Reverfe plain. Italian (Caftel Durante or Ur- bino). About 1540. Diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. By the fame hand, and probably a companion piece to No. 8921. The works of this painter, who feems to have devoted himfelf to the execution of portrait plates of this defcription, are not rare but are highly efteemed by collectors. Nos. 8923, 4627, 1691, and perhaps the female portrait plate No. 8886, richly luftred and clafTed among the productions of Gubbio, are all by the fame hand. 3 1 6 Italian Pottery. 1691. '55. PLATE. " Fruttiera." Full face female portrait, in- fcribed " Margarita," on dark blue ground. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1530-40. Diam. 8^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. 15^. By the fame hand as No. 8922, &c. The diapered or embroidered head-drefs on this portrait is remarkable. 1687. 'ss- PLATE. " Fruttiera." A female buft portrait wearing a black hat and a chain over the neck, on blue ground edged with yellow, and infcribed ELENA • BELLA. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 8j in. 8930. '61,. PLATE. " Fruttieray Female buft portrait in a drefs with yellow fleeves, on blue background, with ribbon fcroll, infcribed " Silvia diva mirabella." Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. Perhaps by the fame artift as the fine luftred plate No. 8886. (See Gubbio.) 4627. '58. PLATE. " Fruitier a." Three-quarter buft portrait of a lady on a dark blue ground, and a label, infcribed " Hieronima." Reverfe plain. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino). About 1540-50. Diam. 8 J in. Bought, 4/. This " ritratto amatorio " is by a later and inferior hand to his who executed No. 1691 and others in an equally good ftyle. Cajiel Durante. 317 8923. '61,. PLATE. ^^Fruttiera.'' On a dark blue ground, a full faced bufl portrait of a lady in a yellow drefs, with an interlaced fcroll infcribed "Silvia bella;" an " amatoria " or love gift. Reverfe, white enamel. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1540. Diam. 9 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. Though fomewhat pale, the colouring of this portrait is harmonious, and the flefh tints managed with great fkill ; the expreflion of the coun- tenance is very pleafing, and with the regular and well-formed features, quite entitle the owner to the epithet " bella." The name of the artift has never been afcertained, although he has produced numerous works, and would appear to have been one of thofe who devoted himfelf almoft exclufively to painting thefe portrait pieces. 8401. '6^. ECUELLE or Sauce Boat. A firen holding a fhell, the defign probably fuggefted by an antique bronze lamp. Italian (Caftel Durante or Urbino), About 1550. H. 4^ in., L. 6f in., W. 5^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. The body of the firen is of a dull orange tone. The double foliated tails of green colour clafp the bottom of the (hell, which is of the richeft blue J it is ftriped outfide with yellow, blue and orange, and fplafhed with the fame colours infide on a blue ground ; the foot is formed of a fmaller fhell, a fcollop. Thefe fhaped pieces are generally quaint and vigorous in defign. The colours of this example differ from thofe of Urbino, and are of a deeper tone. We are inclined to afcribe it to Caftel Durante rather than Faenza. 5590. 's^' DRUG Pot. ^^ Albarelhy Grotefques of infe«fts, cray- fifh, arms, &c., in grifaille on dark blue ground ; between two dolphins is an orange medallion with profile 3 I 8 Italian Pottery, head in darker tint ; on a ribbon is infcribed IN TERR DVRANTIS. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1550-60. H. 13 in., diam. 7 in. Bought, 11/. 4J. This piece is important as being infcribed with the words " In terr*^ Durantis," thus proving the place of manufa6lure of a large quantity of fimilar wares. The decoration is in the fame ftyle as that adopted at Venice by Maeftro Ludovico on fome of his pieces, and was in all probability introduced by the artifts who went to Venice from Caftel Durante. 2586. '56. DRUG Pet. " Albarelloy Trophies of various arms and utenfils in grifaille cover the central furface, among which is a label, infcribed IMoftatlra * f * ; above and below are wreath and bead mouldings. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1556. H. T5jin., diam. w^ in. Bought, 7/. \is. This and the companion piece No. 2587 are fine examples of a ftyle of ornamentation very prevalent at Caftel Durante, and in thefe inftances are drawn with great fkill ; the whole furface of the central belt is covered with trophies of arms, mufical inftruments, tools, domeftic utenfils, &c. heaped together in every variety of forefliortening, and yet arranged without any fenfe of confufion or overloading, and are framed by wreathage and bead moulding on the neck and bafe. 2587. '56. DRUG Pot. '■^ Albarelhy Trophies of various arms and utenfils in grifaille, bordered above and below with wreathage and bead moulding. The date (1556) is on a fhield, and the label is infcribed JHoftatHa ♦ f * Italian (Caftel Durante). H. 15^ in., diam. iif in. Bought, 7/. \is. The companion to No. 2586. Cajlel Durante, 319 1676. 'c,i,. PLATE. " Tondinoy Border and centre covered with leafage and fruit, *' a foglie," filled in with blue, orange, and yellow. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Caftel Durante.'') About 1550. Diam. ^\ in. ^To^' '55- PLATE, with deep centre. " I'ondino" A man angling in a landfcape ; border of blue arabefques on orange ground, with four medallion landfcapes, enclofed in wreaths of fruit and foliage. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue, orange, and yellow. Italian. (Caftel Durante or Faenza?) About 1550. Diam. 9!^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. The glaze on this piece is of remarkable brilliancy and the colours very bright. We incline to believe that it is of Caftel Durante, although the orange ground and decorated reverfe are chara£leriftic of the Faenza wares. 4^31- S7' PLATE, with deep centre. " 'Tondino.'' The border and the funk centre covered with leafage on compartments of yellow and blue ground, divided by an orange ribbon. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Caftel Durante). About 1550. Diam. 9 1 in. Bought, il. 16s. A piece of the ordinary wares for general fale at a low rate. 4553- 57- TAZZA Plate. Foliage picked out with yellow on orange ground ; in the centre a band, infcribed " Avera. B." Reverfe, concentric lines in blue. Italian. (Caftel Durante ?) 1 6th century. Diam. yf in. Bought, i/. \os. 3 20 Italia?t Pottery, 1570. 55- DRUG Pot. " Albarello" Grotefques in grifaille on a dark blue and an orange ground, wreaths of green leaves on the neck and foot, and round two yellow medallions bearing laureated bufts ; on a white ribbon is the name of the drug, DIA • CATHOLICN • M •, and on a label the date 1562. Italian (Cartel Durante). H. 8f in., diam. 4f in. Bought, 3/. 4^. A later example of the charadteriftic wares of this extenfive fabrique. 6^1,. '70. EWER or Sauce Boat. In form of a dolphin, the tail f terminating in a human mafque, with fhell foot, mottled brown and white. Italian. (Caftel Durante ?) About 1570. (Addington Coll.). H. 7I in., L. 9^ in. Bought, 30/. This is an example of thofe marbled pieces, the whereabout of the production of which it is difficult to fix. Piccolpaflb tells us that fuch were made at Caftel Durante, and this may be one of them. The following pieces, afcribed to Caftel Durante and luftred at Gubbio, are arranged under that head. (pp. 278, 279.) No. 8894. '63. Plate; fubjcvfl, Perfeus and Andromeda. No. 8962. '63. Plate ; " a Trofei." U R B I N O. LTHOUGH not to be ranked with the earlieft feats of the manufa6lure of artiftic pottery in Italy, there is no place so much aflbciated with thefe beautiful productions of the potter's art, as the fmall city of Urbino, whence, indeed, was derived one of the names by which it is dif- tinguifhed. Crowning a fteep among the many hills of Umbria, remarkable in the landfcape from her pi6lurefque pofition, and the towering palace of her Dukes, the former refort of literature and art ; remote from the great high roads, Urbino is one of thofe many curious fites with which Italy abounds, and which centre round them- felves an individual hiftory of the greateft intereft.^ What giants of art and of literature were born or nurtured in that little town ! now fo negleiled and unknown. He who, climbing the fteep afcent and tortuous narrow ftreets, has vifited the deferted halls and richly decorated cabinets of her palace ; and has travelled through the beauteous fcenery of her neighbourhood, to where the delicious valley of the Tiber burfts upon the fight, will never forget the impreflions that they leave. In proof of the antiquity of ceramic induftry of a more ordinary kind in the vicinity of this city, Pungileoni, in the " Notizie delle pitture in Majolica fatte in Urbino," tells us that an antique amphora was not long fmce difcovered in the grounds of the Villa Gaifa, hard by the river Ifauro, and that near to it were alfo found remains of a potter's furnace. This, however, does not prove the early eftabliftiment of a fabrique of glazed or enamelled decorative wares. Marryat ftates that in a regifter of Urbino dated 1477, one Giovanni di Donino Garducci is mentioned as a potter of that place, but it is not till 1 50 1 that any ' The reader is referred to Mr. Denniltoun's *' Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino," 3 vols. 8vo., London, 1851, a work, full of information, and illullratcd by engraved views and portraits. M. X 322 Italian Pottery, further record occurs. In that year Dodlor Aleflandro Spagnoli of Mantua, vicar-general to Monfignore Gio. Maria Arrivabene, bifhop of Urbino, gave a commiffion to Francefco di Donnino, who with Giovanni di Donnino were potters at Urbino, for an aflbrtment of vafes, difties, &c. for the ufe of the Cardinal di Carpaccio, and among them are mentioned " bacile," having the arms of the Cardinal in the centre, and water " boccali " or jugs, with little lions on the covers. Pungileoni further informs us that the Fontana botega, the moft im- portant of the city, was in Urbino, in the Contrada San Paolo (where Guido Merlini or Merligno alfo had a fhop), and that fubfequently Orazio took the adjoining houfe. He eftablifhes this information by documentary proof, and fhows that they then had furnace, magazine and houfe, with a cortile in which the pieces could be dried before baking ; and he denies what FafTeri, quoting from Vernaccia, ftates, that the works were not in Urbino itfelf, but at a place called " Fermignano," three miles diftant from the city. This ftatement is however not improbable in reference to the furnaces for the lefs valuable wares, the city being on the fummit of a fteep hill, away from that fupply of clay, fand, and fuel, which would be found upon the lower ground in the neighbourhood of the river. ^ We have a parallel inftance at Pefaro, the works of the Lanfranchi being at the " Gabice," fome diftance from that city, although it is not to be doubted that they had magazines or (hops in the city itfelf We think therefore, that both ftatements may be recon- ciled, and that as the Fontana had " vaferie " for the manufadure of more ordinary pottery, the works at which they were made may have been fituated at Fermignano, although the " botega " for the pro- du6lion of the more artiftic wares was really in Urbino itfelf. The earlieft pieces known to us, which can with any certainty be afcribed to the potteries of Urbino, are probably thofe of the Gonzaga-Efte fervice, which are undoubtedly the work of Nicola da Urbino ; thefe muft have been painted between the period of the Marquis' marriage with Ifabella d' Efte, in 1490, and (the arms upon the pieces being thofe of the wife and not of the hu(band) before her death in 1539. We think, however, from internal evidence that it is more probable that they were produced anterior to 15 19, the year of her hufband's death. Nicola, therefore, was working at Urbino at the fame time as the Donnini. ^ Mr. Pentland ftates that the Metauro only carries down calcareous boulders, gravel, and fand, which laft muft be the "terra " mentioned by Pafleri, and ufed in the compofition of the glaze. We fufpeiSl, however, that the neighbourhood of the river alfo furniftied argillaceous marl. U rhino, 323 Next in fequence would be the Bafilewfki plate, dated 152 1, fol- lowed by the Sta. Cecilia, painted by him in 1528. To thefe we fhall prefently refer. We have no record of the precife date at which the Pellipario, afterwards Fontana, family came from Caftel Durante and fettled at Urbino, but we have documentary proof that " Guido Niccolai Pellipario figulo da Durante," or " Guido, fon of Nicola Pellipario, potter of Durante," was eftablifhed at Urbino in 1 520. From this period, through the i6th and 17th centuries, a number of .pieces are dated and figned by various artifts, or as having been made in the " boteghe " of various maeftri of Urbino. We propofe to confider the works of the more important of thefe artifts under their feparate refpe6live names, beginning with Nicola as the earlieft of whom we have known examples ; the Fontana family, and of Guido Durantino ; the works of Fra Xanto ; of Fran- cefco Durantino ; of the Patanazzi ; clafling together the works of other artifts of the fabrique, of whom we have fmaller record in re- maining examples or documentary hiftory. There feems little doubt that the revival, or perhaps the firft introdu6tion of artiftic ceramic manu- fadture to Urbino was under the influence of Guidobaldo I., and that many of the potters and nearly all the more important artifts im- migrated from Caftel Durante. Long lifts of names have been publiftied by Raffaelli, but it is difficult to diftinguifli between the more ordinary potters, and the artifts, whofe works we are unable to recognife from the abfence of figned fpecimens. NicoLo OR Nicola da Urbino. ONSIDERABLE uncertainty exifts, and fome confufion has arifen among connoiffeurs in refpe6l to the works of this very able artift, and as to his connexion with the Fontana family and fabrique at Urbino, the latter ftill a difputed and undecided queftion ; as alfo to the marks on various pieces attributable to his hand only, but which have been affigned by M. Jacquemart to the fabrique of Ferrara, and by other writers to variouspainters and localities. There are no pieces marked or figned by this artift in the South Kenfmgton iVlufuem, but it pof- fefles some examples of his work. A certain fimilarity in fome of his lefs careful pieces has caufed them, not unfrequently, to be attributed to Xanto, but a clofer ftudy of his manner will fhow it to be really very diftindl. 324 Italian Pottery, We will proceed to give a lift of all the figned pieces known to the writer, and will draw our conclufions therefrom. The firft is in the Britifli Mufeum, a plate, reprefenting a facrifice to Diana, and infcribed on the reverfe w ^ (Mark No. i.) ; and in comparing it with thofe of the Gonzaga-Efte fervice, Mr. Franks arrived at the con- clufion that they alfo were painted by Nicola in his moft careful manner ; the clue thus found, he ingenioufly deciphered the monogram on the beautiful fragment in theSauvageot Colledion (Louvre G. 324), painted with a group from the ParnafTus of RafFaelle, clearly and unmiftakably by the fame hand (Mark No. 2). Thofe two exquifite plates in the Britifh Mufeum from the Bernal Colle6lion, to which we have alluded, are portions of a fervice painted by Nicola da Urbino for Ifabella d' Efte, wife of Gian. Francefco Gon- zaga. Marquis of Mantua, daughter of Ercole I., and fifter to Alfonfo II., Dukes of Ferrara. Her fhield of arms, carefully blazoned, occupies the centre of one, and the front of a tower in the architectural background of the other plate \^ the former has the fubjeCl of Apollo and Python on one fide, and that of Apollo feizing Daphne on the other ; on a fhield fufpended from a tree is what appears to be a bundle of rods ftanding in a fquare box ; this may perhaps be intended for a crucible filled with bars of gold, beneath and about which a fire is burning ; and if fo, it is the well-known " imprefa " or cognizance of the Gonzaga. On a label is infcribed, " nee fpe nee metu," the motto of Ifabella d'Efl:e, and on another is the monogram, which is alfo found on other pieces of this fervice, and which is given in facfimile among the Marks (No. 3), from one in the Mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna. The other Britifh Mufeum fpecimen has for fubjecf a troop of horfe foldiers entering a city, a woman with her dead child meets them. That at Bologna is a " Mefciroba " or ewer, of quaint form and great beauty of. painring, and on which the fame arms and motto occur. The companion " hanap " is in the pofieffion of Baron Alphonfe de Rothfchild, of Paris, and is figured in Delange's folio work (pi. 31). Signor Frati, of Bologna, informed the writer fome years fince that he had feen a very beautiful vafe bearing the fame arms and dated 1319. ^ This fliield bears the arms of Gonzaga, impaling thofe of Efte. They would, therefore, be thofe of Ifabella, it being the cuftom in Italian heraldry for the wife to life her own family arms impaled on the left of her hufband's, whereas the hulband would only ufe his own without impalement. Married in 1490, the Marquis died in 1 5 19. Ifabella or Elizabeth, a great patronefs of literature and art, whofe accomplifhments and perfci5tions were lauded by the poets of her day, died in 1539. Urb ino. 25 Another plate of the fame fervice and equally beautiful with thofe in the Britifh Mufeum, is in Mr. Fountaine's colle6lion at Narford Hall ; on this the arms fill the centre of the piece. The next figned example which comes under notice is a lefs carefully painted plate, forming part of the rich coUedlion of M. Bafilewfki, of Paris. Its fubjedl reprefents a crowned and fceptred king, probably Solomon or David, feated on a throne, with architectural background, &c., and on the reverfe occurs the monogram of Nicola, fomewhat varied from that on the Louvre piece (Mark No. 4). This is alfo figured by Delange, pi. 55. Laftly, and of equal importance in the hiflory of this very able ceramic painter, is a large circular difli, which, among the other noble fpecimens of the Urbino fabrique, long preferved in the Mufeum of the Uffizi, is now in the Bargello at Florence. The entire furface is covered with the fubjedi of the Martyrdom of Santa Cecilia, painted with care, and unmiftakably by Nicola, but not in the earlier and more delicate manner of the Gonzaga fervice ; on the re- verfe is the monogram, again varied by conne6ting the upright limbs of the letter N, with a crofs bar to form an H. It will be noticed that the firft monogram in the feries has a crofs-bar between the firft and fecond ftroke of the N to form an A, and would therefore read NICOLA. On M. Bafilewfki's piece this is omitted, and the name would read NICOLO ; while by the addition feen on the Bargello difti it would give the more Tufcan pronunciation to the name by fpelling it NICHOLA. But what is fl:ill more interefting he adds to the titular infcription, ^^ fata in hotega de Guido da Cajiello durante in Urbino^ 1528," thus proving his connedtion with the Fontana fabrique, and we think alfo with that family, unlefs this "Guido da Caftello durante" be other than he who is called in notarial documents " Mag : Guido Niccolai de Durante figulas Urbinas," and " Mag : Guido Nicolai figulas de Durante civis Urbini " (Pungileoni). It appears to the writer that as the period at which he worked is proved by examples dated 1521 and 1528, and others which by their manner would feem to be earlier, agreeing with the records of the family, the place and the fabrique, as alfo the general chara6ter of the wares upon which he painted, are evidence in favour of the conclufion that he muft have been that Nicola Pellipario of Cartel Durante, who came to Urbino with his fon Guido, and there eftablifhed a "botega" in his fon's name. We are not aware of any counter evidence ftronger than this, although it may be fuggefted that the Guido named on the dirti was 326 Italian Pottery, perhaps " Guido Durantino," in whofe botega the fervice for the Montmorency was made (of which anon) ; but the pieces fo figned are, we believe, not all by the fame hand, and none are recorded of earlier date than 1532. Moreover, we incline to the fuppofition that both thefe two Guidos, Durantini, are but one and the fame Maeftro Guido Fontana, of Cartel Durante.^ Neither can we fuppofe him to be " Guido Merlino," for the pieces figned as of his botega all have the chriftian and furname, the latter varioufly fpelt " Merlino," " Merlingo," and " Nerlino," and the dates are 1542 and 1551. Mr. Marryat and fome other writers have fuggefted that Nicola may have been a pupil of Xanto, but dated pieces negative this theory, for we have feen that Nicola painted from before isigtill 1528, and probably after, whereas the earlieft dated Xanto is not anterior to 1530- M. Darcel's fuggeftion^ that he was the fame as Nicolo di Gabriele, who was painting in 1530, we think equally improbable. Many unfigned pieces by Nicola are preferved in public and private colle6lions, but frequently are not recognifed. Some of the fineft with which we are acquainted are in the Narford cabinet, one rare example being a plateau with raifed centre, on which is painted a female playing the pipes. The fubje6t of Apollo and Marfyas fills the intervening fpace, and is furrounded by a rich border of human-headed dragons and hippocampi, with medallions of dark reddifh-brown ground, painted with profile heads in camai'eu. Another magnificent circular difh, 21 inches in diameter, is entirely covered with the fubjeil of the Converfion of St. Paul, a crowded compofition of many figures, with architedlural background. This admirable work we afcribe to Nicola, but with fome hefitation ; it is in all probability by the fame hand as a piece reprefenting the Galatea, after Raffaelle, which is in Mr. Henderfon's colle6tion, and which Mr. J. C. Robinfon afcribes to Nicola, and although the treat- ment is grander and more powerful than that of the ufual works of the artift, there are many points of refemblance which induce us to afcribe Mr. Fountaine's difh to the fame hand. This example is figned at the back " in Urbino," and on a label in the foreground of tne fubje6t occur the letters L. V. (Mark No. 6), which we are difpofed to confider ^ A negative argument in favour of this conclufion may be grounded on the faft that although notarial documents exift referring to " Guido Niccolai di Durante," no fuch papers have been found in which any other Guido Durantino is mentioned. ' Notice des Fayences Peintes, p. 181. U rhino, 327 as merely the number (55) of the piece in the fervice to which it belonged ; in corroboration of which we may refer to the piece of the Gonzaga-Efte fervice in the fame colledlion, where on the bafes of columns the numbers xxvii are twice repeated. Mr. Franks agrees with the writer in thinking that the piece in queftion is by the fame hand as Mr. Henderfon's " Galatea," and has great affinity with the work of Nicola. Examples occafionally occur in colledlions apparently painted by Nicola and luftred at the Gubbio works ; of fuch is a fragment in the Narford Colle6lion, and in that of Mr. R. Napier is a plate, the painting of which is afcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon to Nicola ; fubjedl, Europa, dated on the back 1524, and enriched with metallic luftre in the botega of Maeftro Giorgio (Shandon Cat., No. 2873). A fmall plaque, having the half figure of the Virgin and Child, in rilievo^ carefully modelled, outlined in colour, and painted in the manner of Nicola, but not luftred, and poflibly an exceptional piece by him, is in the pofTeffion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome. His manner is remarkable for a {harp and careful outline of the figures, the features clearly defined, but with much delicacy of touch, the eyes, mouth, and noftrils denoted by a clear black fpot, the faces oval, derived from the Greek model, a free ufe of yellow and a pale yellow green, a tightening of the ankle and a peculiar rounding of the knee, the hair and beard of the older heads heightened with white ; the architecture bright and diftincR: ; the landfcape background fomewhat carefully rendered in dark blue againft a golden fky ; the ftems of the trees, ftrangely tortuous, are coloured brown, ftrongly marked with black lines, and as alfo the rolled up clouds, are treated in a manner not very true to nature. Few Majolica painters have produced works of greater beauty than the plates of the Gonzaga-Efte fervice, which are equally excellent in the quality of glaze and the brilliancy of colour. The Fontana Family. N the fubje6l of this leading family of Italian ceramic! artifts we feel that we cannot do better than reprint in extenfo the notice by Mr. J. C. Robinfon, appended to the Soulages Catalogue, the obfervations in which we have every reafon to confirm with but fmall exceptions. He fays : — " The celebrity of one member of this family has been long eftab- lifhed by common confcnt, Orazio Fontana has always occupied the 328 Italian Pottery. higheft place in the fcanty lift of Majolica artifts, although at the fame time nothing was definitely known of his works. Unlike their con- temporary, Xanto, the Fontana feem but rarely to have figned their productions, and confequently their reputation as yet refts almoft entirely on tradition, on incidental notices in writings, which date back to the age in which they flourifhed, and on fafts extra6led at a recent period from local records. No conne6led account of this family has as yet been attempted ; although the materials are fomewhat lefs fcanty than ufual, there can be no doubt, however, that a confiderable propor- tion of the products of the Fontana ' boteghe ' is ftill extant, and that future obfervations will throw light on much that is now obfcure in the hiftory of this notable race of induftrial artifts. The informa- tion I have fucceeded in getting together will eftablifti feveral fadts hitherto unnoted, and, at any rate, lay the groundwork for a more detailed account. Orazio Fontana, whofe renown during his lifetime even, feems to have completely eclipfed that of the other members of his family, and in fa6t of all the other Urbinefe artifts, is firft mentioned by Baldi, at the beginning of the feventeenth century, in his eulogy of the ftate of Urbino, pronounced before Duke Francefco Maria II. At a more recent period Crefcembeni alludes to him in reference to a fubjeCt, which we fhall hereafter have occafion to difcufs more par- ticularly ; and laftly, Pafleri, quoting both thefe authors, has added in a brief notice all that was known of him up to a very recent period. Pafleri, following Crefcembeni, aflTumes him to have been a native of Urbino, but is in doubt as to the adtual place of his labours, fuggefting Urbino, Fermignano, Caftel Durante, and laftly Pefaro^ where he in- finuates * he found the earth more proper for his art j' in afliiming him to have worked at the laft mentioned city, however, Pafl^eri merely gives way to a ridiculous mania for exalting his own locality ; there is, in fadt, not a tittle of evidence beyond this loofe aflertion, that he was ever in any way conneited with Pefaro ; and it is equally certain on the other hand, that Urbino was the real feat of his labours : but in fixing the period in which he flourifhed as between 1540 and 1560, Pafl^eri is within the truth, as we fhall prefently fee. *' Pungileoni, however, was the firft to furnifli us with reliable evidence, and more recently, Raffaelli has conhderably enlarged our fources of information. Having thus far noted the gradually-increafing pofthumous reputation of its leading member, we will now turn to the fafts refpeCling the family in general. From documents cited by Rafl^aelli, it is eftablifhed beyond doubt that the original family name was Pelli- pario^ of Caftel Durante, Fontana being an adopted cognomen or furname ; and it is not immaterial to obferve, that down to the lateft U rhino. 329 mention of any one of the family (in 1605), they are invariably defcribed as of Caftel Durante. " The firft who occurs is Nicolo Pell'ipario^ who was alive in the year 1540, and though not fpecially fo qualified, was doubtlefs the proprietor of a vaferia ; this Nicola had afon, Guido, who is mentioned in a notarial deed as early as 1520. The latter appears, in turn, to have had three fons, Orazio, Camillo, and another Nicola ; Guido, the father, furvived Orazio, and probably alfo Nicola, living at leaft after 157 1, in which year Orazio died,^ leaving a daughter, Virginia. Camillo, the fecond fon, very likely lived much longer, and Pungileoni notices hh fon Guido, who died in the year 1605.^ In addition to thefe names, Denniftoun ftates,^ I know not on what authority, that Orazio was aflifted in his labours not only by his brother Camillo, but alfo by a nephew (Flaminio), who afterwards fettled in Florence. This latter may have been another fon of Camillo. Nicola Guido Camillo Orazio, ob. 157 1 Nicola A . . . I. . Guido Flaminio ? Virginia. ob. 1605 *' The Fontana were undoubtedly manufa6lurers as well as artifts, i.e.^ they were the proprietors of ' vaferie.' Of the firft Nicola, as we have only a brief incidental notice of him, nothing pofitive can be affirmed. The fuppofition of his being identical with ' Nicola da Urbino ' has already been difcufled in our notice of that artift ; but with refpeft to his fon Guido, we have the teftimony both of works ftill extant, and of contemporary documents. An infcription on the reverfe of a fine plateau in the Fountaine Colle6tion informs us, that it was ' fatto in Urbino in Botega di Mo Guido Fontana Vafaro ' (/. e.^ ' made in Urbino in the (hop of Maeftro Guido Fontana, vafe maker ') ; whilft we learn, by the evidence of monuments,* that his ion Orazio 1 RafFaelli, p. 35, and Ibid, (note) 26. 2 " Di cui in un libro della Confiaternita de S. Croce de Urbino ieggefi : Guido Durante di Camillo pittore da Caftel Durante entro in la Conipagnia a di zo gennaro 1581, ed in appreffo, obiit die 9 Julii 1605." — Pungileoni. Giornale Arcadico, vol. xxxviii. p. 353. 3 Denniftoun, Dukes of Urbino, vol. iii. p. 402. ■» Vafe formerly in the Strawberry Hill Collection, infcribed " Fate in Botega di Oratio Fontana ;" and likewife a large vafe in the Mufee Ceramique of Sevres, 330 Italia?! Pottery. alfo had a fhop or manufa£lory of his own, and we have fortunately evidence of an entirely circumftantial nature on this point. RafFaelli gives an extracSl from a notarial document,^ eftablifhing the fa6l that Orazio worked in conjunflion with his father up to the year 1565, at which date he feparated himfelf from the latter, and fet up a ' botega ' on his own account in the Borgo fan Polo, near to his father's eftablifli- ment, there being at the time of this feparation important commiflions, both from the Duke of Urbino and from Piedmont, in procefs of execution, and on which Orazio in particular was bound to exercife his art. The fa6l is thus eftabliflied, that between 1565 and 157 1 at any rate, there were two diftinfl Fontana manufa£tories, — that of father and fon. What became of Orazio's eftablifhment after his death, whether continued by his brother Camillo, or reunited to that of the father, there is no evidence to fhow. With refpe6t to the remaining members of the family, our information is of the fcantiefl: kind. Camillo, who was inferior in reputation as a painter only to his elder brother, appears to have been invited to Ferrara by Duke Alfonfo II., and to have introduced the Majolica manufa6lure into that city.^ We know not, however, at what period of his career this migration occurred, and from the faft of the mention of his fon, the younger Guido, as living at Urbino in 1581 (fee ante), it is fair to prefume that he returned again to Urbino, and probably ultimately fucceeded his father. Of Nicola, the third (?) fon, we have only incidental mention in a legal document, merely eftablifhing the fail of his exiflence in the year 1570.' Guido, infcribed on the triangular plinth, "In botega di M°. O ratio Fontana ;" alfo a vafe of the fame model, fimilarly infcribed, now in the colleflion of Alexander Barker, Efq. • " Cum fit quod verfa fuerit ct vertatur extrajudicialis controverfia inter Mag. Guldonem q. Nicolai de Durante figulam et habitatorem Urbini ex una, et Mag. Horatium ejus filium ex altera caufaet occafione bonorum mobilium et fuppelle61ilium domus et apothecae Mag. Guidonis . . . et fpecialiter creditum quod dI6li Mag. Guido et Horatius habent cum illuftriflimo et excellentifTimo Domino noftro Urbini invi6lifllmo Duce et quod habent in Pedemonte . . . et quia diftus Horatius alligabat, prout alligat di£la credita ad ipfum fpe6lare . . . et velle de cetero fuam artem exercere." Rog- Girolamo Fazzini Not. Urbenate, 8 Nov. 1565. Quoted by Raffaelli, p. 35, note 24. And " Cacfar Marini . . . dedit . . . Mag. Horatio Fontanas unam domum in burgo S. Paul! juxta ftratam bona Mag. Guidonis Fon- tanae : Rog. Gafparre Fazzini." — Ibid, note 25. - Pungileoni Giornale Arcadico, vol. xxxvii. p. 353. ^ " Mag. Guido q. Nicolai de durante nuncupatus Fontana 'igulus Urbini rellquit .... in omnibus autcm ejus bonis fuos hasredes effe voluit Horatium. Camillum, et Ntcolaum filios legitimos." Rog. Marcus Antonius Theofilus Not. Urb. 1570, die 29, &CC. &c. — Raffaelli, p. 36, note 30. U rhino. 331 fon of Camillo, we have feen, lived till 1605; and of Flaminio, who may either have been fon of Camillo or of Nicola, Denniftoun's vague notice aflerting his fettlement in Florence is all I have been able to colledl. No figned pieces of Camilla, Flaminio, Nicola the fecond, or Guido the fecond, have as yet been obferved. " It has been already ftated that a confiderable proportion of the Fontana Majolica is doubtlefs ftill extant ; and it becomes now defirable to endeavour to identify the works of the individual members of the family, without which the mere knowledge of their exiftence is of very little moment ; but this is no eafy tafk ; although fpecimens from the hands of one or other of them are to be undoubtedly found in almoft every collection, the work of comparifon and collation has as yet been scarcely attempted. The fimilarity of ftyle and technical charaileriftics of the feveral artifts moreover, working as they did with the fame colours on the fame quality of enamel ground, and doubtlefs in intimate communi- cation with each other, refolves itfelf into fuch a flrong family refem- blance, that it will require the moft minute and careful obfervation, unremittingly continued, ere the authorfhip of the feveral fpecimens can be determined with anything like certainty. The evidence of figned fpecimens is of courfe the moft to be relied on, and is indeed indifpen- fable in giving the clue to complete identihcation in the firft inftance ; but here, in the cafe of the Fontana family, and doubtlefs alfo in that of many other Majolicara, a difficulty prefents itfelf which fhould be noticed in the outfet. This difficulty arifes in determining the author- fhip of the pieces figned ' Fatto in botega^ Sec. Sec. ; this mode of fignature, in facSl, proves very little in determining individual chara6ler- iftics, inafmuch as apparently nearly all the works fo infcribed are painted by other hands than that of the proprietor of the Vaferia ; thus, in the cafe of pieces executed in the botega of Guido Fontana, we may expedl the painting to be rather from the hand of Horatio or Camillo than that of their father the Vafaro ; in fa6l, I have myfelf obferved that one and the fame hand may be traced in pieces infcribed refpec- tively from the boteghe of both Guido and Orazio, the hand being, I have little doubt, that of Camillo. In cafes, however, in which the artift has actually figned or initialed pieces with his own name, of courfe no fuch difficulty exifts, but the certainty acquired bv this pofitive evidence is as yet confined in the cafe of the Fontana family to their greateft name, Orazio. " The information I am now, however, enabled to communicate will, I think, be conclufive in eftablifhing the identity of his works, and I confidently anticipate that the greatly increafed attention which the 332 Italian Pottery. Majolica is now receiving will foon refult in the acquifition of equally fatisfacftory evidence as regards the others. " It appears from Pafleri that a great number of pieces from the hand, or at any rate the ' fabrique ' of Orazio were preferved in the ' Garda Roba ' of the Dukes of Urbino, whence they in all probability pafled into the pofleflion of the Farnefe family at the devolution of the Duchy in 1631 ; this he gathers from an inventory extant at Pefaro in his time, and from the fame fource Pafleri has extrafted the following mark {^fee Mark No. 9), indicating ' Orazio Fontana Urbinate fece.^ Suc- ceeding writers, down to the prefent time, have quoted and reproduced this as the only known monogram of Orazio. At the fame time it muft be obferved that no one, not even Pafl^eri himfelf, has ever been able to verify its exiftence on any piece of Majolica. M. Delange, writing as late as 1853, fays, ' En revanche Pafl^eri donne le figle d'un celebre artifle, dont il eft regrettable qu'on n'ait jamais vu d'exemple, c'eft le monogramme de Oratio Fontana.' " But although the mark refls fimply on PafTeri's unfupported autho- rity, I am not difpofed to queftion its authenticity ; and think it moft likely fooner or later fome piece fo figned will come to light. This, however, was not the only monogram employed by Oratio ; and I have now the fatisfa6lion of adducing for the firft time four others copied immediately from pieces of ware in exiftence. In the fummer of 1855 M. Delange was kind enough to communicate to me the following monogram, copied from a fine plate reprefenting the rape of a Sabine, in the colledion of the Cavaliere AlelFandro Saracini, in Siena. This mark {fee Mark No. ii), I fhould obferve, had been previoufly given to M. Delange by H. Scudamore Stanhope, Efq., and the latter gentleman has fince kindly confirmed the authenticity of the mark, and communicated to me his impreflion as to the ftyle of painting and general appearance of the piece. Neither of thefe gentlemen, how- ever, feem to have read the monogram, or fufpe6led its true attribution. Shortly afi:erwards I difcovered the fame mark on a plate in the Collec- tion of the Britifh Mufeum, originally from the Bernal CoUedion, reprefenting the chafe of the Calydonian boar. [See Mark No. 10.) " This fpecimen was at once revealed as an Urbino piece, by a hand very often obferved elfewhere, and which I had long fufpedled to be one of the Fontana family. On endeavouring to decipher the mono- gram, which, it will be obferved, is identical with the one from the Saracini Collection, there was little difficulty in conftruing its ingenious combinations -, taking the large O as the beginning, and the fmaller o in the centre as the laft letter, the word ' Oratio ' ftands clearly con- U rhino, 333 fefled ; and it may be obferved that the pages of Brulliot might be fearched in vain for a more felicitous combination. The date, 1544, which accompanies both thefe fpecimens, evidently refers them to the very earlieft period of the artift ; the Britifh Mufeum plate, indeed, bears every evidence of youthful care and timidity. Although diftin- guifhed by an unmiftakeable and chara6teriftic ftyle, it is yet far from equalling in power and beauty the fpecimens ftill to be defcribed. " The next mark may be feen on a magnificent plateau, the painting reprefenting the MafTacre of the Innocents, copied from Marc Antonio's engraving after Raffaelle. This fplendid piece, unfortunately cruelly fra61:ured, is the chef d'ceuvre of the colle6tion of Majolica of the Mufeum of the Louvre. In the foreground of the compofition is confpicuoufly placed the following initial. {^8ee Mark No. 13.) Although a far finer and more powerful work, there can be no doubt of its being by the fame hand as the Britifh Mufeum piece ; I fhould indeed deem it to be of the finefl and moft fully developed period of the artift, probably fomewhat before 1550. " We have next two marks very clofely refembling each other, from pieces in the celebrated Colledion of Andrew Fountaine, Efq. Thefe two pieces are large tazze or fruttiere evidently from the fame fervice. One of them is admirably painted with the fubje6l of St. Paul preaching at Athens, from RafFaelle's well-known cartoon, whilft the other reprefents David flaying Goliath. The marks, as in the previous inftance, are placed in the foreground of the compofition on tablets or flabs of ftone drawn in perfpedive. Nothing can exceed the brilliancy of colour and glaze, and the mafterly drawing of thefe pieces. They are, in fa£l, equal, if not fuperior in excellence, to the Louvre fpecimen, unqueftionably by the fame hand as it, and of about the fame period. The monogram on the plate reprefenting St. Paul preaching may, I think, be conftrued as follows : The firft character is probably intended for the Greek letter phi, but which has at the fame time a double meaning, and may be read as the monogram O • F. {See Mark No. 14.) In either cafe it is ufelefs to obferve that the firft letter of the name of Fontana is indicated. The next charadler is a delta for * Durantino ' (Orazio Fontana Durantino) ; the delta, however, it fhould be obferved, is probably compounded with fome other letter which is not obvious. The fignature in the ' David and Goliath ' piece diff'ers only in the firft of the charaders, which, in this cafe, is a regular Greek phi. (5'^^ Mark No. 15.) It is not my intention to enter into any more detailed defcription of the technical and artiftic qualities of thefe noble fpecimens of the art, we fhall revert to their 334 Italian Pottery, confideration further on. I will here only obferve that they are unquef- tionably by the fame artift as the fpecimens previoufly adduced." Thefe notes by Mr. Robinfon comprife the bulk of the informa- tion conveyed by Pungileoni and Raffaelli,i and leave little to add. A reprint of the extradls from documents referring to the various members of the family and publifhed by thefe authors, would hardly be looked for in the prefent work ; but it may be interefting to know that on the 29th December 1570, Guido made his firfl will, ftyling himfelf " Mag. Guido 9 Nic. de Durante nuncupatus Fontana figulus Urbini," in which he mentions Horatium, Camillum, and Nicolaum, his fons, and Flaminium, fon of Nicola. His fecond will is dated i6th October 1576, and by this his heirs were Camillo, Virginia, daughter of Orazio (then dead), Flaminio fon of Nicola, Nicola his own fon, and Elizabeth his fecond wife. In the laft edition (1870), of Mr. Chaffers' "Marks and Mono- grams," quoting a " Burn's MSS.," an authority we fear of doubtful weight, he cites an eight-inch plate, painted with an armed bufl: of Pompey in the centre, and on the face of which, among the ornaments of the border, are two labels, one bearing the initials O. F., the other the date 1519 j on the reverfe is infcribed in blue — P o n p e o O.F. V. Mr. Chaffers, affuming that thefe are the initials of Orazio Fontana, fuggefts that Orazio and Guido muff have come to Urbino with Nicolo Pellipario fooner than has been fuppofed. We have not feen 'this fpecimen, and its whereabout is not ftated. Guido Fontana and Guido Durantino. E have faid that it is a matter of uncertainty whether Guido Fontana and Guido Durantino were the fame perfon, or rival maeftri ; and that we are difpofed to the former opinion, from the fa6t, that in the docu- ments quoted by Pungileoni no other " Vafaio " named Guido, and of Caflel Durante, is named. The pieces infcribed as having been made in their boteghe, although painted by different hands, ^ Pungileoni ; P. Liiigi. " Notizie delle pitture in Majolica fatte in Urbino," publifhed with the edition of Pafleri's work. Pefaro 1857. Raffaeili, Giufeppe. " Memorie Iftoriche delJe Majoliche lavorati in Caftel Durante o fia Urbania. Fermo, 1846, Urbino, 335 may, by the wording of their infcriptions afford fome explanation ; thus, on the Sta. Cecilia plate painted by Nicola, he writes in 1528, '■'•fata in hotega di Guido da Cnjiello d'TIrante in Urbino" {fee Mark No. 5), from which we argue a connexion with the Fontana. On a plate painted by a well-known but namelefs hand, in the Narford Colledlion, reprefenting the fiege of the Caftle of St. Angelo by the Conftable de Bourbon, is written, '-'' fatte in Urbino in botega de M^ Guido fontana Fafaro.'' (Mark, No. 7). Of pieces by other artifts whofe names are not recorded, in the Britifh Mufeum is a plate of the well-known fervice on which are the arms of the Conftable de Montmorency, having for fubjedt the niyth of Jupiter and Semele, and on the reverfe of which is infcribed, '■'■ Nella botega di M° Guido Durantino in Urbino.^ 1535'" Three pieces of this fervice belong to the Baron Sellieres and one to M. Poucet, another is in the Mufeum at Rouen, and three others are in the Narford Colleition. Another plate of the fame fervice is in the pofTeffion of Prince Napoleon, and is illuftrated in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 72 ; it bears a fimilar infcription. Of a fervice bearing the arms of Cardinal Duprat, one-piece is in the Louvre (G. 329), fubje6l, David and Goliath, and with a fimilar fignature. Another is in the Ceramic Mufeum at Sevres fimilarly figned, and dated 1535. Another plate alfo fo figned but without date is in the Soane Mufeum ; it reprefents the Fates. A plate was fold from the Vifconti Colleflion at Paris, in 1854, infcribed, " Her cole mazza hydra in botega di M° Guido Durantino in Urbino 1533." A beautifully painted plate, fubjedl the Judgment of Paris, bearing the date on a ftone in the landfcape, is in the colledion of Mrs. D. M. Davidfon, it is infcribed, " In botega di M° Guido Duratino^ 1532." Other fimilarly infcribed pieces are in colle6lions. A fine plate in that of the Baron Sellieres which M. Jacquemart confiders to be a prototype of the Fontana fchool, " et fans doute le fummuni des ceuvres de Guido," reprefenting the Mufes and the Pierides after Pierino del Vaga, is figned " Fatto in Urbino in botega di M'* Guido da Cajlel Durante. X." The firft, fecond, and third of thefe examples are painted by different hands ; the firft, the Sta. Cecilia, by Nicola ; the fecond, the fiege of the Caftle of St. Angelo, by an abundant artift of the Fontana 336 Italian Pottery, fabrique, whofe work is found on pieces of the beft time, and alfo we think on fome which are figned '''' fato in botega de Orazto Fontana^'' and whom we imagine to be Guido Fontana himfelf; the third and others, by unknown artifts working in the fabrique, fome perhaps by the younger fon, Nicola junior, by Raffaello Ciarla, &c. The apparent anomaly of the father's work being found on pieces made in Orazio's botega would be accounted for by the fa6t that the feparation was an amicable one, and that there was at the time work in hand on important commiflions, which would have to be completed between the two maeftri ; and accordingly this fame hand is obfervable on fome of the jars at Loreto. We believe that Mr. J. C. Robinfon is difpofed to attribute thefe works to Camillo, whofe painting we fhould conned with pieces of a later date ; but in the abfence of pofitive evidence. It muft ftill remain an uncertain queftion. Unfortunately, we know no piece figned as actually painted by the hand of Guido Fontana, but as he took that cognomen after fettling in Urbino, it would be more probable that he would himfelf apply it on his own work ; whereas Nicola (prefumably his father) on the piece of earlier date, retained the name of their native cajlello. By others the botega would long be known as that of the " durantini," and that it retained that appellation, even in the following generation, is proved by the occafional reference to Orazio Fontana as of Caftel Durante. The manner of the painter of thefe pieces, of which Mr. Fountaine's Guido Fontana plate is a typical example, whether Guido himfelf, as we fufpecSt, or his fon Camillo, approaches very much to that of Orazio, but is lefs refined and rich in colouring, wanting that harmony and power of expreflion for which he was remarkable ; the drawing is more correct and careful than that on fome of Orazio's work, but is more dry and on the furface, there is great force and movement in the figures, and the landfcape backgrounds are finifhed with much care and effedl, fometimes covering the whole piece j the foliage of the trees is alfo well rendered. Pungileoni ftates that Orazio was a pupil of Taddeo Zucchero. On fetting up for himfelf in 1565, by a deed dated the 8th November he agreed to maintain and keep for three years " Domitilla " and " Flaminio," children of his brother Nicola. Among the many important works executed at Guido's botega fome were unfinifhed at the time of the feparation ; among them foreign commiflions, fome of which were for Piedmont, as we learn from Francefco Pacciotti, archite6l to the court of Turin at that period. U rhino, 337 GuLdobaldo II., Duke of Urbino, gave a fervice to Charles V., and another to Philip II. of Spain painted by Orazio, after defigns by Taddeo Zucchero. In the pofleflion of Signor Aleflandro Caftellani is a plate believed to be the work of Orazio Fontana, on which is a large portrait of the Emperor Charles V. The buft of the Emperor refts on a label bearing the following infcription : " progemes • divvm • qvintvs * sic • CAROLVS • ILLE ' IMPERII ' CiESAR ' LVMINA • ET * ORA * TVLIT ' JET . SViE • XXXI • ANN ■ M * D • XXXI ' &." This may be a piece of the fervice prefented to that Emperor. On the 17th September 1562, Paolo Mario writing from Urbino to a minifter of the Duke of Urbino, on the fubjeil of a credenza fent to Philip II. by Guidobaldo II., fpeaks of the care beftowed upon its produ6lion, " che fe fi fofle fatta di gioie," and for which defigns reprefenting the hiftory of Julius Caefar had been brought from Rome ; " the which after many accidents was finally finifhed in the greateft perfeilion, fo that in it one might ftudy the arts of fculpture, painting, and illumination or miniature, as well as the hiftory of Caefar." He ftates that Muzio Giuftino Politano, the fecretary to His Excellency, had di6lated the verfes and quotations which are on the backs of the pieces, all of which were packed in ten " arche" and would be fent under the care of an experienced " Maejiro" This maeftro may perhaps have been Raffaello Ciarla, as referred to by Pungileoni. This MS. letter is preferved in the archives of Florence.^ It is alfo ftated that the Duchefs Vittoiia Farnefe ordered vafes of Orazio to prefent to her uncle. Cardinal Farnefe, and Annibale Caro writing from Rome on the 15th January 1563, to the Duchefs, fays, " the Duke has caufed many drawings to be made here of ftoriettes with which to paint a fervice at Urbino, which has been finifhed, and the drawings remain in the maeftro's hands." The celebrated vafes made for the Spezieria of the Duke were produced at the Fontana fabrique, and fubfequently prefented to the Santa Cafa at Loreto, where many of them are ft ill preferved. Thofe fhown to the writer on his vifit to that celebrated flirine fome ie^w years fince, did not ftrike him as being of fuch extraordinary beauty and great artiftic excellence, as the high-flown eulogy beftowed upon them by fome writers would have led him to expedt. The majority of the pieces are drug pots of a not unufual form, but all or nearly all of which are " iftoriati," inftead of being, as is generally the cafe, fimply ' Arcki'vio centrale di Firenze. Caite d' Urbino. Div. G. Filza, 254. M. Y 33^ Italian Pottery, decorated with " trofei," " foglie," " grotefche," the more ufual, and lefs coftly ornamentation. Some of the pieces have ferpent handles, mafk fpouts, &c., but he vainly looked for the magnificent vafes of unfurpafTed beauty, nor indeed, did he fee anything equal to the fhaped pieces preferved in the Bargello at Florence, or in the colleftions of Mr. Fountaine, the Rothfchilds, &c. The work of the well-known hands of the Fontana fabrique is clearly recognifable, particularly that on Mr. Fountaine's Guido Fontana plate, and feveral pieces are probably by Orazio. Some, more important, preferved in a low prefs were finer examples. We have faid that the pieces individually are not fo ftriking, but taken as a whole it is a very remarkable fervice, faid to have originally numbered 380 vafes, all painted with fubjeils after the defigns of Battifta Franco, Giulio Romano, Angelo, and RafFaelle ; and as the work of one private artiftic pottery in the comparatively remote capital of a fmall duchy, it bears no flight teftimony to the extraordinary develop- ment of every branch of art-induftry in the various diftri6ts of Italy during the i6th century. They were made by order of Guidobaldo II., but on the acceflion of Francefco Maria II. in 1574, he found the financial condition of the duchy in fo embarrafled a ftate as obliged him to devote lefs attention to the encouragement of art. He abdicated in favour of the Holy See, and died in 1631. The vafes of the Spezieria were prefented to our Lady of Loreto, while his valuable art collections were removed to Florence, fubfequently becoming the property of Ferdinand de Medici, the hufband of Vittoria his granddaughter. On the vafes of Loreto, " the fubje6ls are the four Evangelifts (by B. Franco), the twelve Apoftles (by O. Fontana and aflbciates), St. John, St. Paul, Sufannah, and Job. The others reprefent incidents in the Old Teftament, a6lions of the Romans, their naval battles (by B. Franco), and the Metamorphofes of Ovid. On eighty-five of the vafes are portrayed the games of children, each differing from the other. Thefe vafes are highly prized for their beauty as well as for their variety. They have been engraved by'Bartoli. A Grand Duke of Florence was fo defirous of purchafing them, that he propofed giving in exchange a like number of filver veflels of equal weight; while Chriftina of Sweden was known to fay, that of all the treafures of the Santa Cafa, {he efteemed thefe the moft. Louis XIV. is reported to have offered for the four Evangelifts and St. Paul an equal number of gold ftatues." ^ ' Marry^t, from D. Lugio Gramizi. Relazione iftorica della Santa Cafa in Loi'eto, 1838. U rhino, 339 While on the fubje£t of Loreto we may allude to certain fmall fhallow cups or faucers, bearing in the centre the ill painted figure of the Lady of Loreto, generally on a yellow ground, and infcribed exter- nally in capital letters with the abbreviated words CON . POL . DI . S . CA. One in the writer's poffeflion is infcribed CON . POL . ET . AQVA . DI . S . CASA, and bears at the back a portion of the feal of the Sanctuary. Thefe cups are faid to have had mixed with the pafte of which they were formed, a portion of the duft fhaken from the Virgin's drefs, or fwept from the walls of her houfe, which conveyed to them certain heahng and beneficent qualities, and caufed them to be highly prized by pilgrims to the fhrine, to the higher clafs of whom they were probably prefented in return for offerings during the 17th and 1 8th centuries. They are faid, but we know not on what authority, to have been made at Caftel Durante. With his other art treafures, the ornamental vafes and vefi'els of the credenza^ among which were doubtlefs fome of the choiceft productions of the Urbino furnaces, made for Guidobaldo, and inherited by Fran- cefco Maria, muft have been in great part removed to Florence ; and there accordingly we find fome remarkable fpecimens. For many years neglected, thefe noble pieces were placed almoft out of obfer- vation on the top of cafes which contained the Etrufcan and other antique vafes in the Gallery of the Uffizi. When more general intereft was excited on the fubjecft of the renaiflance pottery, thefe examples were removed to another room, and the writer will not eafily forget the pleafure he experienced, through the courtefy of the Diredlor, in an examination of them at that time. They now occupy central cafes, in one of the rooms of the Bargello, ufed as a mufeum of art objects, and form a magnificent afl'emblage of vafes, ewers, vafques, pilgrim's bottles, and other fhaped pieces, difhes, and falvers, perhaps the richeft that has defcended colleilively to our days, and among which may be recognifed the works of all the more important ceramic artifts of Urbino. Among fifty of the more important pieces, is the circular difh by Nicola, referred to in the notice on his works. Three lobed cifterns or " vafques " appear to be by the artift who painted Mr. Fountaine's plate, figned " in botega di Guido Fontana " (fee ante), and thought to be by Guido himfelf. Twenty-one are more or lefs decorated with grotefques on a white ground, having medallion or central fubjedls. Thefe may be for the moft part by that other pencil, contemporary with Orazio's, and which we fuggeft may probably be Camillo's. By Orazio is a fine circular difh reprefenting " Lo incendio di Troja," 34-0 Italia7t Pottery. and perhaps two others. An oval bowl, apparently by Francefco Durantino. Two pieces only fhow Xanto's brufti ; and one may pro- bably be by Lanfranco of Pefaro, fubje6l, the Rape of Helen. Five pieces are perhaps by G. Picci, and the reft are difficult to afcribe. Among thefe a central fragment admirably painted with figures of Venus and Cupid. Portions of a magnificent fervice of the beft period of Orazio Fontana's botega are difperfed in various collections, as alfo fome pieces of equally rich quality made after the fame models, but which were probably of another " credenza." Two of the former were exhibited at the Loan Exhibition in 1862, by Baron Anthony de Rothfchild. They are large oval difhes, with raifed medallion centres, and having the furface, both internally and outfide, divided into panels by raifed ftrapwork fpringing from mafks, with ornamental moulded borders, &c. Thefe panels, edged with cartouche ornament, are painted with fubjecls from the Spaniih romance of Amadis de Gaul, and on the reverfe are infcriptions in that language correfponding with the panel illuftra- tions. The central fubject is not of the fame feries, but reprefents boys fhooting at a target, on one difh, and warriors fighting, upon the other. The border is painted with admirable Urbino grotefques on a brilliant white ground. The fize of thefe pieces is 2 ft. 2 in. by i'8| in. Of this fame fervice Mr. Fountaine polTefles one difh, a circular plateau of great beauty, and two fmall plates, with central fubjedts, and border of grotefques on white ground. One of thefe is coloured in a fort of biftre or neutral tint of fingular and rich effect. The reverfe of thefe pieces is lefs carefully painted with dolphins fwimming among waves, genii, &c., and on one, exhibited by Mr. Addington, are the arms of Inigo Avalos d'Aragon, Cardinal of Naples, and Marchefe del Vafto, who was created Cardinal in 1360, and was Archbifhop of Turin from 1563 to 1564. He died in 1600. Raffaelli ^ gives a document dated 8 November 1565, and relating to the feparation between Orazio Fontana and his father Guido, in which mention is made of two fervices, one being for the Duke Guidobaldo H., and the other for an order from Piedmont, which Orazio is bound to fuperintend, and on which he is to exercife his art. The Baron Lionel de Rothfchild poflTefles two triangular falvers of great beauty, divided into panels by raifed cartouche work mafks, &c., and which may be of the fame fervice. Mr. Robinfon thinks they are by the hand of Orazio. ^ Op. cit. p. 35, note 24. U rhino, 341 Among the fpecimens in the Bargello, at Florence, are diflies of fimilar chara6ter and high quality, The Louvre alfo poflefles at leaft one example. The mould for thefe diflies was ufed at a later period to produce works of great inferiority in painting on the fame forms. Other fine examples of this clafs are two circular vafques or cifterns, which were exhibited by Mr. Barker and by Sir H. Hume Campbell on the fame occafion. The bowl, fupported by three confole legs with lions' feet, is painted outfide with grotefques on the pure white ground, while the interior is filled with a fubje£t; in one cafe reprefenting a Roman battle, with elephants, &c., in the other a diflribution of gifts to the Roman people. Mrs. H. T. Hope pofTefl^es a fimilar piece. There is a large oval ciftern of unufual size and great beauty in the Barberini Palace at Rome ; the interior painted with a fliipwreck, after Pierino del Vaga, the original drawing of which is in the Uffizi gallery at Florence. Grotefques, on a white ground, decorate the exterior. It is fupported by a triton at each end, but the bafe has been unfortunately much broken. A fomewhat fimilar piece, perhaps the companion, is in the poflef- fion of the Rothfchild family at Paris. The Baronne de Parpart has a trilobed vafque painted with the fubjedl of the Judgment of Paris, after Raffaelle. A charming vafe, mounted in filver gilt, formerly at Stowe, and having round the globular body a frieze of nude figures fighting, moft carefully painted on a black ground, belongs to Mr. Mark Philips. There is an engraving of it in Marryat, page 97, as alfo of one of the cifterns. The shaped pieces produced at this fabrique are of the moft elegant and quaint forms, charadleriftic of the tafte of the "cinque cento," Pilgrim's flafks, ewers, vafes, fauce boats in the form of fliells, fifli, or crabs, and inkftands in great variety, all difplaying excellent modelling with careful execution and fiaiih, a glaze of great richnefs, and colour boldly and judicioufly applied. Later, thefe forms were ftill maintained, but only as the medium for carelefs moulding and worfe painting. Examples of the good period are rare to meet with in a perfect ftate. Mr. Fountaine's collection at Narford is very rich in fliaped pieces of the various periods of the fabrique. The Marquis D'Azeglio had a pair of candelabra, in the ftyle of the "cinque cento," bearing the device of Guidobaldo H., which came from a convent near Pefaro, and are 3 fc. 7 in. in height. They are now in the Bafilewfki CollecStion, and figured in Dclange's " Recucil," pi. 94. 342 Italian Pottery, Among other fine examples attributed to Orazio's own hand may be mentioned a plate in the Louvre, reprefenting the Martyrdom of San Lorenzo, and another with the Triumph of Galateia. In the Britifh Mufeum is a circular difh, admirably and moft care- fully painted with the ftory of Pfyche, an undoubted work in Orazio's beft manner. As with many other majolica painters, Orazio's works vary from hafty and comparatively inferior, to the moft carefully finiftied and admirable paintings. Among the firft is the plate in the Britifli Mufeum, which is figned with his monogram ; and it may be here remarked as a curious circumftance, that pieces figned by the painters are frequently inferior examples of their work, but by which their ftyle may be re- cognifed on other more carefully executed examples ; while of his more admirable are the Narford, the Louvre, and the Pfyche difh of the Britifh Mufeum, which have been already mentioned. Of his figned " botega " pieces are a vafque, in the pofTeflion of Baron Alphonfe Rothfchild at Paris, with grotefques externally and fubjea infide, a feaft ; it is infcribed " FATO • IN • VRBINO • IN • BOTEGA • DI • ORAZIO • FONTANA." In Mr. Barker's colledtion from that of Delfette was a globular vafe fimilarly figned, but omitting " Urbino." (Delange, pi. 84.) Mr. Montagu Parker poflfefTes a pair of ferpent-handled vafes from Strawberry Hill, one of which is alfo fimilarly figned in dark blue letters on a light blue ground, round the pedeftal ; the fubje6l on the body of the piece is after Giulio Romano. In the mufeum at Sevres is a vafe, probably the pendant to Mr. Barker's, round the pedeftal of which is written in capital letters ORAZIO -FONTANA. Another vafe, in the colledlion of the Baron Sellieres, painted with the fubje£t of the Triumph of Amphitrite, is more fully infcribed "FATO • IN • BOTTEGA • DI • MESTRO • ORATIO • FONTANA • IN • ORBINO." It appears that the Fontana " botega " was neither founded or maintained, although greatly encouraged and patronifed by the Duke Guidobaldo, but was folely created by the enterprife and fuftained by the united induftry of the family. Orazio died on the 3rd Auguft 157 1. By his will he left his wife, Agnefina Franchetti Veneziana, 400 fcudi, &c,, and with power to remain in partnerfhip with his nephew Flaminio, with a view to the benefit of his only daughter, Virginia, who had married into the Giunta family when young. We think there is every probability that the fabrique was fo continued, and that a numerous clafs, having the character of the wares of the botega, but of inferior artiftic merit and U rhino, 343 fhowing the general decadence of the period, may, with probability, be attributed to it. We fhall again allude to thefe works. Camillo Fontana. N many of thefe grandiofe pieces of the Fontana fabrique the work of another hand is feen, which differs from that of the painter of A4r. Fountaine's Guido Fontana difh, as alfo from the acknowledged manner of Orazio. They are among the moft decorative productions of the factory, large round difhes with grotefque borders on a white ground, fhaped pieces fimilarly decorated, and having panels of fubjedl executed by the artift in queftion ; others alfo where the fubje£t covers the whole furface of the difh. We have no clue to the name of this able painter, but we would venture to fuggeft the greater probability that thefe were the work of Camillo, who is faid to have been an artift only inferior in merit to Orazio himfelf. In manner they approach nearly to, and are difficult to diftinguilh from, the finer examples of the Lanfranchi fabrique at Pefaro ; lefs powerful and broad than the work of Orazio, and lefs careful in drawing than thofe afcribed to Guido, they approach the former in the blending of the colours and rich foft effe6l of furface, while a fimilar mode of rendering various obje6ls, as ftones, water, trees, &c., pervades all three, with flight individual variations. A peculiar elongation of the figures, and narrowing of the knee and ankle joints, is chara6teriftic of this hand, as alfo a tranfparent golden hue to the flefh. We are almoft wholly in the dark as to the clever painters of the grotefques on a pure white ground which fo charmingly decorate many of the nobleft produftions of Orazio's furnace. The work of two or more hands is manifeft on various pieces of the beft period, one, perhaps the moft able, is conftantly feen on pieces, the iftoriati panels or interiors of which are painted by Orazio himfelf, or by the artift whofe works we have juft confidered, and may, perhaps, alfo have been by the hand of the latter, a fimilar method of heightening with fmall ftrokes of red colour being obfervable on both. Gironimo, by whom we have a figned piece in the South Kenfington Mufeum (No. 4354. '57), may have been another, but his manner is of a fomewhat later character. It has been ftated that Camillo went to Ferrara, by requeft of the Duke Alfonfo II. d'Efte, to fuperintend the fabrique which he had eftabliftied or revived in that city ; but it would alfo feem that fome confufion has arifen on this fubjecl, another Macftro Camillo of Urbino 344 Italia?! Pottery, having directed the Duke's work, and loft his life in his fervice. He was accompanied by one Giulio Durantino of Urbino, who may have been the painter of thofe pieces bearing the " imprefa " and motto of that Duke {vide Ferrara). Camillo is alfo ftated to have gone to Florence to fuperintend the grand ducal fabrique. On his return to Urbino he married Margherita di Antonio Spelli, who brought him a fmall farm and a houfe. He died on the 9th July 1605. Of Nicola, jun., we know nothing; he is mentioned in his father's wills made in 1570 and 1576 j and that he was unfortunate or impro- vident would feem probable from the fadt that, in the deed of contract between Orazio and his father on the occafion of his fetting up for himfelf in 1565, he agrees to keep and provide for Domitilla and Flaminio, children of his brother Nicola, for the fpace of three years. Flaminio, the nephew, fon of Nicola, continued the works, and was dear to the Dukes Guidobaldo and Francefco Maria ; it is faid that the latter took him to Florence to teach and aid pupils ftudying under Bartolomeo degli Ammanati, where he remained for fome years. Under the fabrique of CafFaggiolo are clafTed certain pieces, Nos. 321, 2, 3, p. 124; which may perhaps have been produced under the influence of this member of the family. In form and decoration with grotefques they are a poor reminifcence of the fuperior works of an earlier period. The work of another, a later and inferior hand, probably of the Fontana fabrique, is abundant in colle6lions ; his manner is between that of the Fontana and of the Patanazzi ; free and effecSlive, but loofe and carelefs ; the Fontana pigments are ufed, and occafionally pieces occur, painted with greater pains. Many vafes with ferpent handles, and other fhaped pieces, were painted by this hand, of whofe name we have no record, and it would be only guefling to fuggeft that Guido Fontana, junior, the fon of Camillo, who died in 1605, may have been their author. Francesco Xanto. iNOTHER important artift of the Urbino fabrique was Francefco Xanto, who, like Giorgio, adopted the unufual habit of figning, in various forms, the greater number of the pieces which he painted. Although we cannot but appreciate the modefty, the " Lamp of Sacrifice," which induced fo many of the earlier, and contemporary artifts of the higheft U rhino. 345 excellence, to refrain from attaching their names to the works of their hands, or at the moft figning a ^^"^ of their admirable produ6lions in monogram ; we muft regret their having ufed fo much referve, and that in confequence conjedlure muft take fo large a place in the hiftory of this branch of artiftic handicraft. We have, however, little other information of this painter, beyond what is conveyed by the infcriptions on pieces by his hand. His name is mentioned by Rog. Vincenzo Vanni, on the 29th March 1539, as " Francifcus Xatis fi6tilinus vaforum piiEtor egregius " (Pungileoni). A native of Rovigo, he feems to have fettled at Urbino, and there produced all his works. Although the figned pieces by Xanto are comparatively more abundant than thofe of any other Italian ceramic artift, it is fmgular that Pafleri only records two, which, from the ftyle of their fignature, he afcribes to " Maeftro Rovigo da Urbino." His true name, gathered from his varied fignatures, would appear to be Francefco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo, and the dates of his figned works extend from 1530 to 1542, although it is highly probable that many exifting undated pieces were executed before, and perhaps after thofe dates. His earlier works are generally more fully figned, while many of the latter have only one or two initial letters. We, however, cannot agree with M. Jacquemart in the ftatement that " we never faw un- doubted pieces by him with the X alone." (Merveilles de la Ceramique, p. 177) inftancing a piece thus marked and dated 1548, which he thinks too late to be by Xanto. Excellent as a painter, he was alfo a poet, as confirmed by a plate in the Britifh Mufeum, the fubje£l of which is taken from a poem by himfelf, entitled " II Rovere Vittoriofo." (See Mark No. 21.) While another plate, formerly in Mr. Marryat's colieilion, and which is undoubtedly a very careful work of this artift, leads us to the inference that he was not himfelf the proprietor of an eftabliftiment, but at that period (1541) was painting in the '-'• botteg di Francefco Silvano." (Mark No. 25.) This is further confirmed by the fa6l that the term " Maeftro " is not aflumed by him on any of his figned pieces ; nor do we find his name ever connected with the Fontana f.ibrique, and muft thence conclude that he was a rival artift working in a rival eftabliftiment, that of Francefco Silvano, of which we know nothing more. Works by Xanto are to be found in almoft every C()lle6lion of any note, and among them are examples of high artiftic excellence, although very many betray want of care and hafty execu- tion. It appears that many of his piece? were fubfequently enriched with the golden and ruby luftre colour, at the botcega of M^ Giorgio, and M° N at Gubbio ; and, indeed, it was mainly by the obfcrvation of thefe, fo diftinftly painted and figned by Xanto at Urbino, and to which 34-6 Italian Pottery, the metallic reflet had been added, evidently by a fubfequent procefs, that it was inferred that the luftre was a fpecial enrichment applied at another fabrique to works painted elfewhere. Of Xanto's ftyle and merits as an artift, Mr. J. C. Robinfon writes : — " Xanto's works may be confidered to reprefent perfe6lly the * Majoliche iftoriate,' and he certainly had a talent for the arrange- ment of his works in compofition, nearly all his fubjedls being ' pafticci ' ; the various figures or groups introduced being the in- vention of other artifts copied with adroit variations over and over again, and made to do duty in the moft widely different characters. As an original artift, if indeed he can be fo confidered, he may be claffed with the more mannered of the fcholars of Raffaelle. His defigns are generally from claffical or mythological fubje6ls, Ovid, Virgil, and Trojas Pompeius having for feveral fucceffive years furnifhed him with fubje6ls. Ariofto was likewife a favourite author, and, curioufly enough, on a plate in the Britifh Mufeum Colle6lion, Xanto has put on record his own claims as a poet, in a more enduring fhape than the written work itfelf. This plate is painted with a fubjedl: from a poem compofed by Xanto in honour of Duke Francefco Maria of Urbino ; the fubjeft, however, without the infcription, might juft as well have been taken for an illuftration of Ovid. Xanto's execution, although dexterous, is monotonous and mechanical ; his fcale of colouring is crude and pofitive, full of violent oppofitions ; the only merit, if merit it be, being that of a certain force and brightnefs of afpecSt ; in every other refpe6l his colouring is commonplace, not to fay difagreeable even ; blue, crude opaque yellow, and orange tints, and bright verdigris green are the dominant hues, and are fcattered over the pieces in full unbroken maffes, the yellow efpecially meeting the eye at the firft glance. " In the unfigned pieces, before 1531, the glaze is better and more tranfparent, the execution more delicate, and the outline more hard and black than in the later fpecimens. " Some of Xanto's wares are profufely enriched with metallic luftres, including the beautiful ruby tint ; the fpecimens fo enriched, however, form but a fmall per-centage of the entire number of his works extant. This clafs of piece is, moreover, interefting from the fadl that the iridefcent colours were obvioufly not of Xanto's own produClion, but that on the contrary, they were applied to his wares by M° Giorgio, and the fuppofed continuers of Giorgio's ' fabrique ' in Gubbio. Many pieces are extant, which, in addition to Xanto's own fignature, nearly always written in dark blue or olive tint, are likewife figned with the monogram N of the Giorgio fchool in the luftre tint,- and one fpecimen U rhino, 347 at leaft has been obferved which, though painted by Xanto, has been figned in the luftre tint by Maeftro Giorgio himfelf." ^ We cannot entirely agree with this fomewhat fevere judgment upon his artiftic merits. Mr. J. C. Robinfon thinks it not improbable that in his earlier time he worked in the " botega " of Maeftro Giorgio at Gubbio, and other writers have confidered him as a pupil of that mafter ; but there is little reafon to believe that he ever applied the luftre enrichment, the fpeciaky of the Gubbio fchool, with his own hands, to the wares painted by him at Urbino. Among the Marks will be found fac-fimiles of fignatures on examples of various date, fome of them with the added monogram of the Gubbio fabrique in luftre colour. Of this laft clafs, Mr. Napier poflefles two fpecimens ; one, a plate with the fubje6l of Apollo and Daphne " really painted by Francefco Xanto during his early time, the luftre tint and fignature, ' 1529 iW° G° Vgubio^' having been afterwards added." (Cat. Shandon Coll., No. 2876.) The other (No. 2882), reprefenting ^neas car- rying Anchifes from Troy, " after the engraving by Agoftino Veniziano after Raffaelle," is figned and dated " 1532, Fra Xanto A da Rov'igo i Urbino" richly luftred with gold and ruby, in which latter tint it is marked with the letter N, the fuppofed monogram of Maeftro Cencio, the fucceflbr of M° Giorgio at Gubbio. In the Britifti Muefum is an admirable fpecimen, fubje6l, the Roman wolf, richly luftred, figned in colour by Xanto and in luftre by N. (Mark No. 22.) It is to be regretted that the South Kenfington Mufeum does not at prefent poflefs more than a fingle fine example of Xanto's work enriched with the luftre colours, although there are fome excellent fpecimens of his painting. The Britifti Mufeum pofteftes feveral choice fpecimens, luftred, and fimply painted. One is remarkable as reprefenting the Fall of Francis I. at the battle of Pavia. Among the numerous pieces in various hands, — Mr. Addington exhibited at the Loan Exhibition a beautiful pil- grim's bottle by Xanto, reprefenting Mercury conducSling Pfyche to Olympus, after Raffaelle's frefco in the Farnefina ; and on the other fide an allegory; the letters F. A. R., and the date 1530, the earlieft yet noticed, occur on two fmall fquare labels. Mr. Jofeph exhibited at the fame time a very fine circular difti, reprefenting Venus ftanding on a fiiell in the fea, wich tritons, river ' Cat. Loan Ex. p. 4.26. 34^ Italiaii Pottery, gods, (Sec, partly after Marco da Ravenna's engraving after RafFaelle ; it bears a fhield of arms, and is /igned by Xanto and dated 1533. The fine falver, painted w^ith a compofition of more than fixty figures engaged upon the attack and defence of a fortrefs, being taken from the print by Giorgio Pens after Giulio Romano,^ dated 153Q, and reprefenting the taking of Carthage, has been already alluded to as the proof that Xanto worked at the botega of Francefco Silvano. The artift has painted from this defign to reprefent another fubjeil, that of the fiege of Goleta, by Charles the 5th, which happened in 1535. " This is the more curious becaufe the piece, as is evidenced by an elaborate coat-of-arms enriched with the collar of the Golden Fleece painted on the margin of the falver, was executed for a prince of the Gonzaga family, probably Federigo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua, in whofe fervice Giulio Romano was at the time this falver was painted."— (Robinfon, Loan Cat., p. 436.) A fac-fimile of the infcription and fignature at the back of this difh will be feen among the Marks, No, 25. It is painted with great care, and is a fine, inta6l, and particularly interefting example of the mafter. Formerly in the colle£lion of Mr. Marryat, in whofe " Hiftory of Pottery and Porcelain," it is well figured at page 64 ; it pafled for a very inadequate fum into that of the Baron James de Rothfchild, at Paris. It is greatly to be regretted that the opportunity of acquiring it for our national colle6tions, afforded by the public fale of Mr. Marryat's collection, was not made available. Other pieces were painted apparently for other members, by marriage, of the Gonzaga family ; for inftance one exhibited by Mr. Barker, and defcribed in the Loan Catalogue, No. 5198 ; and the large circular difh in the South Kenfington Mufeum, No. 1748. '55, each bearing the arms of that family, with various impalements. Several pieces of a fervice painted by Xanto, and bearing the arms of the Strozzi family are extant ; as alfo of one bearing the fhield of the Pucci, another Florentine family ; and on many other examples the armorial bearings of Italian houfes of various parts of the Peninfula, are painted on the margin or the centre of the piece, proving the wide-fpread reputation of this artift. An unufual fpecimen is in the colle6tion of Mr. H. Scudamore Stanhope, an allegorical fubjeCt, painted on a ground of intenfe black enamel, with groups of rolling clouds in grey ; the fubjedt, the clouds and even the background are brilliantly luftred with gold and ruby ; there is no fignature on the reverfe, which is, however, entirely covered with the ufual " Maeftro Giorgio " luflrous fcrolls. ' See Bartfch. vol. viii. f. 34.4, No. 86, in print room, Brit. Mufeum. Urbi7io. 349 A carefully finiftied and unufual example belongs to Mr. Henderfon. On the bright yellow ground Vulcan is depidled forging arrows for Cupid, who is being reftrained by Venus ; and on the reverfe, Saturn and Phoebus are reprefented drawn in their cars. It is probably one ot the pieces of a puerperal fervice, has no fignature, but the date 1539. The writer poflefTes three fpecimens, two of which were exhibited at the Loan Collection, and are defcribed in its Catalogue (Nos. 5249-5255). The following exceptional fignatures on pieces by F. Xanto, are worthy of note : — A caudle cup in the Narford Colledlion has the following capital letters on two labels : — M.A.X.X. IM.X.A.R, (Mark No. 27.) A large fine difh in the fame collection is figned in " bianco fopra bianco," " Fra Xanto A. daRovigo i Urbino," on a label in the foreground of the fubjedt, a ftag hunt ; with the Pucci arms on the rim. On a plate alfo in Mr. Fountaine's poiTeffion at Narford, reprefenting the Judgment of Paris, is the following infcription on the reverfe : — 153 1 Per cui Troia Superba fu combufta fauola Francefco Xanto Auelli di Rouigo I Urbino . pfTe We may here mention certain Greek and Roman letters and others which are not of any language, and which Xanto has fometimes intro- duced on (hields, banners, (ScC. in the fubje6t. Thefe have been frequently mifl:aken for marks, but the writer believes that they are merely ornamental, or at moft monograms of the owners of the pieces ; feveral are given by Chaffers and Jacquemart. A confiderable number have been noticed, at the end of the titular infcriptions on which occur the words " nota," ** hiftoria," " favola." On placing feveral of thefe pieces together, with others by Xanto, Mr. Franks difcovered that, without feeing the infcriptions on the reverfe, he could diftinguifli them by their ftyle from thofe figned by Xanto, and as thefe words had never been noticed on a piece with Xanto's fignature, it was inferred that although there was great 350 Italian Potte?y. general fimilarity in the painting, they muft be the works of a pupil or an imitator. The plate laft referred to in Mr. Fountaine's Collec- tion, by Xanto, and one of the Strozzi fervice on which the writer obferved Xanto's initials, accompanied by the word " nota " would, however, rather weaken the conclufion arrived at, that pieces on which thefe words occur, are never by Xanto, but by an imitator. They are painted quite as forcibly as thofe by Xanto, the leading peculiarity being a brown tone in the flefh tints, and a harder outline. The writer would, however, fuggeft that thefe differences may only arife from a temporary manner, and the ufe of fomewhat different pigments by Xanto himfelf, who is proved by the above examples to have added the words " favola " and " nota " to two at leaft of his figned pieces ; and, moreover, there are fome pieces infcribed with thofe words, without Xanto's initials, but which have the greateft refemblance in manner to his ufual works. Among the Marks (Nos. 28, 29) will be found two fac-fimiles of fignatures on pieces in the Britilh Mufeum, by this fuppofed pupil or imitator, whofe exiftence though doubted by us, is not difproved by the fa6l that Xanto did occafionally ufe thofe words after his defcriptive infcriptions. The fineft example of fuch works with which the writer is acquainted, is a large circular difh at Narford, reprefenting the burning of Troy, with the word " hiftoria " on the reverfe after the defcription of the fubje6t, and no fignature. We have no evidence to confirm Pafferi's fuppofition that Battista Franco painted pieces and initialled them with the letters B . F . V . F . That artift was called to Urbino in 1540, by Guidobaldo II., to make defigns for various pieces, and it has been ftated that thefe initials were obferved on fome of the vafes in the Spezieria, at Loreto. He returned to Venice, where he died in 1561 ; one of his cartoons for a plate is in the Britifh Mufeum, and others are preferved. In the Mazza Colle61:ion at Pefaro, No. 168, is a plate reprefenting Cupid and other figures, which is infcribed on the reverfe " Unica umana Battifta unica 1532;'' it has been fuppofed, without any authority, to be a work of Franco's. Of Francesco Durantinc, of Urbino, we know nothing more than his figned works, and one of thefe gives rife to the queftion whether or not he ought to be ranked among the potters of Urbino, or as having a fmall eftablifhment of his own at " Bagnolo " or " Bag- nara," near Perugia. Among the Diruta wares will be found a piece U rhino. 351 (No. 2432) figned as having been made in " Bagnorea " in 1691, by an inferior artift. It may alfo be here mentioned that the plate in the Narford Col- lection made at Venice " in Chaftello " is painted in a manner which has great affinity with that of Francefco Durantino. A plate in the Britifh Mufeum reprefenting the meeting of Coriolanus and his mother is figned " fracefco durantino 1544." (Mark No. 31.) An oval ciftern in Mr. Fountaine's collection at Narford Hall, painted with fubjedts after Giulio Romano, is figned " Francefco Duraiiiio Vafaro, a mote Bagnolo d Perofcia 1553." From this it would appear that he had either eflabliflied a " botega" on his own account probably at the village now known as Bagnara, near Perugia, or was working there for a maeflro. This mufeum poflefles a fimilar ciftern from the Soulages Colledlion by the fame hand, but not figned. (No. 533. '65.) A plate painted with great care, and approaching to the manner of Orazio Fontana, is in the Narford Colle£lion. It reprefents the arreft of a gentleman, with landfcape background ; it is figned on the reverfe with the letters F. D. and the date 1543. A careful comparifon with the figned plate in the Britifh Mufeum confirms the writer in affigning this piece to Francefco. (Mark No. 30.) A yellow tone of flefh, flowing drapery, animals particularly horfes drawn with great vigour of action, a fine and delicate outline, with careful execution but occafional weaknefs of effect and a peculiar foftnefs of tone on fome of the fmaller and more diftant figures, are charafteriftic of this artift's ftyle : the landfcapes are executed with care and good effe6t. An example in the Britifh Mufeum has, however, all the richnefs of colour and force of effe6l of the works of the Fontana. GuiDO Merlingo or Merlini or Nerglino feems to have been a proprietor of a botega in Urbino, although his name does not occur as the a6tual painter. A difh, deep blue, with the figns of the zodiac round the rim, is figned " Fate in botega di Guido Merlingo Vafaro da Urbino in San Polo adi 30 di Marzio 1542." The San Polo here mentioned may be that fuburb of Venice, fo-called, to which other fignatures refer. (See Venice.) In the Brunfwick Mufeum a difh reprefenting Mark Antony is figned, " fate in botega di Guido de Nerglino." In the Louvre (G. 357) is a plate, fubje6t Judith and Holophernes, figned at the back, " ne 1551 fato in Botega de Guido Merlino." The Rev. T. Berney has a large plate painted in the fame " bo- tega," reprefenting a battle fubjeft, coarfely painted, in the ftyle of the 35 2 Italian Pottery. later Urbino wares. To the titular defcription is added, " fate in botega (1 Guido Merlino." C^SARE DA Faenza worlced in his fabrique about 1536, as proved by an agreement dated I ft January in that year, in which he is ftyled " Caefare Care Carii Faventinus " (Pungileoni). Among other recorded names are thofe of — Federigo d'l GiannantQnio,'\ Nicolo di Gahriele^ >who worked about 1 530. Gian Maria Mariana^ J Simone di Antonio Mariani^ about 1542. Luca del fu Bartolomeo^ about 1544, and Guy^fro?n Cajlel Durante. Francesco Silvano had a botega in Urbino, at which Xanto worked in 1541, as proved by the fignature on a plate reprefenting the ftorming of Goleta [vide Xanto). Georgio Picchi or Picci, the younger, of the Durantine family, painted at Urbino. Pieces figned by him are extant. Borders of Cupids among clouds or covering the furface is a favourite decoration. GiRONiMo OF Urbino is alfo one of the later artifts. M. Riocreux mentions a plate with grotefques on white ground, and fubjedts in ca?naieu; figned " Gironimo Urbin fece 1583." There is a ftriking piece by this artift in the South Kenfington Colledtion, No. 4354., to which we have already referred. Rafaelle Ciarla worked under Orazio Fontana, and is ftated to have gone to Spain with an aflbrtment of vafes. Could it be that he went in charge of the fervice painted by order of the Duke of Urbino for Philip II. of Spain, at Orazio's fabrique, and on which that maeftro is faid to have worked ? (Marryat.) He painted about 1530-60. GiULio of Urbino accompanied Camillo of Urbino to Ferrara j he feems alfo to have worked elfewhere. Vafari mentions him in connexion with the works produced at Ferrara. A large jug in the mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna is figned by this artift, " Giulio da Urbino in bottega di Mo Aleflandro in Arimin :" it is decorated with trophies and a fubjeil from Ovid. Of the decadence of the Urbino potteries are the produ6lions of the members of the Patanati or Patanazzi family. They do not appear to have fucceeded to any of the former eminent artifts as mafters of a fabrique, but painted at the eftablifhment of Jofeph Batifta Boccione, a we are informed by a figned example. Pafleri only mentions them as being of a noble family, and as finding their names infcribed on fpeci- U rhino, 353 mens, which he inftances. One of thefe is in this Mufeum; a large difli (No. 2612), figned ALF . P . F . VRBINI . 1606. A large oval diih belonging to Mr. J. Swaby, with raifed mafks and compartments of fubje6l in the flyle of the fine pieces of the Fon- tana fabrique, but fadly deficient in their excellence of painting, has the fignature, " Alfonfo Patanazzi fe. Urbini, in botega di Jos. Batifta Boccione 1607," by which we learn that the Patanazzi were not owners of a botega. Another example, a large circular difli painted with the Judgment of Paris, is figned, " Alfonfo Patanati feci." It is in the pofTeflion of Monfignore Cajani, at Rome. The Marquis D'Azeglio had a portion of an inkftand figned *' Urbini Patana fecit anno 1584." It is figured by Delange, Recueil^ pi. 100. The initials A. P. occur on pieces attributable to his hand. His fi:yle is coarfe but free, the colours having a pervading brown tone, the features ftrongly marked and the outline carelefs, but the general efFeft not wanting in breadth and boldnefs. A large ciftern in Mr. Fountaine's colle6lion has the infcription, " 1608 Urbini ex figlina Francifci Patanati," and is by another member of the family. (Mark No. 34.) The initials F. P. 16 17 on a piece. No. 367 of the Delfette Col- lection, is probably of the fame ; it had the buft portrait of a woman in the centre with furrounding trophies. The colours ufed in the Narford fpecimen are lefs brown than thofe of Alfonfo, and the ftyle of painting reveals a hand found on many pieces of the later period, decorated with fubje6l and grotefques. Many plates of a fervice bearing the arms of a bifhop of the Contarini family are in the Narford Colleilion, and probably by Francefco Patanazzi, The young Vincenzio is the laft whofe name occurs. Pafi'eri cites a piece by him, " Vincenzio Patanazzi da Urbino di eta d'anni tredici, 1620." Another piece by this youthful phenomenon is in the collection of Monfignore Cajani at Rome, reprefenting the Expulfion from Paradife. It is a moft inferior production, and not meritorious even for a young artift of only 12 years, as we learn by the fignature. (Mark No. 35.) Several pieces of a fervice exift, painted in the more carelefs manner of the decadence of the Urbino fabrique, having infcriptions on the back defcriptive of the fubjeCts, and written in the French language. Some of thefe are in Mr. Fountaine's collection j the quality of their pafte and glaze, the tone of the colours, and the general technique would lead to the conclulion that they were made at Urbino 354 Italian Pottery. or at Pefaro. M. Jacquemart (Merveilles de la Ceramique, pt. 2, p. 280) confiders that thefe pieces were probably made in France by fome of thofe Durantine or Pefarefe artifts who are recorded as having emigrated to and eftablifhed potteries in that country. But on the other hand, we are inclined to think it equally probable that they were executed in Italy for a French order, and infcribed accordingly ; as we have already feen upon the noble pieces of the beft period, infcribed with Spanifti legends from " Amadis de Gaul," and evidently produced at the Orazio Fontana bottega for a Grandee of Spain. Several examples of various dates and by various hands are preferved in colledions on which the words " in Urbino" only inform us of the place of their production, without telling us by whom, or in whofe eftablifhment. The following are from fome of them : — In the Narford Colleftion, a plate : fubjeft, Mutius Scaevola ; figned at back, " In Urbino 1533." The Marquis d'Azeglio had a plate : fubje(St, Diana and Adason ; infcribed, " 1534 Urbini." A plate reprefenting the Prodigal Son, after Diirer, is in the Mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna ; it is infcribed, " In Urbino 1543." In the Britifh Mufeum is a plate : fubjeft, Hercules carrying ofF the columns; infcribed, ^^ Vrbi . 1542." This fubjeft may perhaps refer to the Emperor Charles V. On a difh in Mrs. D. M. Davidfon's colle6lion is the curious infcription, " Nel anno de le tribulationi d' Italia adi 26 de Luglio i Urbino" (? by Xanto) : fubje6l, a priefl kneeling to St. Mark. Others are accompanied by initial letters, in Urbin P^te pco occurs on a plate in the writer's pofTeffion : fubjeft, St. Luke feated on an ox, and holding an open book. (Mark No. 37.) T . R . F. occurs on a vafe which was in the Debruge Colledlion : 1587 the fubjeft of the Ifraelites gathering Manna, fatto in Urbino. L . V . on a fine plate in the Narford Collection. Urbino. 1533 ^" ^ plate : fubjeCl:, David and Goliath ; in the Urbino Louvre (No. G. 315), afcribed by M. Darcel to the L fchool of Xanto. i Urbino B on a plate : fubje6l, Hetftor and Achilles in the river Xanthus ; in the collection of the Rev. T. Berney. In the Louvre (Sauvageot Collection, G. 440) is an aiguiere formed of alternate convex and concave bands, with dolphin mouth and Urbino, 355 ferpent handles, decorated with grotefques, and figned VRBINO 1604 P- Other initialed pieces, varioufly afcribed to this fabrique, but of which we have not the marks in fac-fimile : — G . M. on a plate : the baptifm of Chrift ; fuppofed by M. Jacquemart to be the initials of " Gianmaria Ma- riani." G. on a large plate, reprefenting the Parnaflus, after Raffaelle, with grotefques on the reverfe ; in the pof- feflion of Baron Guft. de Rothfchild at Paris. • f • L • R • Thefe letters are on a plate reprefenting a lion hunt, richly coloured after Marc Antonio ; it is in the Berney Colledion, and " it has been fuggefted that the initials ftand for Francefco Lanfranco Rovigenfe. The fame letter, in conjun6lion with the fignature of Alaeftro Giorgio, dated 1529, are on a plate — fubje(?t Jupiter and Semele, Addington Coll." — (Chaffers). We would fuggeft that the fecond letter may be an ill-formed X, and that " Francefco Xanto Rovigenfe " may be the interpretation, an opinion agreeing with that of Mr. J. C. Robinfon. (Loan Catalogue, No. 5,240.) Ojone. On a plate. No. 345, Campana Colledlion : fubjedt Jofhua commanding the Sun to ftand ftill ; painted in the manner of the Fontana (Chaffers). (We cannot find this piece in M. Darcel's Catalogue of the Louvre Colle6lion.) In the Delfette Colledion, No. 835, was a large difh, fubjecfl, Acis and Galateia, figned V Ro. And No. 692, a landfcape plaque, figned " Giovanni Peruzzi dipinfe." With the exception of the large diihes before alluded to, and fome few others, the wares of Urbino, as a rule, are not ornamented on the reverfe. The more ufual pieces are edged with a yellow line, which is repeated round the foot or central hollow, in the middle of which the titular infcription or date is written in manganefe black, dark olive, or blue colour. The pafte is fometimes of a pink hue, produced by the colour of the clay ftiining through the glaze, but in other cafes of a purer white. In the " fopra bianco " grotefques the ground is rendered unufually white by an additional furface of terra di Vicenza or bianco di Fcrrara ; the glaze is of fine quality and even furface. It may be 356 Italian Pottery, here noticed that the wares known of the Lanfranco febrique at Pefaro have fimilar charadleriftics, and it is not poflible to diftinguilh between them. That wares of a better clafs were occafionally produced at Urbino during the laft century, is proved by the lamp (No. 6856, page 419), made, as the infcription tells us, at the Fahrica di Majolica jina^ which feems to have been eftablifhed or conducted in that city in 1773 by a French artift named Rolet. We hear of him previoufly at Borgo San Sepolcro in 1771, but all further record of his produ61:ions or his fuccefs are for the prefent unknown. We are not aware that Urbino at prefent produces any artiftic pottery. U rhino. 357 MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. TJrbino. Fontana. No. I. On a plate in the Britifh Mufeum, reprefenting a Sacrifice to Diana, by Nicola da Urbino. V No. 2. On a fragment, the bottom of a plate, in the Louvre, from the Sauvageot Colle6tion (No. G. 824), fubjeil, the ParnafTus, after Raffaelle, figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 100, ino No. 3. On a " Hanap," or ewer, in the mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna, having the arms of Gian. Francefco Gonzaga impaling thofe of Ifabella d'Efte (married 1490 ; he died 15 19 ; fhe died 1539). Alfo on a fimilar piece in the Rothfchild Col- lection in Paris. Illuftrated in Delange's "Recueil," pi. 31. 35^ Italian Pottery, No. 4. On a plate, fubje6l, a king enthroned, probably David or Solomon. In the colle6lion of M. Bafilewflci, of Paris. Figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 55. No. 5. On a large circular difti in the Bargello, at Florence, reprefenting the Martyrdom of Sta. Cecilia. (This mark is reduced from the original.) i7no )^zS No. 6. On a large difh in the Narford Collection, admirably painted with the fubjed of the Con- vsrfion of St. Paul. Attributedto Orazio Fontana. U rhino, 359 No. 7. On a plate in the Narford Colle6lion, fubje6l the Siege of the Caftle of St. Angelo. Illuftrated in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 8i. ^ ! AMR(?. No. 8. On a plate in the Britifti Mufeum, Jupiter and Semele, one of a fervice bearing the arms of the Conftable de Montmorency. fnp^fn G w. i rfo ou X(X(\ iino 360 Italian Pottery. No. g. The mark given by PafTeri as occurring on pieces made by Orazio P'ontana for the Duke of Urbino. No. 10. On a tazza in the Britifh Mufeum, from the Bernal Collection, X^(^^(^ci/!L Hi to^rfo c a I/Jo < No. II. On a circular difh in the colleilion of the Cavaliere Aleflandro Saracini at Siena, reprefenting the Rape of the Sabines. It is painted in Orazio's early manner, and a fine example. »;44^ U rhino. No. 12. On another piece unknown to the writer. 361 zfm. \ WlI\ No. 13. On a fine plate in the Louvre (No. G. 337), fubjedl, the Maflacre of the Innocents. No. 14. On a plate in Mr. Fountaine's Colle6lion at Narford, St. Paul preaching at Athens, after RafFaelle. y^' No. 15. On a tazza, alfo in the Narford CollecStion, fubjeil, David and Goliath. z 5 362 Italian Pottery. No. 16. This mark occurs in the landfcape, on a plate in the Tofcanelli Colledtion at Pifa, reprefenting the Healing of the Sick at the Beautiful Gate, after RafFaelle. In the writer's opinion it is a work of Orazio's later period. No. 17. On a tazza which belonged to the Marquis D'Azeglio, _ ^ fubje6t, St. Francis receiving the Stigmata. . ^ A fimilar mark was obferved by the writer \ /v' f*' t^JT" » fome years fmce on a piece reprefenting Chrift T ^ -^ A^ with the woman of Samaria, then in the hands of an Italian dealer. No. 18. On a " Fruttiera," in the Correr Mufeum, at Venice, No. 258, and attributed by Sig. Lazzari to Flaminio Fontana ; fubjedl, the Judgment of Paris. No. 19. On a plaque in Mr. Franks' Colledion, painted with a fine figure of St. Paul. On a ftone in the foreground is infcribed, P . E . S . PAVILIS, ^^j ,^^ ._i,.^,^ ^Y^H ^ It has all the manner of the Fontana fchool, and perhaps as good or even better claim to be afcribed to Flaminio Fontana than the plate in the Correr Mufeum. Urbino, 363 No. 20. On a plaque, alfo in Mr. Franks' Colle6lion, finely painted with the Crucifixion, in the manner of the Fontana fabrique. Works of Francifco Xanto. No. 21. On a plate in the Britifh Mufeum ; fubjecft, from a poem compofed by the painter of the plate in honour of his patron, Duke Francefco Maria I. of Urbino, and called "II Rovere Vittoriofo." / J * '^viirvi *77 364 Italian Pottery, No. 22. On a plate in the Britifti Mufeum ; painted with the fiabjeA of Mars, with the Roman wolf and twins, and figned in colour by Xanto ; richly luftred at Gubbio by the Maeftro figning with the letter N, in the \ Cp P » irridefcent pigment. ^^ Another ex- T)eA{^r/e fiicfK' ^rn?\c of a piece // J fn painted by Xanto, (fSlxy^^^fcK. M^^Ci.* ^"d \M'i^xt^ by N, J ^ . -/. V y^ is in Mr. Napier's Colle£lion (Cat. Shandon Coll., No. , 2882). Alfo one paint- ^^ / *Yic^^>^<^CnirO ed, but not figned ^}jf and figned by J / * , by Xanto, luftred Coll., No. 2876). No. 23. Another example reprefenting the myth of Cephalus and Procris, painted in colour by Xanto, fubfequently luftred and figned in luftre colour with an E reverfed or No. 3. It is in the Narford CoUedlion. U rhino. 365 No. 24. A plate figned with two initials only of Xanto's name ; fubjedt, Deucalion and Pyrrha. In the Narford Colle£lion. -Tjeuav /joiu'/, Pirr/^ ^ c. No. 25. The circular difh, reprefenting the ftorming ot Goleta, now in the colledtion of Baron James de Rothfchild, at Paris (fee ante, p. 345), from that of Mr. Marryat. • A/ 1 \ \/ ^ / ■ U i_/ -^ A ;< X I , /". if 366 Italian Pottery, No. 26. On a plate, which belonged to Mr. Barker, reprefenting " Leander in the fea and Hero at the window." It is interefting, as bearing the lateft date upon any work figned by Xanto. l/f2 Tdfi TOy^ -ware No. 27. On a caudle cup in the Narford Colledlion, on two feparate fcrolls. r^ IK^^ U rhino, 367 By a fuppofed imitator or pupil of Xante. No. 28. On a plate in the Britifh Mufeum, painted in the manner of Xanto, but with a brownifti tone and varnifh-like furface. No. 29. On a plate by the fame hand, alfo in the Britifb Mufeum. The works of this painter generally have the words " Hiftoria," *' Nota," " Fabula," added to the titular infcription. ^^<3>7^ Italian Pottery, Various marks of Urb'ino. No. 36. Occurs on a piece in the writer's collection, the inferior work apparently of a young artift. The fame mark has been obferved on other pieces by the fame hand, one of which is luftred. % pica tT ctree^ No. 37. On a plate reprefenting St. Luke, feated on a bull in the clouds, and holding an open volume. In the collection of the writer. ^i tJl U rhino. Zl"^ No. 38. On a plate. Azeglio Colle6tion. St. Jerome plucking a thorn from the Lion's foot. Dated 1542. M No, 39. Occurs on the front of a fine difh, believed of Urbino. Painted with the martyrdom of St. Lorenzo, and dated 1531. It was fold for 295 guineas at Lord Northwick's fale. No. 40. On a plate, reprefenting Diana and Adtaeon. Formerly belonging to M. Delange of Paris, and attributed by him to this fabrique. EF.B. No. 41. This mark, accompanied by the initials . - *^' occurs on an ewer, painted with yellow fcrolls on a blue ground, and infcribed 372 Italian Pottery. " YMASQVE . DE . BVONA CANA." In the Rothfchild Col- leftion at Paris, and believed of Urbino. We do not know the piece. U No. 42. On an iftoriata plate in Mre. Cajani's pofleflion at Rome, of this, or the Cartel Durante fabrique, about 1540, reprefenting " Afcupapio et refcufita li morti." No. 43. Communicated to me by Dr. A. Forefi of Florence, as on a plate in his pofleflion. Subje6l, the Rape of the Sabines, and fup- poied by M. Demmin to be by " Giovanni Vafajo." Urbl mo. 373 No. 44. On a plate, coarfely painted with grotefques. No. 45. On a large bafin, in the Britifh Mufeum, with fnalce handles. Subje6l, Adam and Eve, in Paradife. In the later Urbino ftyle. It came from the Abbe Stabini's to the Sloane Colleilion, and was the firft piece of Majolica poflefled by the Britifh Mufeum. On the exterior are coarfely executed grotefques, on white ground. ;4- 374 Italian Pottery. No. 46. On a large plate, in the Britifh Mufeum, painted in dull blue camdieu with the fubjeil of the Decollation of St. John. It is difficult to affign the piece to any known fabrique, but it may perhaps be an Urbino work of the later period. XCC1 Noi 47. This mark occurs on a piece afcribed by Mr. ChafFers to this fabrique and to the brufh of Caefare Cari, who painted in the bottega of Guido Merlino 1536-51. Mr. Chaffers, in the laft edition of his valuable work, "Marks and Monograms," 1870, has publiflied fome from pieces afcribed to this fabfique, on the authority of a ^^ Burns MSS" Of thefe, feveral taken from fpecimens in the writer's colleftion, are fo incorreitly rendered or wrongly afligned, as to throw difcredit on others which have been communicated from the fame fource, and which we think it therefore more prudent to omit recording. CATALOGUE. Urhino, Fontana Bottega. A. — Works afcrihed to Nicola da Urhino. 4692. '58. AZZA. " Confettiera " or " Fiadene^' tri- angular. In the Interior a ftanding figure of Venus ; the exterior decorated with oak branches in relief; the foot with leafage in '' bianco fopra bianco." Italian (Urbino afcribed to Nicola da Urbino). About 1525. H. 2| in., diam. 7J in. Bought, 30/. This very elegantly formed piece, moulded at the back with fprays of oak, is of excellent quality as a piece of pottery. The painting we would afcribe with little hefitation to the earlier, or middle time of Nicola da Urbino, and it may perhaps be one of the fervice made for Ifabella d'Efte, which is referred to in the notice of the Fontana fabrique. 2835. '56. PLATEAU The Finding of Mofes ; architedlural back, ground. A fhield of arms on the border, apparently thofe of the Giorgi, or of the Moroiini family, impaled with the 37^ Italian Pottery, Orfini of Rome. Reverfe, infcribed with title of the fubjedt, ** Chome la regina Moglie dil Re farauone andando a fpaflb con le fue ferui e douzele videro uenire per la fiumana vua cha feta impiciata la quale fi era dentro moifes." Italian (Urbino, by Nicola da Urbino). About 1530. Diam. 17I, in. Bought, 10/. lOJ. A fine difh, painted in the fecond manner of Nicola da Urbino, and executed with lefs care than his choicer examples. The outlines of the faces are very ftrongly marked, and the drapery carelefs and cloudy. The architectural background is interefting, giving a view probably of one of the ftreets of Urbino, where it was painted. The twifted column in the centre is introduced from Raffaelle's cartoon of Peter and John at the Beautiful Gate of the Temple. 170^- '55- PLATE. " "Tondimy Mars, Vulcan, and Venus. Cupid bringing armour to Mars, Vulcan at his forge, and Venus with another cupid in the foreground. A man blows the bellows behind ; a landfcape background. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Urbino). About 1530. Diam. iij in. Bought, (Bernal Coll.), 44/. In the manner of Nicola da Urbino, and perhaps by the hand, or by a pupil of that mafter. 8904. '63. TAZZA Plate. " Fruitier a'' Camillus freeing Rome from Brennus and the Gauls ; compofition of many figures, with background of Italian cinque-cento architecture. Reverfe, infcribed " 1543. Come Camillo libero Roma dela Senutu d Galli. Urbino." Italian (Urbino). Dated 1543. Diam. i \\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 3c/. " A carefully painted and brilliantly coloured fpecimen." We quote from Mr. J. C. Robinfon, but have fome hefitation in afcribing it, as he does, to " Nicola da Urbino." The date and locality of its production render it interefting and valuable as means for the iden- tification of fimilar fpecimens. U rhino, - Z77 8966. '6^. PLATE. '■^Fruttiera'' The chafe of the Calydonlan boar. A fhleld of arms on the fide (quarterly argent and azure), apparently thofe of the Crifpolti family. Reverfe, infcribed '^ 1542, La Cacia del porco Calidonio, Urbino." Italian (Urbino). Diam. io| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. By the fame artift as No. 8904, and probably one of the fame fervice. B. — Works afcr'ibed to the Fahnque of Gu'ido Font aim. 2:Sz6. '56. RCULAR Difh. '' Bacikr Compofition of feveral figures in a landfcape. Two dead corpfes being carried away. Reverfe, infcribed " Fa dio ftracinar fuor del facro loco, i corpi di guegli empi Scelerati." Italian (Urbino, Fontana fabrique). About 1540. Diam. 15 in. Bought, 10/. \os. Of the Fontana fabrique, perhaps by the hand of Guido Fontana, if to him may be afcribed the piece in the Narford Colle£tion, figned " in botega di Guido Fontana." 8951. '6^. PLATE. " Fruttieray Orpheus charming the beafts ; with landfcape diftance. Italian (Urbino, Fontana botega). About 1550. Diam. \o\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. This would appear to be an earlier or carelefs work by the fame painter as No. 1743 and 891 1. 378 Italian Pottery. 1743- 55- PLATE. "■■' TagUerey Pan and Syrinx. Reverfe, In- fcribed " Seringa mutata in Cana." Italian (Urbino, of the Fontana fabrique. About 1550. Diam. 8^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. los. A richly coloured little plate. 891 1. '6^ PLATE. " Tondinor Latona changing into frogs the peafants who had infulted her. Reverfe, infcribed " Le dea Latona." Italian (Urbino, Fontana botega). About 1550-60. Diam. io-|in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. From the Fontana fabrique of the later period. Many pieces exift by this clever artift, who feems to have worked rapidly, and latterly with lefs care. 1784- '55- CIRCULAR Difli. « BaciUr A landfcape with a village, a lake, and mountainous diftance ; on a road in the foreground is a covered four-wheeled carriage drawn by two horfes. Above is a fhield of arms of the SalviatI family. Italian (Fontana bottega of Urbino). About 1550-60. Diam. 15I; in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. los. The fabrique of Fontana produced many very cleverly executed landfcape backgrounds, but pieces of this fize, entirely fo covered, are unufual. There are others of this fervice in colle6lions, all of which are entirely covered with landfcape. Urbino, 379 Of the Fontana fahrlqiie at Urhhio, or of Pefaro. 8924. '^3- LATEAU. Battle of the Ifraelites againft the Amorites ; Jofhua commanding the Sun to ftand ftill. A compofition of many figures, horfes, &c. In the upper part, to the left, a fhleld of arms. Reverfe, concentric yellow lines, and infcribed, " Cu Jofue bellu eflet vidluru & notefceret orationib folem firmauit." Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1540-50. Diam. 16 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. By the fame hand, and of the fame fervice as No. 1704, and fome others. The pell-mell of the Battle is vigoroufly rendered. 1704- 55- PLATE. " Tagliere'' Compofition of marine deities in the fea ; a fhield of arms on the front edge ; per pale gules and azure, on the firft an owl proper, on the fecond a pale argent, in bafe a heart (?), or. Reverfe, infcription of fubje6t, " li di marini." Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1540-45. Diam. lof in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 11/. os. 6d. Perhaps by fame hand, and a piece of the fame fervice as No. 8924. 1^94- '55- PLATE. '' Tondinor The Story of Cephalus and Procris. Reverfe, concentric lines in yellow and infcribed, " Come foreftier cefalfe a prescta . nel vii d' uvidio . 1545." Italian (Pefaro or Urbino). Diam. 9^ in. Bought. (Bernal Coll.), 8/. 8j. 380 Italian Pottery, By the fame hand as Nos. 1787, 1746, and 1692. There is that in the manner of this piece which approaches to the lefs careful work of Orazio Fontana. 1692. '55. PLATE. " 'TagUereJ^ Pan and Apollo. Reverfe, in- fcribed " Apollo e Pan." Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1540-45. Diam. lo^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. 5J. By the fame hand as Nos. 1746 and 1787. 1787- '55- PLATE. " 'Tondino." Vulcan forging arrows for Cupid ; Venus fitting on the other fide. Reverfe, infcription, " ulcano et uenere," and yellow circles. Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1540-45. Diam. 7^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. The companion piece to No. 1746. 174^- '55- PLATE. " Tondino.'' Hercules and Dejanira. Reverfe, infcription of fubjedl, " ercole er dionirra." Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1540-45. Diam. yj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. los. The companion piece to No. 1787. Urbino, 381 C. — Works ajcr'thed to Orazlo Font ana. 1689. '55. LATE. " Tagltere:' The ftory of Myrrha. Re- verfe, infcribed "El parto d Mirra." Italian. (Urbino, by Orazlo Fontana ?) About 1540. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. ioj". An early work, we believe, by the hand of Orazio Fontana. 1802. '55. PILGRIM'S Bottle, with Cover. The furface entirely covered with the fubjedt of Perfeus and Andromeda ; on the neck is a coat of arms ; the handles are formed as vine items. Italian. (Urbino, Orazio Fontana?) About 1540. H. 134 in., W. 8 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 31/. This may be an early work by Orazio ; the tone of colour is very rich. The fhield of arms bears quarterly, firft and third, two caftles in a landfcape proper; fecond and fourth, barry of fix, argent and gules. Perhaps thofe of a member of the Rochi family. 8404. '63. EWER. '' Mefciroha:' Oviform. With handle and mafk beneath ; another mafk in relief under the fpout. Boats filled with Roman foldiers, who are forcing a landing 382 Italian Pottery, agalnft armed men upon the fhore. Italian (Urbino). About 1540-50. Attributed to Orazio Fontana. H. 9 J in., W. 5I in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. In the Catalogue of the Soulages Colle6tion Mr. J. C. Robinfon remarks, " This exquifite piece is a fpecimen of the Urbino manufa6lure of its beft period. It is attributed, and probably truly, to the botega of Orazio Fontana. In every technical quality there can be no doubt but that the prefent and the it"^ other pieces extant of the fame origin, are the ' ne plus ultra ' of Majolica — it might almoft be faid of the Ceramic Art in general. Neither Sevres nor Drefden have ever produced in porcelain anything finer in refpeft of glaze and colour. Pieces like this, which combine almoft every excellence w^hich the Ceramic Art is capable of difplaying, are thofe on w^hich the reputations of the ancient maeftri vi^ere juftly founded — reputations acquired not in the chara6ter of artifts, but of potters." This opinion, fhared by the w^riter, perhaps in a lefs extatic degree, applies, he thinks, vi^ith greater truth to the earlier w^orks of CafFaggiolo and Faenza, which although lefs bold and vigorous than the magnificent produ6lions of the Fontana botega, pofiTefs even higher claims as examples of artiftic pottery, for delicacy in the manipulation, tone of colour, and quality of glaze. This ewer is engraved in Du Sommerard — Album, ye ferie, pi. 35. (Unfortunately the handle and foot are reftorations.) The following pieces, being luftred by a fubfequent procefs at the fabrique of Gubbio, have been clafl^ed under that head. (Divifion F.) 520. 65. Plaque. St. Jerome. Page 280. 8907. 63. Plate. Angelica. Page 282. U rhino. 383 D. — JVorh of the Fahr'tqne of Orazto Font ana, afcribed to Qamillo {?), 8969. 61,. |ASE and Cover. Oviform, with two curved handles fpringlng from grotefque mafks. Each fide is covered with a mythological or hiftorical fubjedt of doubtful import ; beneath one is infcribed FATTO • IN • VRBINO. Italian (Urbino). Probably from the manufadory of Orazio Fontana. About 1560. H. i\\ in., W. 13 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 150/. In the Catalogue of the Soulages Collection, Mr. J. C. Robinfon writes, " The furface of this piece is entirely covered with a hiftorical fubjeCt with landfcape background, in the ufual ftyle of the Urbino * Majoliche iftoriate.' The fubjeits reprefented are fomewhat obfcure ; in front, in the centre of the compofition, a queen is feated in a chair, elevated on a pedeftal ; on both fides female figures in claflical coftume are feen advancing towards her, bearing offerings of cups full of gold and filver coin, &c. ; on the pedeftal is infcribed in confpicuous chara6lers, ' iv7^/(7 in Urbino-,^ on the oppofite fide of the vafe is a military fubje6l, apparently the talcing of an oath ? between two warriors, in Roman coftume. This fine vafe is in excellent preferva- lion, and has its original cover. It is one of the moft important pieces of the Urbino fchool, which has come down to us, and was in al! probability painted in the ' botega ' of one of the Fontana family ; and it is not unlikely that the correfponding vafe to this had the name of the maker fimilarly infcribed. The form.ula on other Fontana wares a6tually noted, ufuall/ running fomewhat as follows : — * Fatto in botega de Orazio Fontana in Urbino ; ' or, ' Fatto in Urbino in botega,' &c. (z.^., made in the workftiop of Orazio Fontana, in Urbino)." We have fo little dire6l evidence as to the painters of various pieces of the Fontana fabrique, that it is little more than guef -work to aftign an example to any particular member of that family, with the exception 384 Italian Pottery. of Orazio, whofe ftyle is to a certain extent known by figned pieces. By inference and probability we may perhaps afcribe this vafe, and many other fpecimens on which the fame hand is recognifable, to Camillo Fontana, the elder fon of the " Guido (Fontana) Durantino Vafaio," of Urbino, and brother of Orazio. Upon fome pieces his work is more careful and exa6l, but it is in the fame manner, as may be obferved by reference to the plate. No. 89 11, probably of about the fame date. Whether to him can alfo be afcribed the charming arabefques with which the pieces of his middle time were decorated, is only a probability. 7159. '60. PLATEAU. Roman foldiers breaking down a bridge ; furrounded by a double border of grotefques on white ground. Reverfe, infcription *' Cefar preflb a Genana rompe il ponte." Italian (Urbino, Orazio Fontana fab.). About 1550. Diam 17J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. A very fine plateau, perhaps in the earlier manner of the artift. 7164. '60. PLATEAU. Mofes ftriking the rock (from a defign by Battifto Franco?), furrounded by a border of grotefques on white enamel ground. Reverfe, infcribed " Quando Moife precofle la pietra," in blue, and concentric lines in yellow. Italian (Urbino fab. of Orazio Fontana). About 1560. Diam. 17 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 100/. This is a very fine example of the pieces with grotefque decora- tion on a white ground, produced at Urbino and, probably, at Pefaro and alfo, as we are informed, at Ferrara. It is by the fame hand as the Nos. 4625, 8898 and may with great probability have been a piece of the fame fervice, having a fimilar inner border of rofette ornament. There is great foftnefs and harmonious effed in the colouring, although the drawing is not of the higheft order. U rhino, 385 4625. '58. PLATE. " 1'agliere" In the centre a fhield of arms furmounted by a prelate's hat, and bearing : — or, on a chief azure, three acorns, in bafe a blazing fire ; border of gro- tefques on white ground. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. Diam. g^ in. Bought, 4/. By the fame hand as the preceding pieces, and on the fame quality of white enamel. The fhield of arms would appear to be that of a a bifhop of the Bentivoglio family of Bologna. 8898. '63. TAZZA or ^^ Fruttiera,' moulded ^^ fcannellato" and fcalloped. In the centre medallion a male clafTical figure feated in a landfcape. Wide border of grotefques on brilliant white enamel ground. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. Diam. lof in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), lol. This is an unufually perfect example, both in the colours and in the brilliancy of the white enamel ground, doubtlefs prepared with the pigment fpoken of by Piccolpaflb, as the " bianchetto di Ferrara." We afcribe it to the fame hand (Camillo Fontana?) as the plate No. 4625, which is probably of the fame fervice. 5410- ^59' SALT-CELLAR? or cover. A draped female led by a cupid with a leading firing. Reverfe, a raifed central medallion, painted with a head in blue, at either end lion's mafks ; at the fides volutes in relief; the ground painted with grotefques on white ground. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. L. 6^ in., W. 4-|in. Bought, ll. I OS. Apparently by the fame hand, and on the fame fine white enamel, as the plate No. 4625, and other pieces. M. B B 386 Italian Pottery, 8. '64. PLATEAU. On a central medallion grounded In pale yellow, the fubjed of Abraham and Melchifedec, out- lined In blue, relieved with buff. The reft of the furface is divided into three zones of grotefque ornament, with medal- lions, &c. on the white ground. Reverfe, fimilar decoration with central medallion of lavender tone ; the Virgin appearing to a fhepherd or traveller ; a fhield of arms (obliterated) fur- mounted by a cardinal's hat. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. Diam. 17^ in. Bought, 42/. (See coloured plate.) This is an example of the beft period, and moft able painter of grotefques at the bottega of Orazio Fontana at Urbino, perhaps his brother Camillo. On it the medallions, as well as the grotefques, would appear to be the work of the fame hand. The ground is of the pureft white, probably the " bianco di Ferrara," and would appear to have been brought to a more even furface on the wheel, before receiving the coloured decoration ; this is ftiown by fine concentric fcratchings on the furface of the pure white. The zones of ornament are feparated by orange fillets picked out with blue and a deeper orange, as bead and button, egg and tongue, and other mouldings. The drawing of the central fubjeft is able, the figures fomewhat attenuated ; they are outlined with blue, the high lights touched with white, and are relieved by a warm buff colour upon the pale ftraw yellow ground. The fmall medallions have claflic fubjefts outlined on grey, orange, red, and black grounds. The vigorous drawing, and the humorous invention of the grotefques, confifting of fatyrs, nymphs, dragons, birds, &c., with vafes, torches, mufical inftruments, and the like, are worthy of high praife, leaving the general effe61: of the piece extremely harmonious, while covering it with a crowd of amufing detail. The reverfe is almoft as elaborately decorated as the front, the medallion being in grifaille of a lavender tint. The fhield of arms (perhaps thofe of Cardinal Gonzaga ?) has been affiduoufiy fcratched, purpofely to erafe the armorial infignia. The pilgrims' bottles, No. 84.08-9, and the difh. No. 7159, are by the fanie hand. Gro/esgues. Ukeino — About 1550 — Co PILGRIMS' BOTTLE. GROTESQUES AND MEDALLIONS. Urhino, about 1560-70. (8408. Y)3.) r' 2 ' « V . I .ri.NO. About ij (8409—63.) Urhino, 387 8409. '63. FLASK or Pilgrim's Bottle, flattened pear fhaped. Flanked by handles formed as large horned mafks in relief, termi- nating below in raifed fpiral volutes, which ornament the lower fides of the piece ; in the centre are circular medallions grounded in grey blue, and containing bacchanalian fubje6ts in camdieu ; the remainder of the furface is covered with grotefques on white enamel ground. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. H. ly^in.jW. 11 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 125/. {S^t coloured plate ; frontijpiece.) 8408. '63. FLASK or Pilgrim's Bottle, flattened pear fhaped. Flanked by handles formed as large horned mafks in relief, termi- nating below in raifed fpiral volutes, which ornament the lower fides of the piece ; in the centre are circular medallions grounded in orange, and containing bacchanalian fubjedls in camdieu ; the remainder of the furface is covered with grotefques on white enamel ground. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. H. 17 "I in., W. Ti in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 125/. (Ste. engraving.) Thefe flafks are examples of the higheft quality of the wares pro- duced at Urbino at the " botega " of Orazio Fontana and, as we fug- geft, not improbably painted by the hand of his brother Camillo. It would feem that he executed thefe admirable grotefques as well as the larger fubje£ls, which approach in manner to that of Orazio, but with a difterence. \/^ASE. Oviform, with twifced ferpent handles, and mafks beneath. Ornanientation of grotefques in colour on white ground, divided into. three zones by raifed mouldings; in 388 Italian Pottery. the centre of each fide a medallion in green camdieu, fupported by two females feated on a fhaped framing. Italian (Urbino, O. Fontana fab.). About 1560-70. H. 22 in., W. 2 2 J in. Bought (Webb Coll.), 100/. This fine vafe, unfortunately much broken, is fimilar to thofe in the Bargello at Florence, and is of the beft period of the Fontana works, and of the grotefque decoration on a white ground. It is clearly by the fame hand as the two pilgrims' bottles, Nos. 8408-9, and the fine falver. No. 8. 5474- '59- PLATEAU. In the centre a raifed medallion painted with Leda and the Swan ; four zones of grotefques on white ground, divided by orange mouldings, cover the reft of the piece. Reverfe, yellow concentric lines. Italian (Urbino, O. Fon- tana fab.). About 1560-70. Diam. I7f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 50/. " The arabefque, or more properly ' grotefque,' ornaments of this piece (' grottefche ') are particularly charaileriftic of the Urbino manu- facture of the fchool and period of the Fontana family. The works of Giovanni da Udine may be taken as the type of this fl:yle, which, as feen applied to Majolica ware, does not date much before 1540, being continued in ufe down to the middle of the 17th century. This clafs of Majolica has ufually a brilliant white ground, produced by painting over the furface of the fl;anniferous covering with the white enamel colour (' fbiancheggiato ') previous to the execution of the ornaments, increafed brilliancy and tone being given by a final vitreous glaze." — (J. C. Robinfon, in Soulages Catalogue.) 8956. '6i. PLATE. " Tondino." In the centre Cupid riding on a Dolphin ; double border of grotefques on white ground. Reverfe, concentric yellow lines. Italian. (Urbino. Fontana?) About 1570-80. Diam. loj in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. U rhino. 389 The grotefques by the fame hand (?) as No. 4625, but of rather later date. 8914. '63. PLATE. ^^Tondinoy Minerva and the Mufes ; a compofi- tion of eight figures in a landfcape. Reverfe, infcribed " Le noue Mufe." Italian (Urbino). About 1570. Diam. 10^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. We recognife this hand on fome of the medallions of later pieces, decorated with grotefques and raifed mafks, &c. Nos. 8912-3-5 are by the fame artift. 8913. '62,. PLATE. A facrifice ; a compofition of ten figures, with cattle and camels in a landfcape. Reverfe, concentric yellow lines, and infcribed " II Sagrefitio." Italian (Urbino). About 1570. Diam. 10^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. By the fame hand and of the fame fervice as Nos. 8912-4-5, &c. 8912. '62i' PLATE. " Tondino.'" Jacob bleffmg his fons ; a compo- fition of ten figures, with an architedlural background. Reverfe, concentric yellow lines, and infcribed " Jacobbe." Italian (Urbino). About 1560-70. Diam. io| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 61. A lefs careful piece, perhaps by the fame hand as the central fubjeil of No. 7164 and as Nos. 8913-4-5. 168.. '55. INKSTAND. Hexagonal ; two of the fides were filled with drawers, now wanting. On the other four are figures of St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St. John, engaged in writing their gofpels ; below and above are fcroll and volute 39^ Italian Pottery. mouldings, the latter bearing a maik over each panel ; the upper part is divided into compartments for ink, pens, &c. Gilt metal feet and mounting are of recent addition. Italian (Urbino). Dated 1554. H. 6^- in., diam. 13 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 26/. lOJ-. A large and important fpecimen of thofe fhaped pieces which were produced at Urbino by the Fontana, and we believe alfo at Pefaro by the Lanfranchi fabriques. It is probable that this piece was fur- mounted by a cover, which with the drawers has been unfortunately loft. The modern gilt-metal mounting probably replaces figures or fcroU ornament, broken from the angles, and the original moulded feet. The third figure of the date is difficult to read, but we believe it to be a 5 and not an 8. 8915. '63. PLATE. The fons of Jacob plotting againft Jofeph ; a compofition of eleven figures, with fheep, in a landfcape. Reverfe, concentric yellow lines, and infcribed " Li figlioli de Jacobbe." Italian (Urbino). About 1570. Diam. 10 J in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. Of the fame fervice and by fame painter as Nos. 8912—3-4. Other works of the Fahrique of Oraz'io Fontana. ASE or Drug Ewer. Oviform, with ftraight fpout, ferpent handles, and conical cover, entirely covered with a fubjed of figures, Roman lidors, &c., in a landfcape. Italian (Urbino. Fontana fab.). About 1540-50. H. 9 in., W. 5^ in. Bought, (Webb Coll.), 25/. J U rhino, 391 VASE or Drug Ewer. Oviform, with ftraight fpout, ferpent handles, and conical cover, covered with a fubjedl of Roman foldiers, &c., in a landfcape. Italian (Urbino. Fon- tana fab). About 1540-50. H. 8| in., W. 5^ in. Bought (Webb Coll.), 25/. The companion piece to No. 352. Thefe pretty little vafes are painted in a manner approaching to that of Orazio, and are richly coloured. They are very fimilar in general chara6ler to the vafes of the Santa Cafa at Loreto, and may have originally been pieces of that or of a fimilar fervice. 8390. '63. PLATEAU. White ground, on a central medallion a wolf holding a pear(?) in his mouth, above is a ribbon Infcribed " permerto de mia fe ; " a wreath of oak foliage and acorns, one of fruit and foliage, crofTed branches of fruit and leaves, and a fecond wreath of fruit and leafage fucceed each other. The rim is divided " a quartiere " by blue and yellow lines into feven compartments, bearing refpedlively the letters in, a mafs of flame, a branch of mulberry, a pear, the letters te, a fcroll of mufic, a branch of vine. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Urbino.?) About 1540-50. Diam. i8in. Bought^ 6/. This is perhaps a gift plate, the decoration emblematical, which might probably be elucidated could we determine the families of the donor and of the receiver. It is of excellent quality and even glaze, the painting well executed, and ,the colours brilliant. 8400. '^2>' C"^ ROUP in the round, intended for an inkftand. A young T man, in the coftume of the period, is feated in a chair and playing an organ, behind which a boy is working two 392 Italian Pottery. bellows ; a dog lies beneath the chair, on the back of which is a monogram of two interlaced V's, in a heart-fhaped fhield furmounted by a double crofs ; beneath the organ is a fpace for a drawer (wanting), which contained ink, &c. The whole is upon a bafe fupported by lions' paws. The organ is framed with pilafters and architrave, decorated with grotefques, mafks, &c., on blue and orange ground. In front a cartouche is in- fcribed " vrbino." Italian (Urbino). About 1550-60. H. 14J in., L. 9 J in., W. 8f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 1 00/. This very interefting and quaint piece is of the good period of the Urbino wares, and curioufly illuftrates the coflume and the furniture of the period. " The folding chair in which the player is feated will be recognifed as nearly identical in defign with many of the chairs forming part of the South Kenfmgton Mufeurn colledlions. The organ is of archite6tonic defign, and is beautifully decorated with the ufual Urbino arabefques." (J. C. R.) The monogram on the back of the chair is more probably that of the owner of the piece than of the artift. Fortunately, with the exception of a join, and the loft drawer, it is intail, a rare circumftance with fhaped pieces of fuch elaborate fafhion. It is engraved in Du Sommerard, " Les Arts au Moyen Age," 76 ferie, pi. 35. 506. '65. SAUCE Boat. Modelled as a dolphin with recurved tail terminating in a mafk, and painted in enamel colours. Italian (Urbino). About 1560. H. 6^ in., L. S^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 25/. This quaint piece, fo chara£leriftic of the tafte of the period, has been engraved in Du Sommerard, " Les Arts au Moyen Age." Album, ye ferie, pi. 36. Uriino. 393 115. '69. INKSTAND. On an oblong fquare bafe, a figure of Nep- tune modelled in the round, lying on a dolphin ; he grafps its tail with his right hand, holding its mouth open, as a receptacle for the ink, with his left ; the bafe is divided into compartments, one of which wants the drawer, and is decorated with trophies in grifaille on a blue ground, and with wreaths and fcroU mouldings. Italian (Urbino). About 1560. L. iji in., W. 9i in., H. 9 in. A bold, but not very fuccefsful piece, from the fame faftory (Fontana?) as the more important group of the organ player, No. 8400, and perhaps even modelled by the fame hand, but the figure feems to have flirunlc and fettled in the firing, and has not been modelled with the fame care. 8403. '63. SALT Cellar. Quadrangular, altar-fhaped. Lions' feet at the angles, from which fpring mouldings terminating in volutes which fupport fhells ; the panels between are painted with grotefques on a white enamel ground ; a circular centre for the fait has a profile bufl on black ground. Italian (Urbino). About 1560. H. c^\ in., W. 4^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. An elegantly-formed piece, probably of Urbino. The grotefques are painted by an artift whofe work is recognifable on feveral examples, and is indeed very fimilar to that upon the pieces believed to have been made for Alfonfo II. of Ferrara by artifts from Urbino. (See Nos. 504*-5.) 3 94 Italian Pottery, E — Works of a Fainter of the later period of the Font ana Bottega^ perhaps Guldo, jun. (f). 4691. '58. jMALL Plate or Tazza. Cupid riding on a dolphin. Reverfe, grotefques on white ground. Italian (Urbino). About 1570-80. Diam. 5^ in. Bought, 10/. An unulually careful and highly-finifhed piece by one of the later artifts of the Fontana fabrique, perhaps Guido, the fon of Camillo. Many of his works exift, but are in moft cafes carelefsly executed. One in the writer's pofleflion, a large difh, reprefents Neptune driving his car over the fea among nymphs, tritons, &c., among whom is a repiica of this group of Cupid on a dolphin, painted in the fame manner but with lefs finifhed execution. This younger Guido died in 1605, leaving Alfonfo Patanazzi to complete the decadence of the Urbino wares. 4697. '58. VASE. Oviform, with ferpent handles, beneath which are mafks in relief. The metamorphofis of Apollo, &c. covering the entire furface of the piece. Italian (Urbino). About 1580-90. H. ] 9^ in., diam. it in. Bought, c^c^l. 4698. -58. VASE. Oviform, with ferpent handles, beneath which are malks in re-lief. The ftory of Apollo and Daphne covers the entire furface. Italian (Urbino).. About 1580-90. H. 19! in., diam. 11 in. Bought, c^^l. PLATE. *^ TagUersJ'' Venus riding on a dolphin. Italian (Urbino). About 1590. Diam. 8 in. Bought (Ban- dinel Coll.). By the fame hand as the two companion vafes, Nos, 4697-8, and of whofe more careful work No. 4691 may alfo be an example. Urb ino. 395 Pieces painted by Frajtcefco Xanto. 1780. '55. LATE, '^raglierer Pyramus and Thifbe. On the fide a fhield of arms bearing Hercules and the lion, on a gold ground. Reverfe, infcribed with title of fubject, figned '* Fra Xanto," and dated 1531. Italian (Urbino). Diam. loin. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. 5J. Pyramus falls upon his fword beneath the mulberry tree ; a town probably intended for Babylon, is in the diftance. A carelefs example, though figned in full by the artift, with the addition of the word " hiftoria," after the defcription of the fubje6l, a peculiarity adopted by his fuppofed imitator. (See the notice on Nos. 1754 and 7156, and Marks 28, 29.) 1685. '55. PLATE. " Tondino." Allegorical or mythological fubjecft ; a man holding flowers, and a female with a lyre ; Cupid flies above them with a wreath of flowers, and between 396 Italian Pottery, is the bafe of a column or ftatue, on which is a fhield of arms. Reverfe, initialed by Xanto and dated Urbino, 1531. Diam. 7} in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. A piece cf the fame fervice as No. 1780. 1700. 55. PLATE. " Tondino.'' The Metamorpholis of Actason. Reverfe, infcribed ''1533 H mifero Atho conuerfo i ceruo Nel * iii * libro de Ouidio * Me : Fra : Xato * A • da Rouigo i Urbino." Signed by Xanto, and dated 1533. Diam. loj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. iGs. A finely-coloured example ; the nymphs are v/ell drawn for Xanto's frequently carelefs ftyle, but the black dog in the foreground is any- thing but creditable to him as a draughtfman. 1748. '55- CIRCULAR Difh. An adaptation {pajiiccio) from Raffaelle's pidure of the marriage of Alexander and Roxana; on the upper part is a fhield bearing the arms of Gonzaga, impaled with thofe of Efte, and furmounted by a ducal coronet. On a foldier's fhield are the letters X . H . A . Reverfe, infcribed with the title of the fubjed. Signed by Xanto, and dated 1533. Italian (Urbino). Diam. i8-|-in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 50/. (See engraving.) CIRCULAR DISH. MARRIAGE OF ALEXANDER AND ROXANA. Ur/>i?io, hy Trancefco Xanto, i 5 "j 3 . (1748. '55-) Urh 1710, 397 This is the fineft example of the mafter in the colle6tion. The colouring is very brilliant, and the drawing generally executed in his beft manner. Xanto frequently painted from the works of RafFaelle, as conveyed to him by the engravings of Marc Antonio and others, and almoft as frequently altered the defigns to fuit the form of the piece or other requirements, occafionally adapting one fubjedt to ferve for another, thus, the " Incendio del borgo " is made to do duty as the burning of Troy, &c. Bold in general effe6l, the works of this artift are inferior to thofe produced by many of the earlier and contemporary painters on pottery, inftance the notable members of the Fontana family at his own adopted city of Urbino. The arms are thofe of a branch of the Gonzaga family, perhaps of the Guaftalla. 398 Italian Pottery, 2.y2,. 71. TAZZA. Plate. " Fruttiera.'' Luftred majolica. Pali- nurus falling from the galley of ^neas into the fea. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in luftre ; titular infcription, fignature, and date, 1535, in colour. Italian (Urbino, by Francefco Xanto). Diam. io| in. Bought (Caftellani Coll.), 127/. 4J. A fine example of Xanto's richeft colouring and moft vigorous manner. The luftre pigment has been abundandy and fuccefsfully applied. Many of his beft pieces fo enriched were produced at this date, 1535. 1698. '5.:?. LATE. " TagUerer Allegorical fubjed, " The Difcord of Italy." Reverfe, infcribed with title of fubjedl. Urbifio, 399 Signed by Xanto, and dated 1536. Italian (Urbino). Diam. 105 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 14/. jj. dd. P 1 ^U4_ )iftoyo\<^ ItdiA. j^ •7 / lijti'miQ (nox 0d.it A curious allegory, allufive to the then, as ever, too frequent difcord and difunion between the feveral States of Italy. An old man and a woman are feated on the rocks, bewailing their devaflated home ; Italy, with difhevelted hair and bleeding fide, fupports herfelf upon a fhield, while cupid is feen running off with quiver on his fhoulders ; in the background are ruined buildings. A good ordinary fpecimen of the mafter. 4557- '5<^- TAZZA Plate. '' FruUiera." Allegorical fubjed. A group of four nude females, to whom a bearded man, draped and wearing a turban, offers gold, carried by a boy on a falver ; above on a fcroll is infcribed " Omnia P pecuniam faffla funt." Reverfe, infcribed with the fubjed, the date 1 53 r » and the letter X. Jtalian (Urbino, by Francefco Xanto). Diam. 10^ in. Bought, 10/. 40 o Italian Pottery. Alfo a well-executed fpecimen of Xante's work. The allegory is meant to teach that gold wrongly ufed is a means to all fin. >l^ '^^ 1696. '55. PLATE. " 'Tondino." Jupiter and Dionyfius the fallen tyrant of Syracufe. Reverfe, infcribed with title of fubjedl. Signed by Xanto, and dated 1540. Italian (Urbino). Diam. 10 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. 15J. A brilliantly coloured piece. A yellow ground, circled with clouds, relieves the figure of Jupiter, who is feated on a throne, beneath which lies the fallen tyrant j on the right is the widow, angels are behind, and ljKltO<.VLifio c)'lin Urbmo. 401 another on the left points to the proftrate king, with the words infcrihed above her head, " Hie die Dionyfius ficilias tirannus." This fubjecl, with variations, was frequently reprefented by Xanto. PLATE. *' Tondino.'" The Burial of Leucothea. Reverfe, concentric lines in yellow, and the infcription " 1540, Sottrata leocothoe dal padre urua. X." Signed by Xanto, and dated 1540. Italian (Urbino). Diam. io| in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. c^s. A carefully executed example of the mafter ; the colours and glaze of great brilliancy. 1790- '55- TAZZA Plate. " Fruttierar Brutus and Portia. Re- verfe, infcribed with title of fubjedt, the initial of Xanto, and date 1541. Italian (Urbino). DIam. loj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. \os. A fine bold example of the later period. . 1/4}- i^.^^i mf^ me ^mu^te' •?^* M. t.C 402 Italian Pottery. Pieces hy a Scholar or Imitator of Xante. 7156. '60. ISH. Form ^'Bacino" Olympus ; numerous figures in a landfcape ; in the centre Apollo, around him poets and muficians playing on various instru- ments ; above in the clouds a choir of Cupids, Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Urbino or Pefaro?) About 1530-40. Diam. 14 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. A large and important fpecimen by an artift whofe works have con- fiderable refemblance to thofe of Francefco Xanto of Urbino. The conipofition is overcrowded and wanting in repofe ; the details have been carefully executed, but the painter was not one of the greateft merit. The diftant landfcape is very extenfive. We have no means of afcertaining whether he worked at Urbino, Pefaro, or Caftel Durante. 1754- 55- PLATE. ^^ '■Taglierey An angel defcending to St. John in the ifland of Patmos ; a landfcape background, with a town, river, &c. Reverfe, infcription of the fubjed:, " Le altj e diuini fegretj dl cielo dal Signore moftratj all acquila notate euagelifta Giouannj." Italian (Urbino or Pefaro). About 1530-40. Diam. loj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. ^s. Of the fame fabrique and perhaps by the fame hand as No. 7156. In the prefent example the manner of Francefco Xanto is more clofely imitated, and there is a fimilarity to thofe afcribed to a painter who frequently added " iftoria " or " fabula " to his defcription of the fubjedl. XJ rhino, 4.03 jBy Francefco Durafithio, 1758. '55- lOWL, In the interior, a camp of Roman and other foldiers on each fide of a ftream, over which they hold a parley ; the exterior fides are covered with a rocky landfcape ; at the bottom is a mafk of a fatyr in blue camaieu. Italian. (Urbino ?) About 1540-50. H, 4^ in., diam. 12 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 20/. This very cleverly painted piece, of a peculiar and rich tone of colour, has been afcribed to the fchool of Orazio Fontana. We think, however, that, although differing in its fuperiority to his ordinary works, it approaches more to the bed manner of Francefco Durantino, in the tafte for covering the whole furface with fubje61:, and particularly in the treatment of the group of figures in the background. Both fuggeftions may, however, be compatible, as we do not know at what '' botega " in Urbino Francefco worked, and he may have gained a fuperior force of colouring under that fchool before he painted at Monte Bagnolo. 533' '^3- CISTERN. Elliptic. The interior and exterior painted with the fubjeds of Diana and her nymphs bathing, and the difcovery of the incontinence of Califto ; the margin and foot moulded with flutings, &c., coloured yellow and relieved with blue. Italian (Urbino ? afcribed to Francefco Durantino). About 1540-50. H. lo^i- in., L. 20J in., W. 164- in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 80/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon writes : " The defign and execution of the paintings in this important fpecimen difplay the hand of a practifeJ and e c 2 404 Italian Pottery, dexterous maeftro. Several of the pieces by the fame artift have been elfevi^here obferved." A plate in the Britifti Mufeum, and evidently a work of the fame hand, is figned by Francefco Durantino, and dated 1544. It reprefents Coriolanus meeting his mother. He does not ftate that it was made in C. Durante, but that he was a Durantine. We, therefore, from the general character of his pieces, aflign them to Urbino, but with doubt, from the fadl that his fignature on the ciftern at Narford, which may be the companion to this piece, ftates it to have been made at "Monte Bagnolo," near Perugia. (See Mark No. 32.) PLATE. " 'Tagliere" Glaucus and Scylla ; compofition of fix figures in a Jandfcape. Reverfe, infcrlbed "Glaucho e Scilla tt houidro a libro XIII. 1545." Italian (Urbino ? by Francefco Durantino). Diam. 9J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. In the fame manner as the large ciftern, and as the plate in the Britifti Mufeum, figned by this artift. Various unhiown " iftoriati,'^ &c., circa 1535-50. 1^97- '55- LATE. '* 'Tagliere." Gracchus at table, a dragon appearing. Reverfe, infcribed " d prodigi cioe miracoli Tiberio Graco jue di V • M • tb primo a . c.4. 1542." Italian. (Urbino or Pefaro .?) Dated 1542. Diam. 10^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 9/. ^s. Urbino, 405 CUP. " Chicchera" In the centre a figure of Faith holding a crofs. Italian. (Urbino?) About 1540-45. H. 2^ in., diam. 5 in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). Perhaps alfo by the fame hand as No. 1694, Sec. Pieces of this form are uncommon. i;83, '55- TAZZA Plate. '' Fruttierar Moulded and fcalloped. " Scannellato." The ftory of Laocoon. Reverfe, in- fcribed " Laocaonte." Italian. (Urbino?) About 1540-45. Diam. lof in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 12/. Although the colours are paler, this is perhaps alfo by the fame artift as No. 1694, and feveral others in this collection. 1745- 55' PLATE. " Tagliere:' The ftory of Afcanius and Dido, &c. Reverfe, infcribed '* Mena Cato in Cartago Afcanio a dido. 1545." Italian. (Urbino?) Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. los. ^79^' ^55- PLATE. "-Tagliere" The Metamorphofis of Daphne; Apollo on the other fide and a river god between. Italian. (Urbino?) About 1540-50. Diam. lofin. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. The work of an indifferent artift, whofe name, like that of fo many others, we are unable to trace. 4o6 Italian Pottery, '^7^?>' '55- TAZZA Plate. '' Fruttierar The Holy Family ; in an interior of the i6th century. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Urbino or Ferrara .^) About 1550. Diam. lof in. (Bernal Coll.), 11/. IOJ-. A beautiful compofition of the fchool of RafFaelle, carefully painted in colours of a rather low but harmonious tone. The Virgin Mother raifes the child from the cradle ; the infant St. John is on his knees holding a lamb ere6l on its hind legs ; behind, to the right of the group fits Anna ; Jofeph is on the left, looking up from the book he has been reading. A tent-like curtain is behind him, and beyond, a room, in which are two chairs ; a landfcape to the right fhows the fun rifing over the hills, a town and a river with a bridge are in the middle diftance. ?>^^^- '55- PLATE. *^ 'Tagliere." Apollo and Daphne. Reverfe, infcribed " Dafano mutatta in lauro." Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). About 1550. Diam. 8^ in. Bought, l/. IS. Of great richnefs in the glaze and colouring. 517- '65- PILGRIM'S Bottle or Flafk, with cover. The fides are flanked by raifed mafks, with horns forming handles ; the painting reprefents the Rape of the Sabines. Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). About 1550. H. 13J in., W. 8^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 40/. The artiflic merit of this piece is not high, the drawing and painting being coarfely executed ; the colour, however, and the enamel glaze are brilliant. Urhi 1710, 407 ^7S^' '55 PLATE. *' Tagliere." The Three Graces, after the en- graving by Marc Antonio. On the fide a fhield of arms ; azure, a bar or, between three pine cones proper ; furmounted by a cardinal's or bifhop's hat. ItaHan (Urbino). About 1540-45. Diam. ii^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. lOJ. This alfo is perhaps affignable to the fame hand as No. 1 786, but is executed with much greater care and ability. The three graces ftand between two fountains flowing from a low wall under three palm trees ; the fea with fhips, and a mountain are in the diftance. The fhield of arms would appear to be that of a bifliop of the Ciaja Barni family, of Siena. A plate in the Britifh Mufeum, probably by the fame hand, has for fubjedt Hercules carrying the columns ; it is figned at the back 1542. Vrbi. 1786. '55. PLATEAU. Phalaris mafTacred by his fubjedls. Reverfe, infcribed with the fubjed " Phallare quando fo Amaflato attrocemente dal populo." Italian (Urbino). About 1 545-50. Diam. I5f in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 9/. 5^. Probably by the fame hand as No. 8926, but executed with rather more care. The fcene is in front of a ruined arcade or " loggia," with twifted and ftraight columns ; the king is falling forward under the fword cuts and thrufl:s of his armed murderers 5 caftellated buildings and a hilly landfcape are to the left of the fpetSlator. 8926. '6^, PLATEAU. A battle fubjeft ; a river divides the at- tacking and defending forces ; the latter have a battery of cannon ; on the right bank of the ftream a town with 4o8 Italian Pottery, caftle, and a water mill on fire. Reverfe, infcribed " La prefTa dalba." Italian (Urbino). About 1550. Diam. 17 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. By an artift who painted batde fubje6ls on medallions, furrounded by grotefques on white ground, on fome of the pieces decorated with moulded mafks, &c. " In the centre a wide river divides the compofition into two parts ; on each bank are oppofmg armies ; in the lower part of the compofition the attacking party appears to have made an attempt to crofs the river by means of rafts or pontoons, which has apparently failed, being vigoroufly oppofed by the enemy with a battery of cannon eftablifhed on the oppofite bank ; higher up, however, and fimultaneoufly, the river is being forded, the aflailants having apparently fucceeded in landing a body of men, who are proceeding to attack the city, whilft the attention of its defenders is occupied by the engagement lower down. On the reverfe is infcribed, 'la preffa dalba.' " ^ — (J. C. R.) 8925. '6'^, PLATEAU. Elliptic. A battle fubjed ; compofition of many figures and horfes, partly from Raffaelle's Battle of Conftantine. In the upper part to the left a fhield of arms. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Urbino). About 1550-60. Diam. 19^ in. by 18 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 60/. Although lefs carefully executed this may perhaps be by the fame hand as the battle piece, No. 8926. The arms appear to be thofe of Cardinal Giulio della Rovere, Archbifhop of Ravenna, who was papal ambaffador to the Court of Urbino in 1548, and died in that city in 1578. 8406. '63. BOWL, Circular. Venus in the fea, {landing on a fhell drawn by dolphins ; on each fide are Tritons and fea nymphs, and above Cupid is flying in the air. The exterior ' ? Alba in Piedmont. M. Soulages called the fubjeft a battle in Saxony, gained by the Count Andriano, in 1547, BOWL OK PLATEAU. MEDALLIONS AND GROTES(TlT£S. Urbiiio. Signed " Gironimo.'" 15S3. (4354- '57-) U rhino, 409 is painted with a landfcape. Italian (Urbino). About 1560. H. 4^ in., diam. \i\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. Probably of the later period of the fabrique of Orazio Foiitana and his fucceffors, but not painted by any member of that family. The following pieces enriched with luftre have for that reafon been clafTed under Gubbio (divifion F.) : — No. 4726. '59. Arethufa and Alpheus. Page 275. No. 8886. '63. Portrait. Page 274. Pieces by Gironmo. 4354- 57- 3WL or Plateau. Circular, with deep funk centre, and in the border fix oval funk pools in the man- ner of PalifTy, grounded alternately yellow, green, and blue, and painted with cupids in grifaille ; on a medallion in the centre is a cupid in grifaille, on dark yellow ground ; the reft of the furface is filled in with coloured gro- tefques on white ground. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue and yellow, and figned " Gironimo Urbin fecie, 1583." Italian. Diam. 1 5! in. Bought, 40/. {Sqq engraving.) This is a very unufual and effective piece, the arrangement of the colours having a marked effeil ; there can be little doubt that although executed with much greater care, it is by the fame hand as the bowl, No. 2974, which is probably a later work. It is alfo important as 4IO Italian Pottery, recording the name of the painter, " Gironimo," who would feem to have been the laft of the clever artifts of Urbino who worked in grotefque on a white enamel ground. The occurrence of the red " giglio " of Florence upon black medallions round the centre would point to a Tufcan deftination for this piece. It is poflible that in his earlier and more carefully executed works, this artift may have produced grotefque decoration of a higher order, and that fome of the larger and more important vafques, and other pieces of the Fontana fabrique, may have had that portion of their ornamentation executed by his hand. The fine circular vafque formerly in Mr. Barker's, now in Mr. Cook's collection, has grotefques on the exterior very much in the manner of this piece. (?^ 2974- 53- BOWL, Circular. Divided into compartments by diaper borders ; in the centre Cupid on a car drawn by two doves, painted in manganefe colour on an orange ground. Four large white ovals are covered with arabefques, and the intervals with blue fcrolls. Reverfe, concentric lines of dull blue and orange. Italian (Urbino). About 1590. H. c^\ in., diam. 15 in. Bought (Bandlnel Coll.). Of the fame fabrique, and probably like No. 4354, by the hand of "Gironimo," as alfo may be No. 4555. The ground is of an excel- lent white enamel, and the general efFe6t is good, although the painting is of the decadence of the Urbino grotefques, and very inferior to that on the earlier piece. Urb mo. 4H 4555- 53- PLATE. " Tagliere." Four ornaments of ■palmette and foliation, with black centres ; between them are gro- tefques on the white ground, and in the centre a fhield bearing a fea lion. Reverfe, concentric lines in dull blue. Italian (Urbino). About 1600. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, \qs. The bafin No. 2974 is in all likelihood of the fame fabrique. Pieces by the art'iji Jlgnhig F. G. C. 5"- '65- \.LT Cellar. Boat-fhaped. Enriched with ftrap work, fcroUs, mafks, &c. in relief, picked out with blue and orange ; a ftatuette of a cupid holding a fhell at each extremity ; the bowl and lateral panels are painted with cupids on yellow and on white ground. Italian (Urbino). About 1560-8O. H. 6|in., L. 8j. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 30/. This is a very elegant piece in form and in detail, and may perhaps have belonged to the fame fervice as No. 4407, although fuperior to it in the richer efFedl of glaze and colour. 4407- 57' SALT Cellar. Boat-fhaped, (landing on four lions' fett, and ornamented with cartouche work, terminal figures, &c. in relief; painted with allegorical figures in grifaille and 41 2 Italian Pottery, colours. Italian (Urbino). About 1560-80. H. 5 in., L. 9^ in., W. 6 in. Bought, 24/. An efFe6tively modelled piece of the later period of the Urbino works, perhaps of the fame fervice as No. 511. 6662. '60. TAZZA. " Confettiera ? " Elliptic. Strap work in relief on each fide and end, which terminate in blue mafks ; the fiirface painted with ftrap work and maiks, furrounding two medallions ; on the one is the fubjedl of Mofes ftriking the rock, on the other the return of the fpies from the Promifed Land. Reverfe, flrap and fcroll work, and four lions' mafks in relief; beneath the foot the mark F. G. C. Italian (Urbino). About 1580. H. 2i in., L. 8 in., W. 6^ in. Bought, 4/. 16^. Of good form, and valuable for the mark. The two fait cellars, Nos. 511 and 4407, are by the fame artift, who mufl have worked about the fame time as, or more probably fomewhat anterior to, Alfonfo Patanazzi, and from the fimilarity of colours ufed may have been employed in his fabrique, if of Urbino. Urh ino. 413 Pieces by the Patanazzt. by 2612. '^6, LATEAU. Romulus receiving the Sabine women. On the border are the letters • ALF ' P • F • and VRBINI • 1606. Reverfe, infcribedwith title of fubjed, figned and dated 1606. Italian (Urbino, ^.Ifonfo Patanazzi). Diam 19! in. Bought, \il. A very important piece by this comparatively inferior and late artift of Urbino, it being figned by him in full, thereby enabling us to recog- nife a large quantity of pieces by his hand, generally executed in varying degrees of carelefs inferiority. It muft however be at the fame time confefled that Patanazzi lived and worked at a period of decadence, and his painting is not wanting in a certain freedom of handling and breadth of effeit:, which qualities are apparent in this fpecimen. There is a degree of eafy movement and bearing in the figures, and of bold flowing lines in the dra- pery, which, notwithft:anding the care- lefTnefs of the drawing, fhow a facile hand. The details are however but coarfely indicated, and although there is a degree of power in fome, the majority of the heads are but rudely defined. Romulus^ ftands under a portico on a dais of two fteps, on the lower of which an armed foldier is feated. He wears a crown, and a loofe flowing mantle, faftened over the right fhoulder, falls behind and over his left ; four men carrying olive branches approach, and he receives 414 Italian Pottery, them by the hand. A crowd of women follow, carrying bundles, &c, A town and mountainous diftance are beyond. ^^ '"^mmi 174^. 55- PLATEAU. An aflembly of the Gods on Olympus. Reverfe, in the centre Minerva and Medufa, border of Cupids holding framed medallions, having white figures on a black ground. Italian (Urbino, afcribed to Alfonfo Patanazzi). About 1570-1600. Diam. 15! in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 16/. The decorative efFedt of the reverfe of this piece is very excellent, although the drawing throughout is extremely loofe. We believe it to be by the hand of Alfonfo Patanazzi. A large bowl, with twifted ferpent handles, painted infide with the Gathering of the Manna, and outfide with Cupids, &c., in the poffeflion of the writer, is by the fame hand, in a more careful manner. 509. '65. SALT Cellar. The body forms an oval vafe, decorated with raifed ftrapwork, fhields, &c., and a ftatuette of a cupid holding a fhell, and feated on a mafk at either end ; it is fupported on fcroll feet and elevated on a pedeftal painted in Urbi?to. 415 imitation of green marble. On a fhield, repeated on each fide, is written, " Excubia agimus • ftrepitus • repellimus • hoftem." The lateral panels are painted with a duck in the water, above which is a comet. Italian (Urbino). About 1580 1600. H. 9 in., L. 8i in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. 510. '6,:;. SALT Cellar. The body forms an oval vafe, decorated with raifed ftrapwork, /hields, &c,, and a ftatuette of a cupid holding a fhell and feated on a mafk at cither end ; it is fupported on fcroU feet and elevated on a pedeftal painted in imitation of green marble. On a fhield, repeated on each fide, is written, '^ Excubia agimus * ftrepitus * repellimus • hoftem." The lateral panels are painted with a duck in the water, above which is a comet. Italian (Urbino). About 1 580-1 600. H. 9 in., L. 8^ in. Bought Soulages Coll.), 15/. Although of late date, and rather coarfe in the modelling and colour, thefe are important fpecimens, as fo icw pairs of ftiaped table pieces have defcended to our day. They may perhaps be of the fabrique, but not by the hand of Alfonfo Patanazzi. The Latin fentence may be rendered, " We keep watch, by our watch cries we repel the enemy." We have failed in afcertaining to what this alludes. 8402. '6^' SALT Cellar. Triangular. The bowl, painted with a female buft portrait, is upheld by three dolphins, refting on a plinth with claw feet, and decorated with wave ornament. Italian (Urbino). About 1600. H. 5^ in., W. 6 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 10/. Of excellent form but Coarfe execution, probably from the fabrique at which Alfonfo Patanazzi painted. 4i6 Italia7t Pottery, PLATE. " T'agliere." Banquet fcene, with Tritons fervlng. Reverfe, infcribed " II buon • tefeo • dare tolfe chonbiato puoter • inane ' ritornare * et ante Leo • p • farlo ' chon luire ftare fece il fuo fiume molto in grolTare," and con- centric lines of blue and yellow. Italian. (Urbino?) About 1 580-1600. Diam iif In. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. A doarfe piece of the later period, fomewhat in the manner of Alfonfo Patanazzi, and perhaps of the fame " botega." Various late Pieces. 8916. '6;^. LATE. ^' Bacino." Alexander vifitlng Diogenes ; a compofition of fix figures, with a landfcape diftance. Above is a fhield of arms, Impaling Delia Rovere and Montefeltro, with creft of a lions paw holding a dagger, and the motto on a fcroll, " Sapies domini fitur aftris." Reverfe, infcribed title of the fubjeft. Italiah (Urbino). About 1540-50. Diam. I of in. Bought (Soulages Coll.)^ 6/. The work of an inferior painter of the Urbino fabrique, chiefly inte- refting for the coat of arms. The colours and handling are fomewhat in the manner of Giorgio Picci, who frequently covered his pieces with clouds, among which cupids are flying, and with groups ot children, &c. on the bordersi U rhino, 4 1 4696. '58. BOWL. Deeply fluted. " Scannellato" Grotefques on white ground ; in the centre a Roman Emperor on his throne, before whom fuppliants are kneeling. Reverfe, varied grote£ques in the channels of the flutings, the raifed edges marked with blue, yellow, and orange lines ; in the centre a dolphin in the water. Italian. (Urbino or Ferrara ?) About 1570-80. H. 6| in., diam. 15 in. Bought, 25/. The form of this piece is very elegant, and the decoration well adapted to the form, but it is executed in the lefs careful manner of the later period. PLATE. ^^ Tondino." Branches of vine foliage and grapes on the white ground, a central medallion with a fhield of arms between the initials V.V., bearing argent, a fefs, gules (?), over all two vines intertwined and graped, proper. Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). About 1580-90. Diam. 13 in. Bought, i/. yj. The coat of arms refembles that of the Fojani family, of Piacenza, but with fome difference. The initials V.V. would alfo indicate another name. 4389^- '57- DRUG Pot. " Alharelhr Cylindrical. Trophies fhaded with brown on a blue ground ; on one fide, grounded yellow, is the figure of a queen feated on a throne under a canopy; beneath is a label infcribed v • mordifichat. Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). 1574. H. 7f in., diam. 6 in. Bought, 3/. D D 41 8 Italian Pottery. 4389- '57- DRUG Pot. " Alharelhr Cylindrical. Trophies fhaded with brown on blue ground ; on one fide, on yellow ground, a figure of a queen feated on a throne ; beneath is a label infcribed " Dia Calamento." Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). Dated 1574. H. 8 in., diam. 5^ in. Bought, 3/. The companion to No. 4389^, and to the two flafks 4390/1. Among the trophies on each piece occur the letters ry furmounted by a double crofs, doubtlefs the mark of the monaftery or pharmacy to which they belonged. VASE. Two-handled, oviform. Painted with cupids among blue clouds, which cover the body of the piece. Handles yellow. Italian (Urbino). About 1530-1600. H. 4^ in., W. i\ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 4/. A diminutive copy of a larger model, probably intended as a prefent to a young perfon, or for ufe as a toilet vafe for flowers. 1019. c^i,. PLATE. " TagUere" Cupids with fruit, in a landfcape. Italian (Urbino). About 1600. Diam. 8 in. Bought, i/. 5 J. 4391- '57- DRUG Bottle. Globular. Trophies (haded in brown on a blue ground ; in front a label infcribed " A • Dfi . Camomlla ; " above, on yellow ground, is a fhield of arms between the initials P.G. Itahan (Urbino or Caftel Durante). Dated 1638 ? H. 8^ in., diam. 6 in. Bought, i/. los. U rhino. 419 4390- 57- DRUG Bottle. Globular. Trophies (haded in brown on a blue ground ; in front a label infcribed " A • De . Evfraga ; " above, on yellow ground, is a fhield of arms between the initials P.G. Italian (Urbino or Caftel Durante). Dated 1638 ? H. %\ in., diam. 6 in. Bought, i/. loj. The companion piece to No. 4391, and apparently of the fame fervice as No. 4389 and its fellow, which are decorated in precifely the fame ftyle and colouring, although dated 1574. We fufpeft that the figures on the prefent piece are really intended for the initial I, and the numbers 6-3-8, as the former is much larger than the figures, and is furmounted by a /V ; probably referring to the rank and pofition of the bottles or jars in the pharmacy. 6865. '60. LAMP. A fliding pillar lamp with four burners ; the foot, pedeftal, lamp, and cover, of enamelled earthenware, with metal pillar ; the fnuffers, &c. fufpended by chains. The de- coration is of garlands of fruit and flowers, hanging by ribbons, gadroon mouldings, &c. in blue, red, and yellow on a white ground. Under the foot is the infcription " Fabrica di Maiolica fina di Monfiur Rolet in Urbino, A. 28 Aprile 1773." Italian. H. 28 in., diam. of bafe, 9 in. Bought, 12/. CITTA Dl CASTELLO. HIS fite is referred to by Piccolpaflb in refpedt to the ufe of certain earths and colours " alia Cajiellana" and to the application of an engohe and the decoration of pieces by the Sgraffio procefs, which he minutely defcribes. On thefe fubjeils we muft refer the reader to the ab- ftradl of Piccolpaflb's MS3., and to the defcription of the " Sgraffiati" or Incifed wares. BORGO SAN-SEPOLCRO and like the roving difpofition N a lamp, formed of faience of a blueifh white fhade, painted with garlands of flowers, &c., in colour, is written under the foot, " Citta Borgo S. Sepolcro a 6 Febraio 1 77 1. Mart. Roletus fecit." This French painter on faience, worked alfo at Urbino (fee No. 6865, page 419), members of the Terchi family feems to have been of a SAN QUIRICO. ARDINAL CHIGI eftablifhed a work here about 1714, infpired with the idea of reviving the art of painting on faience. It was direded by Piezzentili, a painter who had given fome ftudy to the cele- brated vafes by Orazio Fontana. On his death Bartolomeo Terchi, Fefchi, or Ferchi, feems to have worked at, or dire6led the eftablifhment, for in the Louvre (Campana Coll.), No. G. 601 is a plaque reprefenting Mofes ftriking the rock, and figned " Bar Terchi Romano in S. ^uirico." We fhall again meet with this wandering artift at Baflano. With other members of his family he feems to have worked at various potteries throughout Italy, and examples occur, on which his, or their fignatures appear, only accompanied by the patronymic ^■^ Romano^" and which are of courfe difficult to affign to any one of the fabriques at which we know them to have worked. Some large vafes in the Berlin Mufeum, partly enamelled and painted, partly terra cotta bifcuit, gilt, are ligned " Bar Tefchi Romano" evidently an error, or from the running of the letter R in the firing. Another variety, omitting the concluding letters of the name, is on a plaque which alfo may have been painted at Siena or San Ouirico. Ferdinando Maria Campani before going to Siena worked alfo at this fabrique ; its produ(flions were not fold, but given as prefi-nts by tiie Cardinal. CATALOGUE. Sa7i Quirico. 5865. '59- ASIN. Group of Hercules and other figures. Hercules feated In a landfcape between a female (Venus ?) and a man (Vulcan?), cupid behind with an empty quiver. Italian (San Quirico). E)ated 1723, with the letters S. Q. H. 51 in., diam. 14^ in. Bought, il. is. 6d. The mark upon this bafin is interefting, it confifts of the arms of the Chigi family, without a fhield, but accompanied by the letters S. Q., and the date 1723. It was probably painted by B. Terchi, who worked at this eftablifli- ment for fome time. U rhino, 423 4554- '48. PLATE. A group of figures under a tree in a landfcape. Italian (San Quirico, by B. Terchi). About 1720. Diam. 1 1 in. Bought. This piece is by the fame hand as the bafin No. 5865. '59. 66c,y. '60. PLAQUE. Oblong fquare. A Triton and a Nymph, with cupids and dolphins, after Annibal Caracci ; figned "Bar Terchi Roma." Italian. (San Quirico?) About 1720. H. 9^ in., W. 10^ in. Bought, 17^. Gd. As this artift painted at various places he may have executed this plaque at Siena, San Quirico, or Baflano. It is vigoroully dravv^n and coloured in a brovi'n tone, vv^ith greyifh blue, dull yellow, &c. jB cvr ; ri yl i >' aowo. m^o STATES OF THE CHURCH. Diruta, E have very little pofitive information in refpe£l to this fabrique. Alluded to by Pafleri as a pottery near Foligno, vi^here pieces were produced re- markable for the vi^hitenefs of the pafte, -we are led to the fuppofition that he may have con- founded the wares produced at other neigh- bouring localities with thofe made at Diruta, neither does he inform us whether it produced luftred wares, or only thofe of polychrome decoration. A few years fince certain plates came under the notice of colleiftors, infcribed " In Deruta," the fubjeils painted in blue outline, and luftred with a brafly golden colour. Doubt and uncertainty had long exifted as to the fpot where the large "bacili," and other pieces of a well-known and abundant ware, luftred with a golden pigment of peculiarly pearly effe6l in certain lights, had been produced, and the difcovery of thefe figned examples, having a fome- what fimllar metallic enrichment, caufed connoifleurs to grafp at the, perhaps hafty, conclufion, that to Diruta muft be afligned thofe wares of earlier date and hitherto unknown locality, and that Diruta muft have poflefled a pottery of very early time, and important character. The ftatement made without quoted authority by Pafleri, that thefe well-known " bacili," enriched with " madreperla," were the produce of Pefaro, as alfo fome of gold and ruby luftre, and in fupport of his aftertion, that many of them bore portraits and armorial infignia of noble "Pefarefi" of the latter half of the fifteenth century, was negatived, it was thought, by the difcovery of thefe figned examples, notwithftand- ;ng a confiderable difference in the nature of the luftre colour. Diruta. 425 It has alfo been fuggefted ' that as Jgojiino di Antonio di Duccio^ the pupil of Luca della Robbia, went to Perugia, and there executed a work in enamelled terra cotta on the facade of the church of S. Bernardino, in the year 1461, it may be confidered certain that he eftablifhed this fahrique in the neighbourhood, and hence its productions muft have been of a high artiftic chara6ler (Jacquemart). The only known pieces infcribed with the name are, however, by no means of fuch high merit when compared with the productions of other furnaces, and the earlieft date is 1535. Thefe do not prove that finer works were never executed at a previous, or later period, but we do not find fuch pieces, approaching fo nearly in their general character to thofe ofDiruta, as they do to the known productions of other potteries. After an examination and comparifon of figned fpecimens, and others which are with reafonable probability confidered to be of this fabr'ique^ we are compelled to arrive at a diff'erent conclufion, and to infer, that the productions of Diruta were generally inferior to, and in many inftances copied or derived from thofe of the Gubbio or earlier Pefaro types. Caftel di Diruta or Deruta is a " borgo" or dependency of Perugia, in what were the States of the Church, on the road from that city to Orvieto by Todi. It is but a few miles from Perugia, within an eafy day's journey of Gubbio, and although it may be reafonable to prefume that potteries exifted there from an early period, and that Agoftino di Duccio may have availed himfelf of them in preparing his work for S. Bernardino, and have given ufeful inftruCtion in refpeCt to the ftanniferous glaze, we think it more probable that they derived the ufe of the luftre pigments from Gubbio. The mode of application of this metallic enrichment appears to have been little known in Tufcany, and certainly never praCtifed at the furnaces of the Della Robbia family. Diruta could hardly therefore have learnt it from Duccio. PafiTeri's affertion, although not proved by pofitive documentary evidence, or the exiftence of figned and dated examples, is we think worthy of credence ; and that the ufe of the metallic luftre firft commenced at Pefaro, being probably derived from Moorifh potters, whence it was communicated to Gubbio, its great centre, and thence again to Diruta. It is extremely difficult in many inftances to decide with any degree of certainty, as to whether fome individual early fpecimens of the luftred ware alluded to above, be of Pefaro, of Gubbio, or of Diruta work- V. Lazari. " Notizia della raccolta Corner," p. 59. 4-2 6 Italian Pottery. manftiip ; the fimilarity of the procefs neceflary to thefe produdtions entails a correfponding fimilarity of refult, but we notice a fomewhat coarfer grounding, a golden reflet of a brafly characSler, a ruby, when it (rarely) occurs, of pale dull quality, loofer outlines of a colder and heavier blue, and in the pieces not luftred, the fame tones of colour, a dark blue approaching to that of CafFaggiolo in depth, but wanting its brilliancy, the ufe of a bright yellow to heighten the figures in grotefques, &c. in imitation of the golden luftre, and a thin green. The drawing is generally of an inferior ftamp, and a certain tout enfemble pervades the pieces, difficult to define, but which more or lefs prevails. The following are among the more interefting fpecimens in the Mufeum collection: — No. 1779. Is one of thofe pieces difficult to affign ; we believe it to be of this fabrique, copied from earlier examples of Pefaro or Gubbio. No. 246. Has more of the Diruta chara6ler. No. 1726. Has ruby luftre, a rare occurrence on pieces which are believed to be of this place. It is doubtful whether of Gubbio or Diruta, if the latter, a copy from a Gubbio type. No. 8953. Is more furely a Diruta copy of a Giorgio piece. No. 8931. An " iftoriata " tazza luftred with gold and ruby. No. 8943. Has the initial D on the reverfe. No. 1804. Is one of thofe pieces in rilievo, afcribed to Diruta, although having confiderable affinity with the works of Preftino at Gubbio. No. 6665. A curious bacile of a late period in imitation of an earlier type. No. 1565. An early piece, Diruta or Caffaggiolo. No. 2541. This is alfo an interefting bacile, difficult to affign, and of exceptional chara6ler. No. 4608, 9. A pair of amatorii plates of chara6teriftic colouring. No. 1432. A plateau in colours of the form and ftyle of the earlier luftred wares. No, 1573- The fubjeft painted in dark blue, heightened with yellow. No. 4378. Is dated 1544. No. 4343. Marked and dated 1539. Nos. 7144 and 2432. Show the decadence of the local art to a painful degree. We will now proceed to notice fome of the more important fpecimens in other colle6lions. Diruta. 427 The earlieft known dated piece is in the colle(Stion of Mr. Fountaine at Narford. It is a tazza, grotefques on blue ground, infcribed " fatta in diruta," and at the back 1535 ; figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 40. M. Jacquemart refers to a tazza in the coliedtion of the Countefs de Cambis, fubjedl Cupid and Apollo, in pale and crude colours, figned " Francefco Urbini, i Diruta, 1537." The exceptionally excellent pieces afligned with probability to Diruta are, a tazza in the Louvre, having the helmeted head of Roma in profile, after G. B. del Porto, outlined and fhaded in blue, and luftred with a brafly gold. Another in the Hotel Cluny, with the fubjedt of Diana and Actaeon, admirably drawn in fimilar colour, and fimilarly enriched, perhaps by the fame artift. It has at the back the Mark No. I. M. Bafilewfki of Paris has a fine plate, grotefques in blue on gold ground. It is figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 44. Mr. Fountaine has a fine " tondino," having the portrait of a lady in the funk centre, outlined and fhaded blue, with light golden luftre on a dark blue gronnd. Mr. Henderfon has two plates, grotefques in blue on the white ground, and without metallic enrichment. The works of " El Frate," of whofe name or order we are not informed, are the moft numerous figned pieces of the Diruta fabrique which have defcended to us. They date from 1541 to 1545. His ftyle is generally loofe and inaccurate, the defign traced in brown or blue, a brafly golden reflet, the enamel dull, and in all refpedls inferior to the painting of the Louvre and Cluny plates referred to above. In the Pourtales Colleftion was a plate with fubjedt from Ovid's Metamorphofes, luftred and figned " El Frtr i Deruta pt 1541." In the Louvre, No. G. 575, is another ; fubje61:, the birth of Adonis, alfo luftred and by the fame hand, with the date 1 542. The Baronne Saloman de Rothfchild has one. Apollo purfuing Daphne ; figned " Febo Dafene in Deruta, 1544," with a large letter P in luftre colour. (Mark No. 4.) Mr. Barker had a fine fpecimen, engraved in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 45. The fubjevfl, Alexander and Roxana, painted in blue, and with a rich golden reflet ; it is figned " deruta fe el frati pemife." (Mark No. 3). It was in the Delfette Colledlion, and now (1870) belongs to M. Dutuit of Rome. Signore Rafaelle de Minicis, of Fermo, has a plate infcribed " di parlamto di corvo e dlla cornice i druta el frate penfi, 1545." In the Louvre is a plate (No. 576, Campana), fubjc6t from the " Orlando Furiofo," Rodomonte carrying off Ifabella, '' 1545 in deruta frate fecit." (Mark No. 5.) 428 Italian Pottery, Another in the fame mufeum, No. 582, has a fimilar fignature. M. Bafilewfky, of Paris, pofTefTes one of the fineft pieces with which we are acquainted. It was in the colledtion of Monfignore Cajani, of Rome. A large difh, the whole furface of which is covered with the fubje£t of Santa Cecilia, after Raffaelle, richly luftred with the golden pigment fo charaiteriftic of the Diruta wares. On the reverfe is a mark confifting of a large letter F crofTed with a florid paraphe, and furmounted by a -^. This may alfo be the work of the Frate, and the mark may fo fignify. The drawing is fomewhat careful, but the colouring weak. In the Louvre, probably by another hand and without metallic luftre (No. G. 582, Campana) is a plate, fubjeit a Roman triumph. On a pedeftal is infcribed the name " Ant. Lafreri," after whofe engraving it is painted ; on the reverfe, " jn deruta-554." M. Jacquemart afcribes all the vafes formed as pine cones to the earlier period of this fabrique, but No. 519 is of that form, and is fo richly luftred with ruby and in all refpefls fo fimilar to the wares of Gubbio, that we cannot agree in that general conclufion. He is probably more correct in afligning to Diruta thofe pieces with grotefques in rilievo, outlined with blue and luftred with pale gold, of which No. 1804 is an example. The fineft piece of this type with which we are acquainted is a large plate in the Britifti Mufeum, having for central fubje6l Mutius Scaevola, painted in blue outline ; raifed grotefques and gadroons outlined and grounded in blue fill the outer border, and the whole is richly luftred in gold. The Louvre alfo pofl^efles two good examples, and in the mufeum at Arezzo is a rilievo of the Adoration of the Magi, probably of this fabrique but having great affinity to the works of Mo Preftino. In the Vifconti Colle^lion was a plate, with central female portrait and the letter S on blue ground, the border of grotefques in rilievo on grey. There were alfo fine examples at La Fratta. Delange, at pi. 41, figures a fpecimen of this variety belonging to M. Bafilewfki. It is difficult to diftinguifti fome of thefe pieces from the works of Maeftro Preftino of Gubbio. The letter D, with a paraphe, occurs on painted pieces, moftly of inferior artiftic quality ; fuch is No. 4342. We have alfo noticed it on pharmacy vafes and on a plate in the pofi^effion of Mrs. Bury Pallifer, with fubje6l from the " Orlando Furiofo," " La morte de Zerbino." (Mark No. 6.) In the Louvre is a plateau (G. 573), which M. Darcel afcribes to the earlier period of the fabrique, but which we ftiould think would affimilate in character to No. 1432 or 2605 in this Catalogue, having central medallion with profile buit of a female, and furrounded by rayed Diruta, 429 and other ornament of fomewhat oriental ftyle, not luftred but painted in pale green, orange yellow, &c., on the reverfe of which is the letter S with a paraphe. (Mark No. 9.) The letters C . B . occur on a difti afcribed to this fabrique, and painted with the arms of Montefeltro. It belongs to Count Niewer- kerke (Chaffers). (? Pefaro or Gubbio.) The letters G. V. " The initials, probably, of Giorgio Vafajo, whofe name occurs on a piece of Count Baglioni of Perugia." (Chaffers.) M. Jacquemart quotes a piece of the laft century, a plateau painted with grey-blue flowers in white referves on a " chamois " ground, and infcribed in the centre, " 177 i fabrica di Majolica fina di Gregorio Cafelli in Deruta." 430 Italian Pottery, MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On a fine tazza in the Hotel Cluny, Paris, painted in " camaieu bleu," and heightened with golden luftre ; fubje6t, Diana at the Bath. No. 2. At the back of a " bacile," in the Britifli Mufeum, painted in colour, and afcribed to this fabrique. Diruta. 431 No. 3. On a fine plate formerly belonging to Mr. Barker, now to M. Dutuit, of Rome ; fubjeft, Alexandra and Roxana, painted in blue with gold " reflet." Delange, " Recueil," pi. 45. ^E^BH^ c^ — 43 2 Italian Pottery, No 4 On a plate in the poffeffion of the Baronne Saloman de Rothfchild ; Phoebus purfuing Daphne, luftred with golden colour. s*?- fEBo 4 r i."L ^-W \ A A Diruta, 433 No. 5. A plate in the Campana Colledion, No. 576, Louvre j fubje6l from " Orlando Furiofo." There is a fimilar fignature on another, No. 582, in the fame mufeum. A. No. 6. In the pofTeffion of Mrs. Bury Pallifer, a plate, with fubje£l from the " Orlando Furiofo." *' La morte di Zerbino" not rendered with high artiftic excellence. E E 434 Italian Pottery. Nos. 7 and 8. Alfo occur on pieces fuppofed of this fabrique. No. 9. On a plateau in the Louvre, afcribed by M. Darcel to Diruta. CATALOGUE. Diruta. LUSTRED. 1779. '55- LATEAU. Luftred ware. " Majolica^ On the raifed centre a profile buft of a woman, infcrlbed SVRA . FIORE ; border of fo- Hated arabefques ; all In yellow luftre fhaded with blue. Reverfe, concentric lines. Italian Diam. 131 !"• (Diruta). About 1510-20. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. ioj. This is remarkable from having the infcription round the female head, rarely occurring on pieces of this chara6ler, a numerous clafs, and apparently a ftaple produ61:ion of the Diruta manufacture ; they are probably of later date than the large " bacili " and the plateaux of fimilar form which were produced at Pefaro and Gubbio. Thefe plateaux generally having a female head on the raifed centre, were perhaps gift pieces, ufed for rofe-water, or merely for the decoration of the high-backed credenza or fideboard. They were probably ac- companied by an ewer or vafe, which flood on their centre. 508. -6,5. BOWL, on elevated ftem. " Piadene" Luftred ware. " Majolica." The bottom is occupied by a ftar. In the centre of which is a cartouche infcribcd diamte. b. ; on 436 Italian Pottery, the fides a garland of flowers ; the exterior decorated with fcale-work, gadroons, and conventional flowers. Italian. (Diruta or Gubbio?) About 1510-20. H. 8 in., diam. lof in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. One of the later and lefs careful examples, and which it is difficult to affign to either fabrique with precifion. By comparifon with No. 507, the inferiority of workmanfhip will be feen. FLASK-SHAPED Ewer. '' Mefciroba." Luftred ware. " Majolica:' The monogram I . H . S, and vertical compartments with floral ornaments, &c. in yellow luftre, outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground. Italian. (Diruta or Gubbio ?) About 1510-20. H. yf in., W. 4 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. One of thofe pieces difficult to afcribe with certainty to the Gubbio or the Diruta worics. We incline to the latter, though with fome doubt. ^46. '53- PLATE. ''Tondino:' Luftred ware. ''Majolica" In the centre a female portrait in profile, with branch of a flowering fhrub. Border of rays alternately with flowers. Blue outline, filled in with yellow luftre. Reverfe, concentric lines of luftre. Italian. (Diruta?) About 1510-20. Diam. 9 in. Bought, i/. 13 J. 6d. A fair average example of the Diruta (?) wares of the early part of the 1 6th century. The glaze is even and good, of a fomewhat creamy colour, the luftre is of a brafly yellow with a flight pearly efFedl, perhaps owing to the action of the atmofphere ; the outlines are coarfely painted in blue. Diruta, 437 CIRCULAR Difh. «5^a7^." Luftred ware. " M7>//V^.'' A figure of Liberty holding a heart in the right and a cornucopia in the left hand. Behind her is a fcroll, on which is the infcription " non . bene . pro . toto . libertas . vendi- TUR . AURO . FINIS." Border divided in conripartments "a quartiere," alternately of fcale-work and foliated ornament. Defign in yellow luftre on indigo blue ground. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian. (Diruta?) About 1520. Diam. i6^in. Bought, 3/. 6s. Golden luftre of a pearly hue, the defign coarfely outlined in dark muddy blue ; it is one of the later produdtions in the ftyle of the earlier bacili, and probably made at Diruta. The infcription on the fcroll alludes in all probability to fome political or local occurrence of the time. 514- '^5- VASE, amphora fhape, two-handled. Luftred ware. " Ma- jolica.'' Scroll foliage, gadroons, &c., in yellow luftre, outlined and fhaded in blue on white ground. Italian (Diruta or Gubbio). About 1510-20. H. g\ in., W. 8 in. Bought, (Soulages Coll.), 61. The vafe No. 513, of fimilar form, would appear to be of an earlier date ; the loofer ftyle of oudine and general efted of the prefent piece differs confiderably therefrom, and the luftre is more feeble. This may arlfe from the accident of firing, but its general charadler approaches more to that of the Diruta wares, to which we are inclined to afcribe it. The nice differences between thefe various varieties of the early luftred wares, on the fubjedt of which we have fo little evidence, renders it extremely difficult to drau^ the line, and afcribe one or other of the lefs clearly marked fpecimens to this or that manufa6lory. It is only by the comparifon of very many pieces that an approximate judgment can be arrived at. 43^ Italian Pottery. 4623. '58. PLATE. ''Tondino" Luftred ware. ''Majolica:' In the centre a cartouche, with the word ave. Border of leaf-fhaped compartments, each bearing a flower ; and con- centric rings, outlined blue, luftred yellow. Italian (Diruta). About 1520. Diam. 9 in. Bought, 4/. A piece of inferior quality, but which, from the brafly luftre and dark blue outlines, may with confiderable probability be afcribed to the Diruta works. 1725- 55' PLATE. " Tondinor Luftred ware. " MajoUcar At the bottom of the funk centre a fhield of arms. On the border are four medallions of leafage, with foliated fcroll work between. The whole outlined and fhaded in blue, fome leaves filled in with green, and luftred in ruby and gold. Reverfe, concentric lines of yellow luftre. Italian. (Diruta or Gubbio ?) About 1525. Diam. loj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 16/. The bearings are, barry, argent, or, and azure, on a chief or, a boar paflant azure, belted argent, fmelling at an acorn. The luflre colours have not taken their greateft brilliancy in the firing, and have a charafter different from that of the Gubbio ware, more approaching to that produced at Diruta, although the ruby luftre rarely occurs. The general defign of the plate is evidently copied from a Gubbio model. 8953- '63. PLATE. With deep centre. " Tondino" Luftred ware. " Majolica:' On a central medallion a cupid frightened at a fkull ; the border of palmette fcroll pattern, with cherub Diruta. 439 heads on deep blue ground, luftred in gold and ruby. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Diruta). About 1530. Diam. io| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. Inferior in drawing, colour, and luftre, this plate is extremely in- terefting as being, in all probability, made and painted at the Diruta fabrique, after the pattern and manner of the well-known produ6tions of M° Giorgio's works at Gubbio. It is indeed a more uncommon example than the originals from which it was copied, and ferves to prove the relative inferiority of the Diruta wares. 1005. 53. EWER. " Mefciroba." Luftred ware. " Majolica'' Foliated 1 fcroll work ornament with blue flowers and outline, filled in with gold luftre on a white ground ; handle, lip, and ftem of foot gold luftre. Italian (Diruta). About 1530. H. 8f in., diam. 6 in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). A later produdlion of an earlier type and ftyle. The luftre is brilliant, and has fomething of that braffy effe6l on the work known to have been produced at the Diruta fabrique. The execution is coarfe. 8931. '6^. PLATE. " FruttieraJ' Luftred ware. " Majolica" Her- cules and the Nemean lion; in blue and green on a whitifti ground, the whole luftred with yellow and fparingly touched with ruby. Reverfe, concentric lines in yellow luftre. Italian (Diruta). About 1535. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Sou- lages Coll.), 20/. Mr. J. C, Robinfon, in the Catalogue of the Soulages Colledion, re- marks : " This piece is enriched with a pale yellow luftre, and is lilcewife very fparingly touched with ruby, which is of uncommon occurrence on the Deruta wares. It may be obferved that the gold luftre of the Deruta fabrique may generally be recognifed by its peculiai pale yellow brafly reflet ; the brownifti dirty tint of the enamel glaze, its comparative 440 Italian Pottery. opacity, and the hard decifive ftyle of outline painting always in bright blue (the nude ufually fhaded with the fame colour), are likewife diftinftive marks of this ware." The drawing is in a loofe and carelefs ftyle, and the predominance of blue and green colours is remarkable. It does not quite agree in manner with the figned works of this fabrique, and cannot with any degree of certainty be afcribed to " El Frate," who painted fome of them. 8943. '63. SMALL Tazza. '' Fruttierar Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica'' In the centre an acanthus leaf and fcroll foliage outlined and fhaded in blue and luftred in gold ; the border of raifed ovals and pellets, luftred. Reverfe, rude luftre fcroUs and the initial D. Italian. (Diruta or Gubbio ?) About 1530. Diam. 8 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. The tone of colour and luftre, and the general charader of this piece, has great affinity with that numbered 8961, the fignature on which is an N or a V, with a paraphe, and which may (with lefs doubt), be afcribed to the Gubbio fabrique. The fcrolls at the back of the prefent example are of, or in imitation of, Gubbio. On the other hand, it has confiderable refemblance in manner to No. 1725, which approaches very nearly to known examples from the Diruta fur- naces J moreover, the medallions on the border of that piece are of fimilar defign to the central medallion on this. The letter D, though the initial for Diruta, is not a fure mark of the fabrique ; we in- cline however, always with fome hefitation, to afcribe this piece to the later period of that manufadtory, and if fo, executed in imitation of the Gubbio wares, perhaps by an art'ift from that pottery. Diruta, ^/^ I 1804. 'ss- PLATE. '' Fruttierar Embofled and luftred ware. " Majolica:' In the centre, Sol in his chariot ; border of cupids, fea horfes, dolphins, &c. in relief; luftred yellow on a blue ground. Reverfe, concentric circles of yellow luftre. Italian. (Diruta?) About 1540. Diam. 11 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 20/. It is uncertain whether this be of the Diruta or of the Gubbio wares. The pieces 8948, 9, which are reafonably aflignable to M*^ Preftino, have great general refemblance to the prefent piece, though not without fome difference. No figned piece of fimilar charadter is known. 6659. '60. PLATEAU. Circular. Luftred ware. " Majolica." On the raifed medallion centre, a helmeted head in profile, on dark blue ground. The hollow of the plate covered with foliated interlacings, on white ground. Border of foliated fcrolls, deeply fhaded in blue. Italian (Diruta). About 1550. Diam. 1 2f in. Bought, 7/. Probably of the Diruta fabrique. The outlines fomewhat coarfe and carelefs, and of a muddy blue tint, the luftre colours pale and weak. The head may poflibly be intended for that of Minerva. The early form is here ftill retained. 666c^. '60. DISH. '' Bacile." Luftred ware. ''Majolica." A man wafhing the head of an afs feated in a chair, on which is the infcription " Chi lava il capo a I'afino. Se perd . o . 1556. " Border in alternate compartments of fcale work and foliage " a quartiere ; " blue outline and ftiading filled in with luftre 44-2 Italian Pottery, colour. Reverfe, yellow glaze. Italian (Diruta). Diam. 1 5^ in. Bought, il. \os. This is a remarkable fpecimen. Although having the form and general appearance of the early mezza majolica bacili of the latter end of 15th and early i6th centuries, which Paferi afcribes to the manufa6lory of Pefaro, there can be little doubt, and the date upon the piece affirms, that it is a late imitation of the earlier ftyle. The border is dire6lly copied from one of the early bacili. The fubje6l of the centre, coarfely, but boldly outlined, is no doubt a caricature allufive to fome hiftorical occurrence of the period and neighbourhood. The luftre colours are weak, as in the cafe on No. 4381, fhowing a period of declining art. The date 1556 is an important record. It is ailigned, always with fome doubt, to the Diruta fabrique. PAINTED. 1568. 'ss- ^ASE or Ewer. ^^ Mezzina.'' In front is a wreath upheld by two angels, forming a medallion, filled by a compoiition reprefenting a platform drawn over the fea by dolphins, ridden and guided by "y^morim:" a Cupid, in the a6l of fhooting, ftands upon a pedeftal in the centre, others, blowing trumpets, are behind. The reft of the ground Is filled by a diapering of flowers. The whole painted in blue and manganefe, heightened by yellow. Italian. (Diruta or Siena ?) 1480-1500. H. 15 in., diam. 11^ in. Bought, 12/. An ancient and interefting jug. The hard thick outline and crude drawing, the defign of the fubje61:, and the elaborate diapering, point to an early period. The general ornamentation is well contrived, a border of diaper work returning round the lip, while the handle is covered by a plant fpringing from a ewer of oriental form. It is difficult to fix its origin. The cold grey blue, heightened with yellow, connect it with the wares of Diruta. On the other hand the general charadler of the Diruta. 443 defign agrees fomewhat with the Sienefe School. It is probably anterior to 1500, although the glaze feems to be ftanniferous. 2541. '56. CIRCULAR DIfh. " Bacik:' The Virgin feated on a low wall ; in the air, on her right, floats an angel hold- ing a branch of lily, while another on her left holds an olive branch. Border of fcroll foliage and fruit on orange ground, divided by four medallions; two of chequer work, and on each of the others the letters M G, furmounted by an orb with crofs. Reverfe, the plain red clay. Italian. (Diruta ?) About 1500. Diam. 16 in. Bought, 2/, The letters, or monogram, on the medallions of the border have been in this inftance, as in the cafe of No. 2756, and of a piece in the Louvre, the caufe of fome confufion, they having been, oddly enough, miftaken for the fignature of Maeftro Giorgio, with whofe works this piece has no affinity. Thefe initials, furmounted by the orb and crofs, are thofe of the " Mater Gloriofa " reprefented on the piece. It would feem to have been executed by a hand unufed to the tech- nique of pottery painting, but whofe manner had been formed in the fchool of Perugino ; this is particularly evident in the figures of the angels. It is an exceptional and interefting piece, and may perhaps be afcribed to Diruta. It appears to be whitened by a " flip " or " engobe," and not hy the ftanniferous glaze. 4608. '58. DEEP Plate. '* Tondino.'" Decoration in blue, heightened with yellow. In the centre Cupid blindfolded, and flioot- ing an arrow from a bow. The hollow painted with fcale work ; the border, with grotefques, ftags, armour, dolphins, &c. on dark blue ground. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Diruta). About 1525. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, 2/. The general ftyle of this piece is fomewhat fimilar to the Gubbio " amatoria " plates. It is in parts heightened with bright yellow, to 444 Italian Pottery, imitate the efFed of the golden luftre colour. The blue pigment is fomewhat like that ufed at CafFaggiolo. Companion plate to No. 4609. 4609. '58. DEEP Plate. ^' 'Tondino." In the centre, Cupid blind- folded, and fhooting an arrow from a bow. The hol- low decorated with fcale work ; the border " a grotefche," with flags, armour, dolphins, &c., outlined in blue, heightened with yellow and green, on a dark blue ground. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Diruta). About 1525. Diam. 9J in. Bought, 2/. The companion plate to No. 4608, by the fame hand and of fimilar defign and colour. 8819. '6^. TAZZA or " Fruttieray Grotefque ornament " a can- deliere," on blue ground ; in the centre a fphinx feated on a tablet, on which are the letters * S • P * Q • R * furrounded by fcroll foliage, cornucopias, mafks, and military trophies. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Diruta). About 1530. Diam. 9in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. Mr. J. C. Robinfon remarks, " The dry precife ftyle of execution, and the predominance of crude blue and yellow in the colour of the piece, indicate Deruta as the place of manufaiture j the enamel glaze has likewife the fame dull greyifh tint and opacity which chara£terife many of the figned pieces of that fabric." Though pale in colour, it is an excellent example of its clafs. 1432. 's^' PLATEAU. On the raifed centre a female portrait in profile, infcribed " Lorenza Bella," furrounded by a double border of foliated fcroll work {rabefche)^ feparated by Diruta. 445 concentric lines of green and blue ; reverfe, petals encircling the mark in blue. Italian. (Diruta.?) About 1530. Diam. 13-y- in. Bought, 5/. 5«y. This piece is executed in the manner and form of the well-known Gubbio or Pefaro plateaux of luftred ware, fome of which were alfo probably made at Diruta. We fhould, however, be inclined to afcribe this to a later period. The fimilarity of the ornament on the re- verfe, and the coincidence in the quality of colours on this and on No. 4378, would lead to the inference that they are certainly of the fame " botega " if not by the fame hand. A fimilar mark or central ornament occurs on a piece in the Britifh Mufeum. (See Mark No. 2.) 455^- 57- DEEP Plate. " Tondino." Painted in rayed compartments, " a quartiere," on orange, yellow, and white ground. with fcale work, foliated ornament, and ftripes of blue ; in the centre, a ftar or rofette in blue, on varied ground. Reverfe divided as a flower into petals by blue lines. Italian. (Diruta ?) About 1540. Diam. 8| in. Bought, i/. los. The decoration of the reverfe agrees with that on Nos. 1432 and and 4378. They are all coarfely painted and may probably be of the Diruta works, although we afcribe them thereto with fome hefitation. 44^ Italian Pottery, "^SIZ- 55- PLATE. ^^ Tondino." The Rape of Proferpine. In blue, heightened with yellow, on the white ground ; reverfe infcribed " De pluton e Proferpina in difparte , 1546." Italian (Diruta). Diam. 11^ in. Bought, i/. 12s. Of hafty work, not without fome merit, but inferior to the con- temporary produ6lions of the Urbino fabriques. The tone of blue is chara6teriftic of Diruta. 4400. 57. TAZZA Plate or " Fruttiera" On a white ground, in the central medallion of fcale work, with twift border, is a label, heightened with yellow, and bearing the word CHAMILLA, in blue. An inner zone of petals in white, " bianco fopra bianco," is bordered by concentric lines and diamond work in blue ; reverfe, a waved edging of blue ; Italian (Diruta). About 1530. Diam. 8^ in. Bought, 4/. lOJ. The fame method of heightening by the ufe of a clear yellow colour on the label connefts this with No. 4608, and other pieces afcribed to this fabrique. The ornament behind is another connecting link. PLATEAU. On the raifed medallion centre grounded in dark blue is a trophy of books ; the reft divided " a quartiere " by orange, green, and blue ftripes ; fcale work, alternating with fcroU foliage in blue and orange on the white ground ; border of leafage, fhaded blue and relieved with green. Reverfe, crofTed lines and leaves in blue, and the letter B. Italian (Diruta). About 1520-30. Diam. 13J in. Bought, Diruta, 44. 7 After the pattern of the early luftred wares of Pefaro and Diruta, to which latter fabrique, from the general charadler of the piece, and the ornamentation of the reverfe, we have little hefitation in afcribing it. 180I. '55. PILGRIM'S Bottle. With three handles for fufpenfion on each fide. The blue ground covered with grotefques in white, outlined and fi:iaded with blue. On each front is a fhield of arms bearing, azure, a lion rampant, or, langued, and holding a rofe or fruit, gules. Italian (Diruta). About 1530. H. I if in., diam. 9 in. Bought (Bernal coll.), 61. iqs. An unufual piece, heavily coloured in dull blue, and probably by the fame hand as the plate No. 1675. The fhield of arms may be of a branch of the Sforza family, the lion on which is crowned and holds a quince with leaves on the ftalk. 1675- '55- PLATE. " 'Tondinoy In the centre Cupid riding a galloping horfe and holding a pennon ; border of grotefques, dolphins, &c., with a medallion of a claifical laureated bufl:, the whole outlined and fhaded blue on a darker blue ground. Reverfe, radiated petals outlined in blue. Italian (Diruta). About 1530. Diam. 8 1 in. Bought. Two plates by the fame hand are in Mr. Henderfon's collection. They are all of the beft period, and by one of the molt able artifts of the Diruta fabrique ; the drawing of the grotefques is fure and vigorous. 44 8 Italian Pottery. The fame artift's work is feen occafionally heightened with a brafly luftre of great brilliancy ; the fine„ plate referred to as belonging to M. Bafilewfki and figured by Delange may be his work. CIRCULAR Difh. " Bacimy In the centre a dance of cupids, after the engraving by Marc Antonio. Border of grotefques on dark blue ground. The whole is outlined with blue, fliaded with grifaille, and relieved with yellow and green on the leafage, &c. Reverfe, coarfe white glaze. Italian. (Diruta?) About 1520-30. Diam. 15! in. Bought, \il. (See engraving^ We have little hefitation in afcribing this fine plate to the Diruta fabrique, and to the fame artifl who painted the pilgrim's bottle. No. 1801. A comparifon of the two pieces will fhow a great fimilarity in the handling and in the ornamentation ; the form and character of the foliated mafks are very fimilar and the tone of colours, the dull blue, the green and the yellow, ufed in a manner fimilar to that which is obfervable upon pieces which we believe to be of Diruta. The drawing is free, but not of a high order. An original drawing of this fubjeft by Pordenone is in the mufeum of the Uffizii at Florence. On the reverfe of this piece is fcratched in the hard baked clay, ARZZO '5^4- C-'')' which may read " Arezzo 1514;" it is, how- ever, a fubfequent addition which may have been made at any period, and upon which no authority can be grounded. 4378. 'Sr PLATE. " Tagliere^ Defign " a candeliere," the furface entirely covered with a compofition of grotefque birds, foliage, mafk, &c., outlined with blue on a ground varied of CIRCULAR DISH. DANCE OF CL'PIDS, AFTER MARC ANTONIO, Diruta ('), about 1520-30. (1571. '5'>.) Diruta, 449 blue, green, and yellow ; reverfe, monogram and date, i 544. Italian. (Diruta ?) Diam. \i\'vs\. Bought, 5/. This piece is probably by the fame hand as No. 4552, and of the Diruta fabrique. The mark and date render it noteworthy ; the ftyle of drawing, hafty but vigorous, and the tone of colouring are recognifable upon a confiderable number of pieces. -^ 178. ' ^6' PLATE. " Tondinoy The Metamorphofis of Adason. Infcribed on the reverfe, "II mifer ateon conuerfo i ceruo 1538." Italian (Diruta). Diam. 9^- in. Bought. (Bandinel Coll.) An inftance of the extreme coarfenefs of the painting at fome boteghe ; pieces by this diftinguiftied artift are in the Britifli Mufeum, and but for the early date, they might be clalTcd among works of the decline. 450 Italian Pottery. 434^- SI- ThTLK Plate. " Fruttierar A lover and his miftrefs feated under a tree ; Cupid hovering in the air above ; in the background the fea with fhips. Reverfe, ornamented with fprays of foliage, and the mark and date in blue colour, Italian (Diruta). Dated 1539. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, 3/. 5J. The mark and date, not the beauty of this piece, render it intereft- ing, as in the cafe of No. 178, perhaps by the fame hand, A piece, alfo of inferior execution, in the pofleflion of Mrs. Bury Pallifer, has the fame mark of the D with a paraphe. 4383- ^S1' PLATE. " Tagliere" In the centre an efcutcheon of arms; border of coarfely painted trophies in grifaille, heightened with yellow on blue ground. Reverfe, the mark. Italian. (Diruta r) About 1560. Diam. 9 in. Bought, 2/. Diruta, ^51 A coarfe late piece, interefting only for the mark. It is in the manner of numerous pieces of the Caftel Durante ware, but inferior in colour and in glaze. 7144. '60. DISH or Plateau. Juno praying jEoIus to fend contrary winds againft iEneas ; furrounded by the infcriptlon, " ^oliam . Exorant . Furi« . lunonis . Inieua . Et . Deploratum . Sedlantur In i^neve Troiam. Fecit in Tera Dirute." Wide border of fcroU work with cupids, birds, &c. on yellow ground. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Diruta). About 1650. Diam. 19^ in. Bought, i/. 8j. The indication of the " fabrique " is the only interefting matter connedted with this very ugly fpecimen of the decadence of the art. TAZZA or " Fruttieray White ground with ornament in compartments, blue lined and touched with yellow ; in the centre a butterfly in the fame colours. Reverfe, blue 45 2 Italian Pottery, lines and a mark. Italian. (Diruta ?) About 1560. Diam. 8-^ in. Bought, \l. A piece by the fame hand and of the fame fervice as No. 3032. 3032. 55- PLATE. " Tondinoy White ground ; border in blue " a quartiere," divided by bands of foliation, between which are panels filled with flowers, and angular edging touched with orange, green, and yellow ; in the centre a device of three hillocks furmounted by flames and furrounded by a wreath of fruit. Italian. (Diruta?) About 1560. Diam. 11 in. Bought, ll. lOJ". It is difficult to affign correctly a piece of this charafter, which has affinities with the wares of various places. The defign is elegant and efFe6live , although the quality of the work is not of a high order. No. 7155 having a mark is of the fame fervice. BAGNOREA. {Bagnolo or Bagnara.) O mention is made of a fabrique at this fpot by any oi the writers on the fubje6l, but it becomes a queftion whether one of confiderable merit did not exift there, and perhaps under the dire6lion of Francefco Durantino. The worics of that able artift have always been clafTed among the pro- dudtions of Urbino, nor have we ventured to feparate them from that group ; but we think it probable that at fome period of his life he was the " Maeftro " of a pottery at Bagnara, and it is not unlikely that the pieces recognifed as his were painted there. We ground this opinion on the infcription of the oval ciftern in the Narford Colle6tion, which reads, *' Francefco Duranno^ Vafaro. A mote Bagnolo it Perofcia 1553," and which appears to us ftrong evidence that he was then the pro- prietor of a botega at that fpot. The companion ciftern is in this Mufeum. On the other hand, we have no record of a piece figned by him as being painted in Urbino. This " A/Jute Bagnolo " is pro- bably the fame as the Bagnara of the prefent day, a fmall cajiello or village, to the left of the road leading from Perugia to Citta della Pieve. In further evidence of the exiftence of a pottery at this place at a later period, we have in the Mufeum a large circular difh (No. 2432) infcribed at the back, " lo Silveftro Dagli Otrinci Da Deruta. Fatto in Bagniorea 169 1." To avoid inconvenience we have allowed the works of Francefco Durantino to remain among the Urbino wares, to which the reader is referred j the laft-named piece is catalogued under this heading. 454 Italian Pottery, CATALOGUE. IRCULAR Difh. ''Taglierer The Virgin with the young Saviour and St. Ann vifited by St. Praxades (?), who carries the fponge upon his ftaff ; beneath is infcribed, *^ 10 silvestro dagei . OTRINCI . DA . DERUTA . FATTO IN BAGNIOREA 169I." Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Diruta ?) Bought, 3/. /\.s. A coarfe, late piece, but interefting from the infcription, which fhows that it was painted in Baenorea. 'X€fx FABRIANO. HE difcovery within the laft few years of a fine work, figned with the artift's monogram, the date 1527, and the place at which it was painted, is all we know of the exiftence of a " botega " at Fabriano. There can be little doubt that many fuch local and individual furnaces exifted during the fixteenth century, under the diredion of ceramic artifts, in many inftances an emigrant from one of the more important centres, and encouraged Fabriano. 455 to fet up for himfelf at another city by the patronage of the leading families. This plate, which has for fubjeit the *' Madonna della Scala," after Marc Antonio's engraving from Raffaelle, is cleverly painted, and on the reverfe is the infcription, of which w^e give a facfimile. It vi^as exhibited by M. Spitzer, of Paris, at the " Expofition Univerfelle," vv^as purchafed from him by Signor Alff". Caftellani, and fubfequently fold by public auction at Chriftie's on the I2th May 187 1 for 114/. j al)i?\^^ ® \ M. Bafilewfki b.nng the purchafer. Another example by the fame hand, and with the fame fubjeft, but without fignature, was fold at the fame fale. In the Mufeum of Economic Geology is a plate of the fame botega, having for fubjeft the Rape of Proferpine, furrounding a cupid centre. It is painted in grifaille, the fky warmed with touches of yellow, and ably executed. This fabrique not being then known, it was afcribed to that of Urbino, but the monogram on the reverfe, exadly correfponding 456 Italian Pottery, with that on the figned Fabriano piece, proves it to be of the fame origin. We alfo give this mark in fac-fimile. The tazza No. 7145. '60, in the South Kenfington Mufeum, on which there is a curious monogram, and which we have doubtingly clafTed among the Caftel Durante wares (p. 313), may poffibly be a work of this fabrique. There may alfo be fome connexion between the mark of this fabrique and thofe upon the pieces Nos. 4078, 3030, 2595, doubtingly afligned to Pefaro, at pages 169 to 171. F O L I G N O. E have no means of recognifing the pieces made at this fabrique, which is only known to have exifted from the ftatement in PiccolpafTo's MS., that the " terra di Vicenza " was there made ufe of, doubtlefs as a flip ; he alfo gives a drawing of a mill ufed at that place for grinding the colours, and fome receipts for their compofition. S P E L L O. F the pottery of this place we know nothing. Piccolpaflb mentions the locality in connexion with a finer quality of light-coloured earth from its neighbourhood. ha Fratta. 457 LA FRATTA. ETWEEN Perugia and Citta di Caftello is fuppofcd by fome writers to be the locality at which the Sgraffiati or incifed wares were produced, all of which they have indif- criminately afligned to that place. The reafon for this affumption was bafed mainly on the fail that a fcaldino (No. 4267. '57) of red glazed ware, and not incifed, but the recent workmanftiip of the neighbourhood of La Fratta, was purchafed there by Mr. J. C. Robinfon. We have claflified the Sgraffiati wares in a feparate fedion. (Page 72.) CATALOGUE. 4567. '57. IRE Pot. " Scaldino" Baiket-fhaped, with bucket handle ; in red glazed earthenware. Modern Italian (La Fratta, near Perugia). H. ic^ in. diam. 7^ in. Bought, 61. Ornamented with mafks, terminal figures, flowers, tendrils, &c. in high relief, formed in moulds or by the hand, and attached to the furface. The clay is of dark red colour, covered with an iron red glaze, dafhed with black on the infide of the piece. This is an unufually ornate example of the fcaldino fo univerfally ufed throughout Italy. Very elaborate ones may be purchafed at Florence of fimilar colour to this example, but rarely in fuch artiftic tafle. 4353- S7' PLATEAU. Brown glazed earthenware; ornamented in relief with fcroll foliage and grotefque figures; in the centre medallion a fhield of arms with coronet ; outer border of 458 Italian Pottery. double fleurs-de-lis and leaf ornament Italian. (La Fratta, near Perugia ?) 17th century. Diam. 14^ in. Bought, 8/. This may probably be of the fame origin as the fcaldlno No. 4267, but of earlier date. It is, however, difficult to affign with accuracy ; the red and black glazed wares of Montelupo and of Cartel Durante are of like nature, but the prefent example differs in being more highly fired, and lefs richly glazed. V I T E R B O. HIS pottery is not recorded by any writer, but an inferior work in this Mufeum is infcribed with the name of the city, and with that of DIOMEO, who was perhaps the painter of the piece in 1544. Two other examples are with fome doubt referred to the fame locaHty, CATALOGUE. 2431. '56. ILATEAU. '^Bacile."' The metamorphofis of Adlason ; wide border, grounded blue, bearing trophies in white, outlined with blue and fhaded with orange ; among them is the half figure of a youth holding a fcroll infcribed I . VITERBO . DIOMEO . 1544. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in blue. Italian (Viterbo). Diam. 17^ in. Bought, 3/. 4J. A coarfe inferior piece, rudely coloured and ill-drawn, but interefting as being made in Viterbo in 1544, by one " Diomeo " ( ? Diomed) at a time when Orazio Fontana was producing the fine pieces of the Urbino fabrique. Unlike the notable mafters of Faenza and Cafi^aggiolo, this poor man has recorded his name for our enlightenment, while they are V iter bo. 459 known only by their good works. There is fome refcmblance to the manner of the later pieces of Diruta. 7,.-o8- '61. WINE Cooler. Twelve-fided, with two fcroll handles, and foot formed of moulded fupporting mafks and bafe. In the interior is a circular medallion furrounded by " fopra bianco " work, and painted in grifaille with a group of river gods, &c. The fides are diapered with white rofettes and leafage on a bright blue ground, between interlacings heightened with a greenifh grey colour ; on the exterior, the fides are diapered with rofettes and foliated fcrolls in blue on the white ground, above which is an egg-and-anchor, and beneath a cavetto and bead moulding modelled in relief and, as are alfo the mafks, relieved with the fame grey green. The bafe and handles are dark blue. Italian. (Viterbo.'') About 1540. H. 9 in., diam. 16 in. Bought, 18/. \%s. This is a boldly formed and very unufual piece ; the diapering of the interior fides has a pleafing effe£l, but the cold grey green is by no 460 Italia7t Pottery. means a happy tone of colour and looks as though the pigment had failed in the firing. Indeed it was fuppofed to be a grounding for the luftre colours, and thought to be a half finifhed piece, ready to receive the metallic "reflet" at Gubbio or Diruta. It is afcribed to Viterbo with confiderable doubt. J 7/ 1- '55- PLATEAU. Subjeft unknown ; painted in colour. Two horfemen IfTuing from a gateway meet two men on foot, one carrying a child, the other armed, and leaning on a lance. Border of grotefques in grifaille on blue, and inner border of " bianco fopra bianco," Italian. (Viterbo or Diruta .^) About 1540. Diam. 16^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 11/. os. 6d. The fubjeft is painted in a crude colouring, the black pigment ufed on the ftem of the tree and on one of the horfes being exceflive in quantity and in effe6l, it having run in the firing. \ L O R E T O S named in connexion with the fet of Spezieria vafes, of the fabrique of Orazio Fontana, which were prefented to the fhrine of Our Lady of Loreto by Francefco Maria II., the laft Duke of Urbino, on his abdication in favour of the Holy See. They are defcribed in our notice on Urbino. It was the habit to colledl the duft gathered from the walls of the Santa Cafa, and the drefs of the Virgin, which being mixed in fmall quantities with the potter's clay, cups or bowls were formed, and painted with figures of the Virgin and Child, generally on a yellow ground. Thefe cups were infcribed outfide CON • POL • DI • S • CASA (with the duft of the Holy Houfe). Occaflionally, but lefs frequently, fome of the holy water from the fhrine was fprinkled on the duft, thereby to impart a ftill greater fan^fity. A cup fo made is in the writer's colle^fion, and is infcribed CON • POL • ET • AQVA • DI • S • CASA (with duft and water of the Holy Houfe). Thefe cups were probably prefented as marks of favour to pilgrims who had vifited, and probably enriched the fan£luary. Signor Giufeppe Raffaelli believes that they were made at Caftel Durante, for the eftablifhment at Loreto. The feal of the convent was affixed to them, in red wax. ROME. 1 r A If'l L= L_ if] 1 jTHERTO we have no publifhed record of the former exiftence of a manufactory of artiftic enamelled pottery in the Eternal City, that great centre to which by her affluence and power at various periods of hiftory, artifts and objefts of art have been drawn from their native countries. We have no aflurance that purely native Roman art ever attained to any very high degree of excellence. The Etrufcans and the Greeks in Pagan times, the Byzantine fchool of the Middle Ages, and at the period of the renaijfance the great Tufcan and Venetian artifts worked in Rome upon thofe monuments of genius of which fhe is fo juftly proud ; but they are pofleflions, rather than native pro- ductions, and it would appear that even in fo comparatively fmall a branch of artiftic manufacture fhe was indebted to a native of Caftel Durante for the eftablifliment of a fabrique of majolica. Had there been pre-exifting furnaces, producing wares of artiftic merit, it would hardly have been worth while for M*^ Diomede on the fall of the duke- dom of Urbino, to bring his art to Rome. There is no notice of any pieces of this ware infcribed as having been made at Rome until the year 1600, when we find on two oviform pharmacy vafes of good out- line, having each a pair of double ferpent handles and a domed cover, furmounted by a knob, the following infcriptions written on oval labels. (See Marks No. 1,2.) On one vafe " Fatto in botega de M. Diomede Durante in Roma," and on the other " Fatto in Roma da Gio. Pavlo Savino M.D.C."^ Thefe vafes are decorated on one fide with grotefques ably fketched in yellow, greyifti blue, and orange colours on a white enamel ground of confiderable purity ; on the other, a leafage diaper in the fame tone of blue covers the like ground. On one only, immediately above the infcribed oval, the head of a buffalo is ' The family name Savino occurs among thofe recorded as ceramic artifts of Caftel Durante. Raffaelli, Op. Cit. p. 109. 462 Italian Pottery, painted in dark blue, approaching to black, and may refer to the locality of the " botega," poflibly in the vicinity of the Via or Palazzo del Bufalo. Thefe vafes were for many years in the poffeffion of the Gaetani family, and were purchafed by the writer during his fojourn at Rome in the early part of 1870. The ftyle of execution is in the manner of the Urbino grotefque decoration of the Fontana fabrique, but has not that delicacy, combined with artiftic freedom and naivete, fo remarkable in the produ6lions attributed to Camillo Fontana, and other cotemporary artifts working fome 50 years before ; in certain refpeils they have affinity to the work of M. Gironimo of Urbino. (Vide No. 4354, &c.) Delange in the " Recueil " ftates (p. 32) : " Sur deux grands plats que nous avons vus a Rome^ que^ nous croyons^ appartiennent a M. Lar- derelle^ et decores d'un grand fujet au milieu^ entoure d'une bordure de gro- tefques dans le Jlyle cF Urbino^ on lit Jur Pun. ' Fata in bottega de Diomede Durante in Roma.' Sur I' autre ' Gio Paolo Savino fata in Roma M D C " Unlefs M. Delange's memory was fomewhat at fault, and he has noted thefe infcriptions as on " deux grands plats^' inftead of the vafes under confideration, thofe difties muft be other examples by the fame hand, and of the fame year. The flight difference of wording in the infcription on the fecond, from that on one of the vafes, would, if correctly copied, confirm the ftatement that they are from other pieces. The next example is a large circular difti in the poffeffion of Mrs. Lockwood, long refident at Rome, the central medallion fubjecSt on which is the Temptation of Eve ; this is furrounded by a border ot grotefques in the Urbino ftyle, on white ground, among which occurs an oval label (Mark No. 3) infcribed alma roma, 1623. Nearly a quarter of a century later in date, this piece fhows a pro- portionate degree of artiftic decadence, but we recognife the fame clafs of pigments fimilarly applied, the yellow fomewhat more pronounced, and a browner ffiade of orange, but have no hefitation in afcribing the piece to the fame " botega." Numerous examples of fimilar general charailer, but inferior execu- tion, are frequently to be met with in the ftiops at Rome, and prove the produdlion to have been abundant ; of fuch are the fpecimens now in this Mufeum. Alfo in Mrs. Lockwood's poffeffion are two figures of lions modelled in the round, and with every probability afcribable to the fame fabrique. They are marked with the initials G. F. and dated 1664. In the laft century Bar. Terchi Romano worked at San. Quirico, and at Siena, at which latter city Torenzio Romano alfo painted in 1727, as noticed in the productions of that pottery, but there is no record of their having worked at Rome, where the produdlion of artiftic wares feems Rome. 463 to have been nearly negleded until the laft decade of the century,^ when the well-known engraver, Giovanni Volpato^ of Venice, the friend of Canova, eftablifhed a manufadlory of fine porcelain and " terraglia verniciata " in the vicinity of Santa IVIaria Maggiore, at Rome. By the courtefy of a grandfon of" the founder, who in his youth was occupied at the works, I am enabled to give the following brief particulars. The manufadure of white glazed earthenware, as alfo that of " bifcuit " porcelain, according to the records of the family, was intro- duced by the famous engraver Giovanni Volpato^ of Venice, in the year 1790. He expended a large fum of money in making experiments, and in the founding of the works, as alfo in procuring numerous models, which were executed with the greateft care from the antique, and from other objedls in mufeums, &c., as alfo from the works of Canova. At one time no lefs than twenty experienced artifts were employed in modelling the " bifcuit " porcelain to fupply the great demand. Large furnaces were conftruded, but the great expenfe and rifk, in the production of pieces for table ufe, neceflitated their fale at a price which could not com- pete with the French wares, although fuperior in the qualities of ftrength and refiftance. So foon as Giovanni Volpato had perfefted the manu- facture he committed it to the charge of his fon Giufeppe^ who had married Madalena Riggi, of Milan. In 1803 Giovanni Volpato died, and about three months after, his fon Giufeppe died alfo, leaving a widow with fix fons ; (he fubfequently married Francefco Tinucci, the chief modeller of the " bifcuit " figures, who fuperintended the manufactory until 18 18, when the eldeft fon, by her firft hufband, fucceeded to the works; but in 1820 they declined, partly from the difficulty of procuring one of the component earths, and partly from the fcarcity of good artifts, and a decreafe in the demand for the wares. An exclufive permiffion having been granted by Pope Leo Xn. to excavate the white clay of Civita Caftellana, where a pottery had previoufly exift^d, and the Pope, wifhing its re-eftablifhment, the works were again commenced at that place, and continued till 1831, when Angela Volpato died, and was fucceeded by his younger brother Giufeppe, who caufed feveral fubjeCts to be produced in glazed pottery, ' It is pofllble that further refearches might make known the former cxillence of fome, perhaps private, furnaces for the produflion of porcelain at Rome at an earlier period in the century. A (hort time before leaving that city, in the fpring of 1870, the writer obferved in the hands of Sig. Corvifieri, the dealer, an extremely well-modelled group of the " Depofition," executed in a hard artificial white porce- lain of a grey fliade, very funilar to that of Doccia, on which, Icratched in the clay, was ROM A' MAG' 1769 above the monogram of two interlaced Utters C, furmounted by a crown, a mark fimilar to that incifed on the porcelain of Bucn Retire, in Spain. 4.64 Italian Pottery, particularly figures of faints ; but in confequence of illnefs he was obliged to forego the management, and the works ceafed. The fio-ures and groups in " bifcuit " porcelain, of pure white and ftone colour, variations arifing from the different degrees of heat to which they were expofed in the oven, were undoubtedly the more important artiftic productions of the Roman fabrique, but glazed pottery, very fimilar in character to that of Leeds or the " Queen's ware " of the Wedgwoods, and known as *' terraglia verniciata," and alfo included in the general term " majolica," was alfo made, and in this material ftatuettes, figures of animals, candelabra, vafes, and portrait bufts were alfo modelled. There can be little doubt that the finer examples were produced at the period when the elder Volpato perfected the eftablifhment, and when his critical and artiftic eye directed his modellers, and many of the figures and groups are admirable for their grace and careful execution. Few bear anv mark, but occafionally pieces, both of the " bifcuit " and glazed ware, bear the name G * Volpata • Roma • impreffed in the clay. The collection of Signor Belotti at Rome contains feveral examples, as a portrait buft of the young Napoleon, bufts after the antique, and the dancing girl after Canova, in bifcuit ; Canova's lions, a rilievo of the Affumption of the Madonna, and two altar candlefticks, in the white glazed ware, are good examples. Signor Cte Cigni, at Rome, alfo has a collection, among which are five examples after the antique. Mr. Alex. Nefbitt has a buft portrait of Pope Leo XIL, in the glazed ware. The writer poffeffes a rilievo of the Virgin and Child, and a pair of vafes of the fame elegant form as that in the South Kenfington Mufeum, of the glazed ware ; as alfo fome " bifcuit " figures. One of thefe, the Melpomene, after the well-known antique marble in the Vatican, is ftamped on the fide of the bafe G. Volpato Roma. This figure is II inches high. A confiderable collection was made at Rome for M. Colbert, but which was fubfequently removed to Paris, and we be- lieve has fince been difperfed. Of the pieces made for the ufe of the table few are met with or deteCted, as they are rarely marked. Mrs. Lockwood poffeffes two flower pots, in coloured ware, ftamped with the name. A manufacture of coarfe glazed pottery, rudely ornamented with figures, flowers, fruit, &c., in colour, ftill exifts in the Traftevere, which fupplies the contadlni and the humbler claffes of the city with pots and pans of various form and ftartling decoration. R ome. 465 MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. Nos. I and 2 occupy a confpicuous place on the front of a pair of vafes with fnake handles, painted with grotefques on a white ground ; they are in the pofTeffion of the writer. JROKA* DA 466 Italiajt Pottery. No. 3 is on the margin of a plate, on the centre of which is the fubjedl of the Expulfion from Eden ; it is in the pofTeflion of Mrs. Lock- wood, at Rome. CATALOGUE. 2976. '53- ILGRIM'S Bottle. Odagonal, flafk-fhaped. Gro- tefques in pale colours on a white ground, the neck painted in flutings ; the mafk handles, lip, and bafe green. Italian (Rome). About 1630- 50. H. 9^ in., diam. 5J- in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). Of the fame period and by the fame hand as Nos. 2972—3. Thefe are probably produilions of the decline of the botega eftabliflied by Maejlro Dlomed^ of Caftel Durante, who came to Rome about 1600. (See introdu6lory notice to this fabrique.) 2972- S?>' BOWL. Probably the " Scodella " of a fet of " vafi puer- perali." Grotefques coarfely painted in colour on a white ground; in the centre a fhield of arms. Italian (Rome). About 1630-50. H. 2^ in., diam. 7 in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). A piece of the fame fabrique as No. 2973. 2973- S?>' PART of a Set of VefTels. The " taglierer A central fhield of arms and rude grotefques, in pale colours on white ground. Italian (Rome). About 1630-50. Diam. 8 in. (Bandinel Coll.) ^68 Italian Pottery. Of late and inferior quality. This piece belonged to a fet of" vafi puerperali," ufed on the occafion of childbirths. No. 2972 is of the fame clafs, although apparently not belonging to the fame fet. 838. '70. VASE. Glazed white earthenware. Ovoid, with fquare plinth ; the neck, furmounted by a fixed cover and knob, and the lower part of the body, are ornamented with acanthus leaves. The fhoulder has a band of Greek honey- fuckle, and the cover and pedeftal have flutings, all in relief. The handles are formed as two winged and draped female terminals, holding in each hand the end of a " fall " of drapery, which is thus looped acrofs the body of the vafe. Behind the handles are fquare fockets, probably intended for the infertion of branches. Italian (Rome). " Volpato " ware. About 1800. H. 12^ in., diam. 7 in. Bought, 3/. 6j. The elegance of form, and the graceful character and careful modelling of the ornaments, render this vafe extremely pleafmg, and a worthy model for imitation in other materials, with gilt and coloured enrichment. It is peculiarly charatSleriftic of the tafte of the end of the laft century, and worthy to have been defigned by Flaxman. It is at prefent the only example in the Mufeum of the ware made at the manufa6tory eftablifhed in Rome by the eminent engraver, Giovanni Volpato, in 1790. (See inirodu6lory notice, Rome.) THE MARCHES F AEN Z A HAT long and rather monotonous old polt road the ViaCEmilia^ (now run fidelong by the rail), which forms almoft a ftraight line from Piacenza to An- cona, through one of the richeft countries in the world, after pafling the fine cities of Parma, Reggio, Modena, and Bologna, reaches Faenza and Forli, important and early centres of the potter's art, Ravenna, the city of the Exarchs, lies to the left, north eaftward, and Rimini is beyond, both alfo, as we fhall fee, marked as fites of fabriques, fome few pieces from which remain to declare the fadt. Thefe were till lately cities of the Romagna under the jurifdiction of the Roman fee ; the provinces remain, but the government now is that of United Italy. Faenza is a fmall dull town on the fite of the Roman Fuventia^ and excepting fome refpedlable public buildings has not much now to ftay the traveller ; moreover, if he be an Englifhman he will blufli at the cruelty of his countryman. Sir John Hawkfwood, who, a condottiere ferving Gregory' XL, delivered the town and its miferable inhabitants to pillage, rapine, and maflacre, by his brutal foldiery in 137b. Torri- celli, who invented the barometer, was a native of Faenza, which had for her rulers in the middle ages the Pagani, of the azure lion on a filver field, of whom (Machinardo) Dante wrote : — " La c'ltta di Laiyione - e di Santerno ** Conduce il leoncel dal nhlo bianco " Che muta parte dallajiate al Verno." — (Inf. xxvii.) ' The Via CEmllia, commenced by the Conful Marcus CEmiliiis Lepidus (B.C. an. 87), formed the continuation of the Via Flaminia towards Ciral|iinc Gaul. 2 Faenza is on the fmall river Lamone, the ancient Anemo. ^yo Italian Pottery. Or as fomewhat verbofely rendered by Gary : — " Lamone's city and Santerno's range " Under the lion of the fnowy lair, " Inconftant partizan, that changeth fides, " Or ever fummer yields to winter's froft." The Manfredi were afterwards lords of the city, whofe communal palace was once theirs : it has its chamber of horrors, where Galeotto, nearly overcoming the four aflaflins employed by his wife, Francefca Bentivoglio, was finifhed by herfelf ; leaping from her couch, Ihe feized a fword and gave the fatal thruft. In the opinion of Signor Lazari and others, the artiftic potteries were commenced at Faenza under the dominion of the Manfredi. Aftorgio I. had pofleflion of the city and territory in 1379, having acquired it from Nicolo d'Efte, with the permiffion of the Pope, Urban VI., and it continued in that family till 1501, wften Aftorgio III. loft his pofleflions and his life by the Duke Valentino. Of the antiquity of the ceramic induftry at this fite there can be no doubt, although perhaps Pefaro, Caffaggiolo, and Caftel Durante may have nearly equal claims in that refpedl. Of its extent and im- portance there is equal certainty, and there is moreover great reafon to believe that the French ^ox^ faience applied to this clafs of pottery, was derived from the name of the Lamonine city ; for this honour there is, however, another claimant, in the fmall town, under the Eftrelle Mountains, a fliort way from Cannes and Grafle, called by the very name, Faiance [Faventia)^ and now chef lieu of a canton in Draguignan of the Var, and near to the Port of Frejus. Mezerai, in his Grande Hiftoire^ Paris, 165 1, tom. iii. p. 978, fays that this place was chiefly re- nowned for its VaiJJelles de terre^ and there would feem to be good evidence of the exiftence of its potteries from a very early period to the prefent day ; but of what degree of artiftic merit we are unable to decide j neither can we feel aflured that the name, as applied to enamelled earthenware, was derived from the French town, and not from the Italian city. In Mr. Marryat's Hiftory of Pottery and Porcelain, Gloflary, p. 485, is an interefting notice on this fubje£l:, which we here tranfcribe : — " Faience, Fayence, or Fayance, is the old French term, under which was comprifed all defcriptions of glazed earthenware, even inclufive of porcelain, and, to a certain extent, continues fo, corre- fponding in its general ufe to the Englifti word crockery. " The name is commonly fuppofed to be derived from Faenza ; but it may well be doubted whether upon anv authority much to be relied Faenza. 4.71 upon, fince neither hiftorians nor topographers feem to have confidered the matter worthy of their attention or examination. Moreri's opinion can only be guelTed at;^ while Menage, after diftin6lly ftating the term to be taken from Faenza, fays : — ' II fe fait aufli de la Faience en Pro- vence dans la petite ville de Faiance ; ' and then adds, upon the autho- rity of Le Duchat, « Mezerai, dans fa Grande Hiftoire, Paris, 1651, torn. iii. p. 978, pretend que c'eft de la, et non pas de Faiance d'ltalie, que cette poterie a pris fon nom.' ^ A reference, however, to the above paflage at once fhows the danger of a blind quotation. Mezerai is enumerating the fortrelTes, rapidly reducing by Lefdiguicres in his purfuit of the Duke of Savoy in 1592. It is the only mention he makes of the little town, and his words are fimply thefe : — ' Fayence, plus renommee par les vaiflelles de terre qui Py font, que par fa grandeur, ny par fon importance.' His teftimony, therefore, goes no further than to eftablifh the fail of the early celebrity of the pottery of Fayence. In like manner Hoffman corroborates its high ceramic reputation, and calls the town by its ancient name,^ but is quite filent as to its rife and origin. On the other hand, the only evidence we have in favour of the higher antiquity of its fidlile fame, as well as in fupport of its claim to originality of title, is that incidentally cited in a work of M. Petit-Radel, the librarian of the ' Bibliotheque Mazarine.''* Although fimply fuggeftive and unexamined, it becomes, as oppofed to the all but total filence of his more indifferent predeceffors, fairly entitled to the attention of the prefent age. The opportunities they had of deter- mining the point may pofTibly have efcaped us. He fays in a note, * Parmi les lettres de S. Gregoire (elu Pape, A.D. 590), on en lit une, dans laquelle ce pape remerciait Etienne, Abbe de Lerins,^ pour ecuelles et afliettes que cet abbe lui avoit envoyees. II eft done bien probable que la petite cite de Fayence, dont on lit le nom fur nos cartes entre Graffe et Draguignan, exiftait avant le fixieme fiecle. Nous avons 1 Quelques auteurs confondent ce bourg (Fayence) avec Faenza, Ville d'ltalie, au fujet de la Vain'elle qu'on fait dans cette derniere ville. — Moreri, Di6l. Hill. Paris, 1751. 2 Menage, Diet. Etymol. Paris, 1750, torn. i. p. 571. 3 Faventia 'uulgo Faience. Urbs Provincia in Gall, cujus figulina laudantur ; prope amnem Benfonem, 5 leuc. a Graffa in occ, totidem a Foro-Julio in bor. — Lexicon Uninierfale. Leyden, 1698. 4 " Recherches fur les Bibliotheques Anc. et Mod." Par Louis C. F. Petit- Radel, Membre de Tlnftitut et de la Legion d'Honneur. Paris, 18 19, p. 41. ^Lerins: two finall idands oppolite to Cannes, in the Mediterranean, the Lero and Planafia of the ancients. Lero, the larger of the two, is now called St. Marguerite. Planafia, or Lerina, bears the name of St. Honorat, in honour of that faint, who was the founder of the celebrated monaftery fo long exifting there. 47 2 Italian Pottery. obferve, par nouf-memes, que les villages de toute cette cote font encore occupes a ce genre de manufadture ; et nous y, avons appris que les Genois exercent de temps immemorial ce commerce fur toute la cote d'Efpagne et de Portugal On voit aflez d'ailleurs les rapports du nom de la petite ville de Fayence avec celui de I'ancienne Faventia, dont Tite-Live et Pline ont parle.' " If there are no records to throw a doubt upon the exiftence of a manufactory of pottery at Fayence during the fixth century, nor any local evidence to invalidate the ftatement made to M. Petit-Radel by the prefent inhabitants of the country, that a trade in the article had been carrying on upon their coaft from time immemorial, the inference is fair enough that the abbot's prefent was of crockery. There can be nothing more natural than that an abbot of a monaftery fo near its fite, who was defirous of making a prefent to his fuperior, fhould fele6l for the purpofe a produ6t of the neighbourhood in which he lived ; nor anything more probable than if that fabric produced cups and plates, that he fhould fend what was in his day confidered a great luxury. As regards Faenza, if that town produced ornamental pottery at the period (and the abbot was hardly likely to have fent any other), it muft not only have been of a very fuperior quality, fince it conferred its name on the pottery of other countries, but as fuch muft doubtlefs have become common among the wealthy citizens of Rome ; in which cafe it would have been a poor compliment to fend the Pope a prefent of articles he could procure fo much better at home. But ornamental pottery, in point of form or colour, does not appear to have been revived in Italy until the tenth century ; and Faenza, in particular, is nowhere mentioned as having diftinguiftied itfelf in ' Poterie de luxe ' before the fourteenth century. The geographical connexion between Fayence and the Faventia of the Romans, fuggefted by M. Petit-Radel, is per- haps not lefs probable. The colony mentioned by Pliny as fituated at the foot of the Pyrenees, on the coaft of the Mediterranean, in the country of the Gafcons (Vafcones) and furnamed Faventia (cogno- mine Faventia) comes too near to the prefent fite of Fayence to be altogether difregarded. It might be ufeful to trace the origin of a name fo frequently given by the Romans to their fettlements. Befides Faenza there is the above diftri6l in their colony of Barcinum (now Barcelona), and another in Andalufia, which is fuppofed to have been fituated fomewhere between Alcala, Real, and Ante- quera. The old word Fayence, from the Latin ' fagus,' a beech tree, has become almoft obfolete in France. In Geneva, however, to the prefent day, beechwood is ftill fold in the timber markets as *• De la Fayence' " Faenza. 473 As with that of Urbino, the fabrique of Faenza has been a kind of refuge, among amateurs, for pieces deftitute of fufficient outward fign to mark them as of other localities ; and every gaunt and early piece, ftrong in blue and yellow colour, has been fet down as Faentine. We agree with MM. Jacquemart and Darcel (but not to the full) in the belief that many works of CafFaggiolo have been clafled as of Faenza, and we hope to fhow alfo that Forli may lay claim to fome fuch pieces. We can, however, hardly coincide with thofe gentlemen in fome of their conclufions, and are not convinced that the plaque in the Hotel Cluny, the piece bearing the moft ancient date hitherto difcovcred (if we except that at Sevres, infcribed xxxxiiiiiiii., and fuppofed to read 1448), infcribed in early charafiers around the facred monogram, "NICOLAUS DE RAGNOLIS AD HONOREM DEI ET SANCTI MICHAELIS FECIT FIERI ANO 1475," is rightly attributed to Caffaggiolo by the former eminent connoiffcur, inftead of to Faenza, to which it has hitherto been allotted. Another plaque in the Sevres Collection is dated 1477, ^^^ the name and arms of NICO- LAVS • ORSINI. A rilievo of the Virgin and Child in Mr. Cook's colledtion, bearing the fame date, is referred to under Caffaggiolo, and in the hiftorical notice. We next arrive at the exquifite fervice, of which feventeen pieces are preferved in the Correr Mufeum at Venice, one in that of the Baronne Parpart, one in the writer's (from Pourtales), and one in this colle6lion ; the date 1482, and mark upon one of the Correr pieces is given in facfimile under No. 19, and we propofe returning to the confideration of the works of this eminent early painter under a feparate heading. The firft publifhed matter bearing upon the wares of Faenza is the paffage by Garzoni in the Piazza Un'tverfale^ a publication of 1485, in which he fpeaks of the pottery of this place as excellent for its whitenefs, &c., che fa le majoUche cosi blanche e polite^ a remark borne out by the quality of the fervice juft referred to. In the church of St. Petronio at Bologna is a pavement of tiles covering the ground of the chapel of St. Sebaftian, and without doubt laid down at the expenfe of Donato Vafelli, a Canon of that Bafilica, who about 1487 decorated that chapel at his own coft, and after expending eighteen hundred bolognefe Hre^ left much unpaid, for which breach of faith, but for timely Apuftolic indulgence, he might have been difgraced. The date upon one of thefe tiles is 1487, and upon others are infcriptions, in parts unfortunately imperfect from the injury or mifplacement of fome of the fquares, but which as put together by Signor Frati of that city, the able author of the defcriptive catalogues of the Delfette and Pafolini Colledions, and of a pamphlet upon this ^74- Italian Pottery, flooring,^ would read BOLOONIESVS • BETINI • FECIT : while upon other tiles occur : — C.ELIA-BE F. . . TICIE ZETILA • BE • FAVETCIE XABETA • BE FAVENTCIE and again upon another a fmall label infcribed PETRVS • ANDRE • DEFAVE. There is fome doubt as to the corredl reading of thefe infcriptions from the circumftances above mentioned. Signor Frati confiders that they may be taken to imply that it was the work of the Betini, a Bolognefe family, of whom Elizabetta, Cornelia, and Gentilis (or Gentila ?) were members, working at Faenza, but whether the letters B E after the laft three female names flood for that of the family, or for the complimentary epithet BELLA, in connexion with female portrait heads painted upon other of the tiles, is doubtful. An autho- rity for the latter fuppofition is found in pieces of the pavement to be defcribed under the head of Forli, where are tiles painted with female heads, and the word bella following the name on the fame tile ; thofe may have been therefore the Faentine beauties of that day j but the laft infcription leaves but little doubt that Petrus- Andreas de Faventla was the artift who executed the work. M. Jacquemart's fuggeftion that thefe names were of the donors, rather than of thofe who executed the work, can hardly be fuftained, as we learn by documents, cited by Sio-nor Frati, that it was laid at the coft of the Canon Donato Vafelli. Whatever doubt may attach to the Faentine origin of the plaque in the Hotel Cluny, dated 1475, or to that belonging to the Baron Selliere, dated 1487, there can be none in refpedt to the pavement of San Petronio, the fa6t of the name Petrus Andre-de-Fave occurring, independent of the others upon a piccolo cartello feems to us an indif- putable poof to that effe6l. It is painted with great fkill, in a ftyle of colourinsf and with ornaments which we are accuftomed to attribute to Faenza ; trophies, animals, heads, the arms of Bologna, and her motto LI BETAS, the keys of St. Peter, and various devices are reprefented, among them the filver cafe of lancets on a green field, and the wounded vein, i?nprefe of the Manfredi family of Faenza. In the chapel of the Bentivoglio family in St. Giacomo, Maggiore, at Bologna, is another pavement of fimilar character, but much injured by wear. ^ Di un pavimento in Majolica, Sec. Bologna, 1853. Faenza. 475 The circular plaque in this collection, dated 1491, we feel confident in attributing to the Cafa Pirota. In the Hotel Cluny (No. 2081) are two pharmacy vafes, a pair, one dated 1500 the other figned "Faenza," and after this date there is no longer any queftion of the importance and excellence of the produc- tions of her furnaces, although unfortunately we have but little informa- tion in refpedl to the mailers of eftablilhments or of the able painters who worked at them. It was prefumably from Faenza that an artift went to Spain in the early years of the 1 6th century, and executed a work in a chapel known as the Capilla de Azulejos in the Alcazar at Seville, the altar of which is decorated with grotefques, the devices of Ferdinand and Ifabella being introduced among them, and a compofition in the centre. The infcription NICVLOSO • FRANCISCO • ITALIANO • ME • FECIT • 1504 is on the work. Alfo probably from Faenza, and from the botega to which the painter of the Correr fervice was attached, is a pavement in the church of St. Sebaftiano at Venice, the chapel of the Annunziata, of the Lando family, whofe (hield of arms forms the central ornament, fuftained by two nude genii, the other pieces being painted with various and fanciful ornament; on one the monogram of the maeftro (Mark 25), and on another the date 15 10. Piccolpaflb, in his manufcript, refers in general terms to the excel- lence of the Faentine wares of his time, giving to them the preference, and defcribing the red colour known as the rojjo di Faenza^ which he ftates was ufed at the botega of Maeftro Vergilio. We learn that in 1559 Maeftro Piero Paolo Stanghi was paid on account from the ducal chamber at Ferrara for a fervice executed for the Prince j and again in 1574 Alfonfo ordered pharmacy vafes for his farmac'ia at Ifola from one Baldazzar of Faenza. Thefe wares were alfo highly efteemed in France, and it would feem that it was mainly by the immigration of Faentine potters into that country, that the fabriques at Nevers and at Rouen were eftabliflied or perfeiSled. A document in the A5ies de TahelUonage of Rouen ftates that in 1567 a fhip laying there had on board " troh coffres bahuts pleins de va'ijfclle blanche et peinte de Faenze" and Italian artifts painted tiles in that city from 1542, as proved by two from the Chateau d'Ecouen, now in the pofleflion of the Due d'Aumale, one of which has for fubjc(5t Alutius Scaevola, and the other Curtius ; a ftandard on the firft is infcribcd ROVEN . 1542. Thefe are believed to be from the furnaces of MalFeot Abagnefe, who fupplied the Conftablc of Montmorency with faience for his new refidence. This fame manufacturer in 1545 made 476 Italian Pottery. vafes for a pharmacy at Rouen. Under the head Urbino, we have feen how that fame patron had a fervice made for him by Guido Duran- tino, fome pieces of which are extant. At Lyons from 1574 to 1586 we hear of oppofition on the part of Pefarefe and Genoefe potters there eftabhfhed, to the fetting up of a rival furnace by Giuliano Gambyn and Domenico Tardeffir of Faenza. Henry III. of France in 1580 was fo delighted with the pottery of Faenza, that in November of that year he defired that large quantities might be fent to him with the fwiftnefs of enchantment. Even the Cardinal ambaffadors could not refift the temptation of carrying with them fome of thefe charming crocs to Rome and into France. It was Biaggio Biaflini of Faenza who went to Ferrara to fuperintend the experimental eftabliihment of Alfonfo I. ; and Cefare Cari of the fame place emigrated thence to Urbino. In 1633 Francefco Maria Saffatelli writing from Imola to Fran- cefco I., Duke of Modena, ftates that he had only recently been able to engage a fuitable artift {Pittor excellente da Majolica) of Faenza to make a pavement of tiles for the Duke ; that he had fecured the fervices of Francefco Vicchij, padrone of the principal botega of Majolica in that city, who had promifed to fend his painter (or defigner) to Modena ; but that he could not leave till the following Wednefday, having important unfinifhed work in hand. That at the botega of M° Francefco the beft painters were employed. This MS. letter is preferved in the archives of Modena. (G. Campori.) We purpofe confidering the wares attributed to this place under the following heads : — A. The produce of the Cafa Pirota. Maeftro Vergillio. B. By Baldafara Manara. C. Pieces by the painter of the Correr fervice, and of his bottega. D. By other artifts prefumably of Faenza. E. Wares of the laft century and modern. A.' — Produ5lions of the Cafa Pirota. One of the moft important, if not the leading eftablifhment at Faenza was known under this name, and probably exifted from an early period, but when, and by whom founded, and the name of its maeftro, we have yet to learn. A houfe on the north fide of the principal ftreet, where a pottery working fome few years fmce, at which we have feen well-executed reprodu£lions of the old wares, was dated by the proprietors to be on the fite of that ancient botega^ but whether there is fufficient foundation for this ftatement we are unable to fay. Faenza. 477 The greater part, or nearly all the pieces known to us as being marked with the crofTed circle, figned with the name of the houfc, or executed by the fame hands as fuch pieces, are of a marked charader of decoration ; the wide borders are generally decorated with grotefques, referved in white and fhaded with a brownifh yellow ; or referved in a paler greyifh tone heightened with white, on a dark blue ground. Aherettino and fopra axzuro are the terms applied to this mode of deco- ration, and among examples of the former, and perhaps earlier of the ftyles, are works of the higheft quality of enamelled pottery, and of admirable decoration and artiftic painting. The plaque, No. 521 dated 1490, is the earlieft recorded piece which can be afcribed to this botega, unlefs the Cluny plaque of 1475 be by the fame maker, and the fequence of works of identical technical chara6ler, figned with the mark of the eftablifhment, continues through 1520, 1527, 1530, &c., finally falling into decadence in the hands of an inferior painter, by whom the Mufeum pofTefles one plate with the mark of Faenza, and another "in Forll " (Nos. 1776, 4317). M. Darcel, and fome other writers, have fallen into the fingular error of afcribing that plaque to Maeftro Giorgio, with whofe works it has not one fingle point of refemblance or technical affinity, furely more truftworthy guides than the fuggefted reading of the monograms accom- panying the date, and which are, with greater probability, thofe of the perfon for whom the plaque was executed as a donary, or of the convent or church which it may have decorated. A further comparifon has arifen from the aflumption that the red pigment made ufe of in the armorial bearings, Sec. upon fome of thefe pieces, fimilar to that which occurs on examples known to be of CafFaggiolo, is fufficient to flamp them as of that fabrique, although many fuch bear the crofL^d circle of the Cafa Pirota. This is in all probability that roffo d'l Faenza alluded to by Piccol- paflb, which may have been equally well known at CafFaggiolo if not derived by that fabrique from the potters of Faenza ; its ufe on pieces afcribable almoft with certainty to each of thofe potteries is unqueftionable. The work of at leaft three painters is difcernable upon the wares of this eftablifhment. Firft and foremoft are thofe charming pieces of the greateft technical excellence by the painter of Mr. Webb's (hallow bowl (No. 354. '72), which is marked at the back with the crofled circle, hav- ing a pellet in one of the quarters, and has for fubjed, Mutius Scaevola. By him are other pieces fimilarly fhaped and decorated with borders of grotefques referved in white, ftiaded in brownifh yellow, on the blue ground, and central fubjedls painted in a fimilar tone. Such are ^7 8 Italian Pottery. Mr. Henderfon's figned IN FAENCA; the Entombment, in the Britifh Mufeum; another with fimilar fubje6l dated 15 19, belonging to Mr. Fountaine ; one in the mufeum at Arezzo ; and probably that in the mufeum of the Univerfity at Bologna reprefenting the coro- nation of Charles V. in that city in 1530, and figned at the back FATO . IN . FAENZA . IN . CAXA . PIROTA. The ftyle of this painter has confiderable affinity with that of the more careful works of Baldafara Manara, who, if not the fame, may have been his pupil, but who fell into a carelefs manner in his later works. An important example is in the colleilion of the Baron Guftave de Rothfchild at Paris, but whether painted by the artift whofe works we have under confideration, or by that more fertile hand prefently to be confidered, we are not able to fay, the melancholy ftate of Paris but a fhort time fince having precluded a recent examination of her collections. It reprefents Jofeph difcovering his cup in Benjamin's fack, and is in- fcribed in a circular band on the reverfe FATE . IN . FAE . lOXEF . IN . CA . PIROTE . 1525. We next have the author of the fine plateau (No. 7158), and of the better examples of thofe abundant pieces of this hotega^ having central fubje£ts painted in a greenifli yellow tone on the herettino^ or coats of arms emblazoned, and wide borders covered with grotefques in a lighter tone heightened with white on the dark blue ground. This artift alfo ventured into bolder fubjeils upon plaques of confiderable fize, two of which, one reprefenting the Adoration of the Magi, are in the Britifh Mufeum ; over a portico which forms a background to the com- pofition, the crolTed circle and pellet, mark of the fabrique, and the date 1527 are infcribed, while on the reverfe is a yellow roundel between the letters B . B . F . F . and the fame date. In that mufeum alfo are fome pieces of a fervice painted by the fame hand, one covered with the fubje£t of the Centaurs and Lapithae, on a jug in the foreground of . VIC . the pi£lure are the letters " j '; others with the ufual grotefque fopra a%.%uro border, centred with the arms of Guicciardini the hiftorian, and having the crofted circle mark on the reverfe. Mr. Fountaine poffeffes a plaque by the fame painter dated on the reverfe 1529 in an ornamental roundel between the letters F . F . Under No. 5173 in the Loans Catalogue is defcribed a " large flat trencher " painted with a Holy Family after the manner of Michel Angelo, by the fame hand, with border of grotefques j on a ftone on the foreground are the letters AN . EA . AN . and on a fquare tablet, F., it was exhibited by Mr. Ad- dington; another fpecimen, then belonging to Mr. Jofeph, No. 5174 in the fame catalogue, was a plaque, with the fubjedl of the Virgin and Faenza. 479 Child in the clouds above a group of the Apoftles (from Marc Antonio's print after Raffaelle's Madonna di Foli^no). In Mr. Napier's collection is another reprefenting the Judgment of Paris, on the reverfe of which is the Mark No. 4, where it will be noticed that the crofled circle bears a crefcent in lieu of the more ufual pellet; the date 1527. There are fome good fpecimens of this artift's produdions in the continental colle6lions ; one figured in M. Delange's fine work, belongs to Madame D'Yvon, and reprefents a banquet, defcribed as that of Dido and i^neas ; in the foreground is the fignature F. R. (Mark No. 6). In the Louvre (G. 74), a plate reprefenting the Lafl: Supper, after Marc Antonio, is probably by the fame hand. The South Kenfington Mufeum is rich in fine fpecimens, from the noble plateau No. 7158 of his more careful time, to the later plaque (No. 4351), reprefenting the Saviour bearing his Crofs, after Raffaelle's " Lo Spafimo di Sicilia," which alfo is figned with the initials F.R. on a ftone in the foreground. At the fale of a collection of Majolica brought to this country by Signor Caftellani, and difpofed of at Chriftie and Manfon's in May 187 1, a fragment was purchafed by M. Bafilewfici, the painting upon which was evidently by this mafter. The fubjecl is allegorical or of romance, and painted a berettino^ but the mark on the reverfe renders this fragment very interefting ; it is no other than the rebus adopted by Garofalo, the flower which puns upon his name, the pink, furmounted by the letter B, for Benvenuto Tifio, detto Garo- falo (Mark No. 8). That the painting of this fragment, and cor- refponding works, were executed by Tifio's brufh is fimply out of the queftion, but it is far from improbable that the defigns may have emanated from him or from his ftudio. Here another inftance prefents itfelf of the difficulty in affigning the marks and monograms upon thefe wares. They may refer either to the defigner of the fubject, to the owner of the piece, or to its painter, or may be the mark of the fabrique at which it was made ; and who can now decide ? We think it is fairly prefumable that thefe letters F.R. are the initials of the artift ; the firft alfo occurs in connexion with a fecond F and with B, but as in the cafe of the admirable painter of the fervice in the Correr Mufeum, we have no further record of his name. Not to be confounded with thofe of the mafter under confideration, who, by way of diftindion, is known among amateurs as the " green man," are works by a more able artift of Faenza (or perhaps of Caftel Durante), who painted in colours of the richeft tone with admirable difpofition and vigorous defign, and who alfo figned with 480 Italian Pottery. the fame initials. The finely treated fubje6t of the Gathering of the Manna, on plate No. 7680, is by this hand, whofe works are neither ornamented at the back, nor figned with the mark of the fabrique. The medallions upon fome of the efcalloped and impreffed pieces [fcannellato)^ believed to be of Faenza, are in the manner of the painter of greenifh yellow pi6lures. The borders are generally moulded in gadroons or angular panels, and decorated a quart'iere with grotefques and foliation referved and (haded with cobalt on an orange ground, or painted in yellow on the dark blue. None of thefe pieces are marked with the crofTed circle of the Cafa Pirota, although there is great affinity between them and the fopra azzuro wares. Only one fuch is known to us as bearing any mark at all ; it is in the Britifli Mufeum, and like a fimilar fpecimen in the writer's pofleffion is a curious inftance of the economy obferved at the pottery ; having been decorated m the ordinary way, it appears, that in the firing, the glaze had run from the furface, leaving a bare fpace of the uncovered " bifcuit " at the fide of the central medallion, and hopeleflly disfiguring the fubje6t. That it might not be wafted, the interior was filled with a group of fruit, modelled in the round and coloured from nature ; again fubmitted to the a£lion of the fire, thefe adhered to each other, and to the furface of the tazza, producing ornamental pieces from what would other- wife have been unfaleable. On the Britifh Mufeum fpecimen is the Mark No. 14, which might perhaps fignify IN . Y henza . Yergilio, or NlfTo/A . FANc . N ergilio . but which may alfo have fome other reading. The notice of a plate which was fold by M. Delange in Paris in 1853, ^^^ ^^ prefent whereabouts of which is unknown to the writer, fuggefts this interpretation of the mark on the Britifh Mufeum tazza. Delange's plate had for fubjedl Apollo and Marfyas, and was infcribed on the back Apollo Marfio fatto in la hottega de Maejiro Verg'ilio da Fa'enza 1556 . Nicolo da Fano. In the rich colle6tion of M. Bafilewfki, of Paris, is a plate figured in Delange's folio work, pi. 55, and reprefenting a king enthroned, feemingly intended for David or Solomon, but that we are told it is Charles V., having on the reverfe a monogram of the name NICOLO, accompanied by the date 1521. We differ entirely from M. Darcel and other Y v&nch favants^ who attribute this plate to Nicolo da Fano, upon no evidence whatever, and againft the fadts of its being painted in Nicolo da Urbino's manner, of its having his monogram on the reverfe, {lightly varied from that on the Sauvageot fpecimen, as both do from that on the difh at Florence, and from the difference of thirty-five years between the date of M. Bafilewfki's plate, and the Nicolo da Fano Faenza. 481 quoted by Delange. Much confufion has arifen among our continental neighbours in refpedt to the works of that excellent mafter of Urbino, fome of whofe pieces have been attributed to the laboratory of the Duke of Ferrara, others to Nicolo da Fano of Faenza, and a fmall remainder to himfelf,. errors which a comparifon of fpecimens and a better knowledge of his ftyle might have avoided. Pafleri refers to the fabrique of Maeftro Vergil io, and Piccol- paflb ftates that it was in his botega that the rojfo di Faenza was ufed, giving the mode of its produ6lion by means of bol armeiiiac (a filicate of alumina highly charged with oxide of iron), and ftating the difficulty of its manipulation, and his own want of fuccefs in its application. We muft, however, bear in mind that PiccolpafTo writes fome twenty years later than the date of pieces made at the Cafa Pirota, upon which the red colour is feen, and that it is found more abundantly on Caffaggiolo fpecimens of ftill earlier date. If his ftatement is correal:, that this pigment was only ufed at the botega of Maeftro Vergilio in Faenza, and we have it on fpecimens bearing the mark of the Cafa Pirota, may we infer that Vergilio was really the maeftro of that important eftablifhment ? A document among the archives of the houfe of Efte, ftates that in 1556 Alfonfo of Ferrara bought Majolica from one Nicolo da Faenza^ perhaps the fame Nicolo da Fano. Following in the footfteps of the " green man," but with more awkward tread, one or perhaps more painters continued the ftyle of colouring and fopra azzuro grotefques, apparently working at the Cafa Pirota, but we alfo find examples on which the mark may be only an imitation of the true ; it muft, however, be confeffed that its form was varied from an early period of its ufe, as will be feen from thofe on plates in the Mufeum, and from others which are given among Marks on pieces in other colledtions. One fpecimen of this later time, confpicuous for its inferior painting (No. 1776J, is marked with the crofted circle, while another (No. 4317), ftiows an equally bad production by the fame brufti " In Forli," proof direct that both thefe fabriques had the dubious advantage of that painter's affiftance. Before quitting the fubjed of this important Faentine botega^ we would refer the reader to the obfervation made by Mr. J. C. Robinfon in his defcription of the late Mr. Hope's Caftel Durante bowl, in a note to page 404 of the Loans Catalogue (No. 5160) ; where he calls attention to the facft, that on that work by Giovanni Maria, of Caftel Durante, in 1508, occurs this fame emblem, the mark of the Cafa Pirota, a circle or globe quartered by crofted lines, and having the pellet or fmall circle 482 Italian Pottery, in one of the quarters, which is held in the hands of two of the amorini on the front of the piece. This cannot be an accidental cir- cumftance, neither is it the emblem or " imprefa " of the patron of thefe potteries ; but it may imply a connexion between them, and as we have every reafon for believing that the works at Faenza exifted anterior to 1508, it may be that 7,ona Maria Vro (Giovanni Maria Vafaio^) emigrated from the Cafa Pirota of Faenza, and eftabliftied himfelf at Caftel Durante, where, on *an important work executed for Pope Julius II., he records his name, and introduces a momento of his former locality. That there was alfo fome connexion between the fabrique of Faenza and that of CafFaggiolo there can be little doubt, and accordingly we find that the red pigment fo frequent upon the earlier pieces of the Tufcan pottery, is the fame as that ufed upon the Faentine, and which is probably no other than the rojfo di Faenza referred to by PiccolpafTo. Further it may be noted that the trident occurs as a mark in connexion with the crofTed circle on a plate in the Narford Colleition, dated 153 1 (Mark 7) j it will alfo be feen alone on Nos. 1723 and 2544 in this catalogue, prefumably of Faenza, and again on a plate figned in chafaggiuolo^ and with the mark of that eftablifhment. May be that he who ufed it as his emblem emigrated alfo from the Cafa Pirota to the Tufcan Valley. B. — 'The Works of Baldajara Manara. The firft notice we have of this painter on pottery occurs in Zani's " Enciclopedia Metodica," ^ in which work, under the name oi Mannar a ^ he refers to the fignature of the artift upon a fotto coppa (fee Mark No. 16), on which is painted the fubje6t of the Triumph of Time, then in the pofTeffion of Doctor Marchini of Parma. This tazza, which is perhaps the moft important figned example known, is one of a fervice, pieces of which exift, bearing the artifli's fignature, and fimilarly decorated with orange fcale-work on the yellow ground of the reverfe. One of thefe, engraved in Delange's folio work, pi. 58, is in the pofi^ef- fion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome ; its fubje61: is the Refurredtion ; other two are in the writer's colleilion, viz., that with the Triumph of Time, a compofition of 18 figures furrounding a car, on which Time is drawn by two ftags (Loans Catalogue, No. 5187, p. 413), and a ^ Mr. Robinfon reads the letters Fro as Urbino ; we think, however, that Vafaro or Vafaio, vafe maker, is more likely to be correft. " Zani (Pietro) Enciclopedia Metodica. 28 vols. 8vo. Parma, 1817-28. A copy of which is in the Art Library. Faenza. 483 tazza painted with the fubjedt of an armed conqueror in Roman coftume, feated, and furrounded by his officers, to whom an old man kneels while offering a human head on a falver, which the former regards with aftonifhment ( ? Pompey's head brought to Caefar) ; five other perfons follow the old man ; a town and landfcape are in the background. It is painted in precifely the fame manner as the Triumph of Time, and ligned on the reverfe. Another tazza, alfo in the writer's pofleffion, and evidently by the fame hand, has for fubje6l, Alexander and Diogenes ; and again, another, reprefenting Chrift healing the paralytic, is decorated with blue and yellow reticulation on the reverfe ; both thefe are without fignature. The Marquis D'Azeglio had another, with this artift's fignature, the fubje6l, Pyramus and Thifbe. In the Britifli Mufeum is a plaque lefs carefully painted than the foregoing figned examples, with an equeftrian portrait of Batifton Caftellin, the ftandard bearer to the Duke of Ferrara, infcribed " BATISTON . CASTEILIN . FAVENTIN . lA STRNVVS . MILES . DVCIS . FERRARIEN . ANTESIGNAM ." dated on the reverfe, 1536, a di tri de luje.y and figned Baldefara-Manara faentine fa-c'iehat (Mark No. 17). This is an extremely interefling piece, as it fixes the date at which he was working, and proves that Faenza was the fite of his labours, which the letters fan on the Triumph of Time tazza had only imper- fedlly revealed. Some pieces of another fervice exifl, of which one is in the Britifh Mufeum, fubjecSl the Veflal "Tuccia," and another in that of Economic Geology in Jermyn Street, the fignature on the backs of which is given (Mark No. 18). It would feem that the letter F. may or may not ftand for Faenza, while the B. M. are in all probability the initiiils of our artifl ; the remainder, except the date 1534, is lefs eafy to explain, and is poffibly the name of the owner of the fervice ; three fhields of arms are on the face of the plate, which is painted with even lefs care than the Britifh Mufeum plaque. Other unfigned pieces, afcribable to his brufh, are in colledions, but are by no means abundant. We cannot agree with M. Darcel in afcribing to his hand the admirable centre of a plate in the Louvre (G. 67), which is beyond Manara's power, and is, we believe, by the painter of the Correr fervice. There is a fimilarity of manner, making allowance for fome years of development, between the painting of the Triumph of Time and that of the Curtius tazza which belonged to Mr. Webb (No. 354. '72), as alfo of fome other pieces of that earlier period which are fo much prized ; the fhading of the grotefques referved on the blue border of Mr. Webb's tazza is efFeded with the fame yellow-brown pigment which is ufcd upon the later executed fubje^l of the former example. The fmall faucer ^84 Italia?t Pottery. with fimilar border, and fubjeft of Chrift in the Sepulchre, and a tazza with hiftorical fubjea, both in the Britifh Mufeum, are intermediate in ftyle ; and if thefe pieces, executed at the Cafa Pirota, as proved by the mark on Mr. Webb's charming fpecimen, were not aftually the early and more careful work of Baldafara Manara, he may have been a pupil of that earlier artift ; but afluming that thofe pieces were executed about 1520 to 1525, we have an interval of from nine to fourteen years before the production of the lefs carefully painted allegorical plate, and of eleven to fixteen previous to the plaque of the Standard Bearer. We have already feen how greatly other artifts, as Giorgio, Orazio Fontana, and Xanto, varied in the execution of their works. We ftiould, however, ftate that no piece figned by, or with certainty aflignable to Manara's hand, has yet been noticed with the mark of the Cafa Pirota. Probably of that botega is a piece which we have not feen, but which is figured by Delange on pi. 52 ; and to judge from the en- graving has a ftrong refemblance to Manara's manner. It belongs to M. Jofeph Fau. C. — Works by the painter of the Jervice in the Mufeo Correr at Venice. Wanting the infcribed name of the locality at which they were painted, we are quite prepared to acquiefce in the maturely confidered opinion of Signor Lazari, that the beautiful fervice, 17 pieces of which are in the Mufeo Correr ^ at Venice, and other works painted by the 1 The following is a lift of the fubjefts upon the pieces in the Correr Mufeum 5 the backs of all are perfedly plain : — Scodella. Solomon adoring the Idols, ift Kings, ch. 11. do. Solomon with Bathfheba and Adonijah. ift Kings, ch. i. do. The Four Seafons. Piatto. Narciffus and Echo. do. Marfyas and Apollo. do. Midas crowned, &c. ; three fcenes from the hiftory of Midas. do. Peleus and Thetis. Tondino. Meleager. do. "Julia " and " Otinelo," an old Italian romance. do. Young Lady careffing an unicorn, young cavalier before her ; allegory. do. A woman rufhing at a young man armed ; allegory. do. Euridice and Ariftoeus. do. Orpheus playing ; Charon in a boat. do. Orpheus and Euridice. do. Orpheus and the Brutes. do. Orpheus and the Bacchante. do. A bearded man in early 1 6th century coftume, his hands chained; allegory. Faenza, 485 fame admirable early artift were produced at Faenza. They perfectly agree with the qualities lauded by Garzoni at the approximate period of their production, one of thefe being dated 1482 ; and furely no wares of that period could in their qualities of enamel be more worthy of the expreffion blanche e polite than the pieces of this fervice. A careful ex- amination of them in company with Signor Lazari at the time he was gathering materials for his able "notizia" of the objeils in that mufeum, then under his charge, and fubfequent vifits by the writer, have grafted on his mind the peculiarities of their painter's earlier manner, and the acquifition of one of the pieces of the fervice upon the difperfion of the Pourtales Collection, after years of fruitlefs fearch, have enabled him to recognife and obferve the development of his ftyle on examples in the South Kenfmgton and Britifh Mufeums ; but none give a clue to his name or locality of labour. The firft initialled piece is one of the Correr fpecimens dated 1482, the letters reading G. I. O. according to Signor Lazari, but which we regard as the mediaeval form of T. Al. (Mark ig). Upon the admirable plaque reprefenting the Refurre6tion of Chrift, per- haps after Melozzo da Forli, and which we unhefitatingly afcribe to a rather later period of the fame artift's work (No. 69), is the monogram, given in facfimile with the defcription of that piece and compofed of the letters T. B., which is alfo to be found on the reverfe of the ftill later example of his art, a plate in the Britifh Mufeum (Mark No, 20). This laft is probably the monogram of the botega of which, in partner- fhip with fome other, he may have been the proprietor, while the earlier initials on the Correr plate may be his own. All is, however, but con- jecture, for beyond thefe fignatures we have nothing to guide us. That they were the production of a botega diftindt from the Cafa Pirota feems aflured, from their great diffimilarity in technical quality and ftyle of ornamentation to the wares of that productive houfc, and the abfence of its diftinCtive mark ; but there is great fimilarity in their glaze and other details to thofe pieces painted by another excellent hand who figns with the letters F. R. (Mark 41), and whofe fineft known work is perhaps the plate from the Soulages Collection, reprefenting the Gathering of the Manna (No. 7680) after Agoftino Veneziano ; this, as in the cafe of the Correr fervice, if i.ot of Faentine, as we fbmetime doubted, may be of Durantine origin. The monogram of the letters T. B. occurs alfo on other pieces which can hardly be afcribed to the fame hand, and is found in combination with V . L and O on the pavement of tiles, dated 1510, in the church of St. Sebaftian at Venice (Mark No. 25). 4-86 Italian Pottery. D. — 'The works of other artijis prefumably of Faenza. As we have before ftated, a multitude of homelefs cafuals have been attributed to the w^orkfhops of Faenza, from technical charadler- iftics and manner of decoration, while as many more of fomewhat different complexion have been promifcuoufly charged upon Urbino. Our ignorance of the exadt localities of their production, from want of evidence, leads to this doubtful generalization, and until the difcovery of figned fpecimens by the fame hands, or documental record, we muft ftill in numerous cafes reft content with our afTumption. Many early pieces, modelled in high relief and in the round, are probably of this origin, although there can be little doubt that CafFag- giolo and perhaps other places produced parallel examples. Of the former is, we believe, the group reprefenting the Adoration of the Magi (No. 2410), a fountain modelled as a knight fleeping, his horfe tied to a tree (No. 2551), &c. In M. Delange's large work is figured an inkftand, pi. 12, reprefenting a mounted and armed knight, and a bell, pi. 8, formerly belonging to the Marquis D'Azeglio, quaintly infcribed IHariaim * firlla * $opra * Taltre * ttWtt which are probably of the production of Faenza in the latter years of the 15th century. They differ from thofe parallel pieces afcribed to CafFaggiolo in a certain rigidity of modelling, the ufe of a fhading and outline of a darker or more indigo-like blue, and a free application of yellow and orange pig- ments ; a more gothic fentiment prevails from the influence of the German fchool, and we find fubjeCts copied or derived from the works of Diirer, Martin Schon, &c. more frequently upon the higher clafs of Faentine wares, than on thofe of painters working at the more fouthern centres of the art. A plaque, alfo figured by Delange from Monfignore Cajani's collection, pi. 14, reprefenting the Virgin and Child, dated 1492, may be of Faenza or Forli, but we are inclined to afcribe that curious one in the Louvre (G. 39), alfo figured in the fame work, pi, 10, reprefenting the faints Crifpin and Crifpinian, patrons of the cordwainers' craft, to the latter fabrique. The cotemporary pieces of CafFaggiolo are more Italian in fenti- ment, the blue pigment of greater brilliancy, a purple alfo ufed, and a thicker glaze of great richnefs and more tendre efFeCt. From an early period Faenza feems to have produced a large num- ber of electuary pots and pharmacy bottles ; a pair of fuch are in the Hotel Cluny, one bearing the name faenza, the other 1500. Many of thefe vafes are decorated in the ftyle known as a quartiere^ being divided into compartments, painted in bright yellow, &c. on dark blue. Faenza. ^.87 with foliated and other ornament, and ufually having a medallion with profile head or fubjed on one fide, under which the name of the drug in gothic lettering is infcribed on a ribbon. A curious example is in the Britifh Mufeum, a large flafk-fhaped bottle of dark blue ground with yellow leafage and with twifted handles, upon the medallion of which is reprefented a bear clafping a column, with the infcription " et farrimo boni amici^' allufive, in all probability, to the reconciliation of the rival houfes of Orfini and Colonna in 15 171 We would here refer to the frequent occurrence on thefe vafes, as occafionally upon other pieces, of pharmaceutical and ecclefiaftical figns, letters, &c., furmounted by the archiepifcopal crofs and other emblems which we believe are allufive to the ufes of monaftic and private pharmacies for which the fervices were made, and not to be confounded, as has been too frequently the cafe, with the marks of boteghe^ or of the painters of the piece. Thefe emblems have no other value to us than the clue which they might afford to patient inveftio-a- tion of the locality and brotherhood of the conventual eftablifhment to which they may have belonged, and among the archives of which may be recorded the date and the fabrique by which they were furnifhed. But what are of far greater intereft are thofe admirable early pieces, painted by ceramic artifts of the firft rank, who, beyond a rare mono- gram or date, have left no record of their place or name, and whofe highly-prized works, for their authors are feveral, are jealoufly guarded in our public and private mufeums. Some of thefe, with reafonable probability, are believed to have been executed at Faenza. Of minor excellence, but charadteriftic in its decoration, and of early date, is a deep bowl-fhaped plate, in the colledlion of M. Bafi- lewfki from that of Mr. Barker, figured in Delange, pi. 47, with the fubjecl of Aitason, furrounded by a border of interlaced ftrapwork in yellow, blue, orange, &c., and dated on the reverfe 1503 (Mark 29) ; it is defcribed in the Loans Catalogue (No. 5159). Of the higheft excellence is a plate in the Narford Collection, alfo figured by Delange, pi. 23 ; it is covered with grotefques, fatyrs, &c. ; in the lower part a fatyrefs is nurfing her baby, a fubjed which, with the addition of a fatyr playing on a pipe, and landfcape background, covers a beautifully painted plate in the Britifh JVlufeum. Mr. Fountaine's fpecimen is painted in a low but harmonious tone of colour on blue ground, and on the face occur the initials I * R • and the date 1508 (Mark 30). The admirable plateau, defcribed under No. 5162 in the Loans Catalogue, and belonging to the Baron Lionel de Rothfchild, we believe to be of Caffaggiolo rather than of Faenza ; but in Mr. Cook's 488 Italian Pottery, colledtion, from Mr. Barker's, is an exquifite piece, figned with the letter R (Mark 31), reprefenting a centaur tied to a column, cupids, &c. The Britifti Mufeum has fome examples of early date and great excellence, which may be alfo afligned to this locality, although they do not afford us dates or monograms. So with a fmall but beautiful plate then belonging to Mr. Morland, and defcribed under No. 5175 of the Loans Catalogue, as an unique example. In the collection of Mdme. Salomon de Rothfchild, of Paris, is a plate having for fubjedl the Decollation of a Saint, and figned on the reverfe amidll imbricated ornament, " Fato in Favenza 1523." M. Darcel afcribes No. G. 68 in the Louvre to the fame brufli. Several examples are preferved, of an early chara6ler, perhaps the work of one hand, who marked them on the back with a large M crofled by a paraphe. They are ufually plateaux, with raifed centre, on which is a portrait head, or fhallow difhes with flat border. No. 161 2 in this Mufeum is a fpecimen, and the Marks Nos. 32, 33, are from others of the fame artift or fabrique, which, wanting more definite information, is fuppofed to be Faenza, and there we leave them, although believing that they are more probably of Pefaro. Delange figures one with the portrait of " Lucia bella," from the colle£tion of M. Fau, pi. 15. At Narford there is one from the Delfette Colleftion, having a bear hunt in the centre, with medallions on the border of blue and orange leafage. Mr. Franks has another, and others are in the Britifh Mufeum and South Kenfington collections. Variations of the letter F are found on pieces, fome of which are fairly afcribable to this fabrique, but we need not point out the fact that many other localities of the manufacture can claim the fame for their initial letter, and that the charaCteriftics of the pieces themfelves are a necefl'ary teft. It is upon the evidence of thefe technical qualities that other marked pieces have been clafTed under this head, although we ftill confefs fome doubts in refpeCt to the works of another artift before alluded to, which have been afcribed to Faenza by Mr. J. C. Robinfon, but which we think may with equal probability have been executed at Caftel Durante ; the fignature F • R • is to be feen, generally on a ftone or other objeCt in the foreground, upon the greater number of his exifting works, the moft important of which, reprefenting the Gathering of the Manna, is in this Mufeum (No. 7680). The Britifh Mufeum pofleffes a plate by the fame hand, fubjeCt, the Building of a Palace (Mark No. 41). Mr. Fountaine alfo has an example, fubjeCt, St. Jerome, and fimilarly figned, and others afcribed to this artift yb Mr. !• C. Robinfon were exhibited and are defcribed in the Loans Faenza. 489 Catalogue at page 417. His works are remarkable for the power and brilliancy of the colours, the vigorous handling, and the rich quality of the enamel glaze. The pieces are without ornament on the revcrfe. Later in the i6th century, when fubjedl painting covering the whole furface of the piece was in general fafliion [ijioriatd)^ the unfigned works produced at Faenza are difficult to diftingulfh from thofe of other fabriques. Some examples exift in collections, as one in the Louvre (G. 77) with the fubje6l of a cavalry fkirmifh, and infcribed 156 1 in Faenca^ but we have no knowledge of their painters, and even the occurrence of the name of that city is but rarely met with. Her wares are ufually richly ornamented on the back with imbrication, as was the manner of Manara, or with concentric lines of blue, yellow, orange, &c. We have feen that this fafhion pertained alfo to Caffaggiolo. E. — Of the pottery produced at Faenza during the feventeenth and the laft century we have but little record. Some pharmacy vafes are mentioned by M. Jacquemart, figned " Andrea Pantales Pingit, 16 16," but the fignature does not appear to be accompanied by the name of that city. In 1639 Francefco Vicchij was the proprietor of the moft important fabrique. The Marquis d'Azeglio poflefTes a fpecimen of that period having a mark, but fuch pieces are of great rarity. We have already ftated that there is a modern eftabliftiment pro- fefling to occupy the premifes of the ancient Cafa Pirota, where we have feen fairly good reproduilions of the ordinary fopra azzuro plates of the old hotega^ but thefe are but weak imitations, and the glory of Faentine ceramic art muft be looked for in this and in other Mufeums. 490 Italian Pottery. MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. A. — Of the Caja Pirota. No. I. On a fcodella, fubjeft Chrift bound and led ; exquifitely painted, after the compofition by Albert Durer ; border of grotefques referved on blue. In Mr. Henderfon's Colledllon, from that of M. Fould. No. 2. On a fmall (hallow bowl or faucer, reprefenting the Saviour, in a farcophagus ; border of cherubs' heads, grotefques, &c,, referved in white and Ihaded in yellow-brown on dark blue ground. In the Britifh Mufeum. / ^ y Faenza. No. 3. On an example by the fame hand as the following. 49 No. 4. On a large plateau in the Napier Colleflion (No. 3005), fubje<5l the Judgment of Paris ; wide border of grotefques. 492 Italian Pottery, No. 5. On a plate in the Mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna, reprefenting the coronation of Charles V. in that city in the year 1530, the probable date of the piece. No. 6. In the foreground of the fubjedl of a tazza belonging to Madame D'Yvon, of Paris,; reprefenting a banquet (Dido and ^neas), figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 77. No. 7. On the reverfe of a plate in Mr. Fountaine's collection, furrounded by an imbricated pattern in blue and orange ; in the centre cupid playing a flageolet ; border of grotefques, mafks, &c. in orange, fhaded with red, on dark blue ground, dated 1531. Faenza. 493 No. 8. On the reverfe of a fragment, painted with allegorical or romance fubjea, by the artift who figns F. R. This mark is fimilar to the rebus adopted by Benvenuto Tifio, or Garofalo, and the defign for the piece may have been by that painter. Bafilewfki Colledion. No. 9. The mark careleflly executed accompanied by the letter S. No. 10. The ufual mark with the addition of the letter B. 494 Italian Pottery. No. II. Another variety of the mark. No. 12. On one of the fervice painted with the arms of Guicciar- dini, the hiftorian ; in the Britilh Mufeum. No. 13. On a large plateau, in the pofleffion of Monfignore Cajani at Rome ; central fhield of arms, furrounded by a wreath, leafage, arabefques, &c. on a grey blue ground; of fimilar character to No. 1723 in this Catalogue, which is marked with a trident (Faenza or Caffaggiolo ?). Faenza. 495 No. 14. On the reverfe of a moulded {fcannellato) fruttiera in the Britifti Mufeum, which, after painting, had failed in the firing, and was then filled in with fruit modelled in the round. The only mark (per- haps with the exception of the following) obferved upon one of the numerous fcallopedand moulded tazzas, with cupid centre and grotcfques on blue and orange compartments. May be read IN"FAENZA*V* (Vergilio?) or FAVENZ- or NIcoLo FANo- V (Vergilio ?). No. 15. On a tazza recorded by Delange, moulded in rilievo ; grotefques on varied ground. ^so'{^n?M B. — By Bald afar a Manara. No. 16. On a tazza carefully painted with the fubjefl of the Triumph of Time, a compofition of many figures. On the reverfe the fignature, and orange imbrication on yellow ground. In the writer's colledion ; formerly in that of Dr. Marchini, of Parma. ^VW^^^^yi^^/ j^/1 496 Italian Pottery. No. 17. On the reverfe of a plaque in the Britifti Mufeum, repre- fenting a warrior on horfeback, infcribed beneath, BATISTON • CASTELLIN • FAVENTIN IAN STENVVS- MILES • DVCIS- QVE • FERRARIVM ANTESIGNAM. a : t^ B CL-t No. 18. On the reverfe of a plate in the Mufeum of Economic Geology ; allegorical fubjeit, and three ftiields of arms. -^^ T "T "^ ^ > C. — By the 'Painter of the Mufeo Correr Service^ and of his ^^ botega.'" No. 19. This mark and early date, 1482, is on the face of one of feventeen plates of a fervice by the fame hand, in the Correr Mufeum at Venice (No. 215), reprefenting Solomon adoring the Idols ; they are of remarkable beauty. Signor Lazari read this monogram as compofed of the letters G • I • O *, the O being crofled by the I, but they appear to Faenza, 497 the writer more like T • M • in mediaeval character, followed by a fmall letter which may be q or p. No. 20. On a plate in the Britifh Mufeum, fine landfcape centre, Apollo and Marfyas on the wide margin. A later work of the fame hand. / No. 21. Said to be on a plate with fubjeil after Albert Diirer, but is, perhaps, a reduction from that on the plaque in the South Kenfing- ton Mufeum (No. 69), painted with the Refurredlion, probably after Melozzo da Forli. No. 22. On a piece probably of the fame "botega." ^ 498 Italian Pottery, No. 23. On a plate j boys and animals, arabefque border in rich colours on blue ground. >^ No, 24. On a piece unknown to the writer. 'aenza. 499 No. 25. On a pavement of tiles in the church of St. Sebaftiano at Venice, dated 15 10. No. 26. On a fmall drug pot in the Britifti Mufeum, with medallion male portrait on dark blue ground, on which the mark is relerved ; on the other fide is the letter P furmounted by a double crofs between E • F. Not by the fame hand as the Correr fervice, but probably of the " botega." No. 27. On another early eledluary pot ; on the medallion a female playing a viol. The letter B alfo occurs on the reverfe of an early difh in the Louvre (G. 43), reprefenting a bifhop between St. James and St. John the Evangelift. 1 1 2 500 Italian Pottery. On No. 119, a plate of the Delfette Colleaion, the fame letter occurs crofled with a paraphe ; the fubjecft a Combat of Warriors. A fimilar mark was on a plate in the Farrer CoUedlion, with cupid centre and grotefques fopra az.zuro^ after the manner of the Cafa Pirota pieces ; it was dated 1520. No. 28. This mark occurs on the face ot a piece figured in De- lange's folio work, pi. 54, from the Azeglio Collection ; it is a plate with central fubje6l of a boy with a wolf or dog, and wide bianco fopra bianco border ; the mark is on a ftone in the foreground, and may or may not be a variety of the mark of this " botega." Faenza. 501 D. — On other peces attributed to Faenza. No. 29. On a plate. Bafilewfki Colledlon from Barker. Subjedl:, Actaeon; ftrap-work border; figured in Delange, Recueil, pi. 47, and defcribed in Loans Catalogue, No. 5150. 0(r fydUti^vL No. 30. On a very choice plate in Mr. Fountaine's colledion ; fatyrs, fatyrefs with baby, grotefques, &c., figured by Delange, pi. 23 ; the labels occur among the ornaments. Another fine piece, probably of Faenza, is in the collection of Baron Guftave Rothfchild, of Paris, and is dated 1507. No. 31. On a beautiful plate in Mr. Cook's collection from Mr. Barker's \ a centaur tied to a column, cupids, &c. ; admirably painted. B. 502 Italian Pottery, No. 3a. On an early plate with raifed centre and female portrait, " Lucia Bella," colledlion of M. Jofeph Fau from Uzielli(?), figured in Delange, pi. 15 (Faenza(?)or Pefaro). The fame mark flightly varied occurs on examples in the Britifti and South Kenfington Mufeums, &c. No. 33. Another variety of the fame mark, on a plate with Moor's head in the centre, and yellow ornamentations. No. 34. On a plate ; female buft portrait with turban on head, blue ground. Faenza, 503 No. 35. On a plate, Barker CoUeftion from Delfette ( 120) ; a troop of foldiers. Ij i- Varieties of the mark on pieces fuppofed of F aenza. 504 Italian Pottery. No. 38. This mark was on the reverfe of a plate reprefenting Samfon pulling down the pillars of the temple. It was in the Marryat Collection, and ornamented at the back. 39. On a fcodella^ central fubjedl St. Jerome in the Defert, border of trofei^ reverfe a quartlere ; fine work, about 1520. Henderfon Col- ledtion. Faenza. 505 No. 40. Is on a plate in the Narford Collection ; fubje6l Diana and Adlaeon, coarfely executed, with border of grotefques and medallions bearing portraits, &c. Go \S^ f No. 41. On a plate alfo in the Narford Colledlion, reprefenting St. Jerome, after Albert DUrer, finely painted. By the fame hand as the Gathering of the Manna, in the South Kenfington Mufeum (No. 7680), Mr. Addington's Death of Cleopatra, and a plate in the Britifli Mufeum fimilarly figned. Thefe muft not be confounded with the works of the artift who figned with the fame initials on pieces of the Cafa Pirota painted in a greenifh yellow tone on the berettino (South Kenfington Mufuem, No. 4351). T>k No. 42. This mark occurs on a piece unknown to the writer. 'A.EK2;iV 5o6 Italian Pottery, No. 43. On a drug pot in Mr. A. W. Franks' coUedlion, head of Camilla, on coloured medallion ; trophies in greys and greens. No. 44. This and the fucceeding mark occur on pieces in the Louvre, Campana Colledlion (G. 641, 3). The firft has for fubjeft the Baptifm of Chrift, with (hields of arms and the initials I . B . R . On the border of the reverfe the larger infcription is written in blue, the fmalier, with date, in black. The letters F . F . we read as Faentino Faciebat. Pnriivs roMnoy^^^ TT'^f c No. 45. is on the reverfe of a companion piece, painted with the buft portrait of a bearded man, round which is infcribed lOANNES . BAP , RUBBEVS . for whom, doubtlefs, the fervice was painted by E. Raynerius^ of Faenza, and whofe initials (not intended as thofe of the painter, though fimilar) occur with the arms on the other plate. A third piece of the fervice is in the Louvre, Jefus and the Woman of Faenza, 507 Samaria, part only of the infcription on which remains — ius — F. — 57 — . The ftyle is loofe and inferior, and the colouring cold. No. 46. On a plate with female bufl portrait and border of fruit, flowers, foliage, &c. in yellow and blue. Franks' Colledlion. anuar. In the Brunfwiclc CoUedlion is a plate reprefenting the Rape of Helen, and inkrlhcd, /aenca ob opus fecit a di 12 .^^ Reverfe, concentric zones of dark blue diaper and fcale pattern, heightened with orange, on a paler ground ; in the centre the mark grounded in yellow. Italian (Faenza). About 1520. Diam. 17^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 80/. {^See coloured plate.) This is the fineft known piece of a fertile mafter who painted generally in " fopra azzuro," and by whom are feveral other fpecimens in this colle6lion, as No. 1732-4, &c. Its general effe6i: is excellent, and the decoration has been executed with care and great artiftic know- ledge. The zone of dancing cupids is pleafingly conceived, and executed with an admirable efFeft of rilievo, and the coloured blazon of the fhield of arms warms and gives life to the whole piece. The grotefques upon the outer borders are more or lefs varied in the different fpecimens, but never rife to the vigorous and eccentric defigns of fome other painters of Faenza, Caftel Durante, Gubbio, and Urbino. The Mufeum is rich in examples of this mafter and botega, which appear to have been in great requeft, and which were, at a later period, imitated at Forli. We believe that the finer of the moulded pieces were produced at the fame pottery and perhaps by the fame hands. A globular pharmacy vafe, carefully painted with belts of grotefques and foliated ornament on " fmaltino " and orange ground, by the fame artift, is in the writer's poffeflion. Faenza. 5 i 3 ^7^^- 55- PLATE. " Tagliere." In the centre a fhield of arms furmounted by a cherub's head, on pale blue, furrounded by a moulding ; wide border of grotefques in pale blue, touched with white on the dark blue ground. Reverfe, zigzags and flowers in dark blue on the paler ground, and the mark. Italian (Faenza). About 1520. Diam. 9iin. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 12/. A neatly finiftied example of this numerous clafs, which may have been the work of one and the fame artift. (See Nos. 1800, 1734, &c.) The arms read : or, a chief azure, furmounted by one nebule argent i on a bend of the fecond, three eight-pointed ftars of the firft. 1734- 55- PLATE. " Tondino.'' Dark blue ground ; wide border of grotefques in paler colour, touched with white; in the centre a fhield of arms of the Strozzi family, impaling Ridolfi, hanging from a cherub's head, and furrounded by a belt of white fprays on pale, and bead moulding on dark blue ground. Reverfe, zigzags and flowers, with the mark in dark blue, on a paler ground. ItaHan (Faenza). About 1520. Diain. 9.^ m. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 9/. {See vignette.) 514 Italian Pottery. A very good example by the fame artift and with the fame mark, (lightly varied, as Nos, 1732 and 1800. 1800. '55. PLATE. " Tagliere." Dark blue ground ; in the centre a cupid bearing a fhield of arms, furrounded by an inner grey circle with white fprays, and a wide border of grotefques in pale blue, touched with white " fopra azzuro." Reverfe, zigzags and flowers, with the mark in dark blue on lighter ground. Italian (Faenza). About 1520. Diam. 9^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. By the fame hand and having the fame mark as Nos. 1732 and 1734. The arms are : or, a double-headed eagle difplayed and crowned, azure, bearing on its breaft a fhield blazoned : or, a bend azure, and appear to be thofe of the Zufteguan family of Venice. 4624. '58. PLATE. " Tagliere." Central medallion of Cupid on yellow ground ; wide border of grotefques in pale blue heightened with white, on dark blue ground. Reverfe, petals, outlined in blue and daihed with blue and orange ; the mark Faenza. S^S in orange. Italian (Faenza). Dated 1524. Bought, 4/. This piece has failed to take fo good a dark blue colour in the firing ; the paint- ing is hafty ; the mark at the back would appear to be a circle divided by a crofs and having a pellet or fpot in one quarter. The date, 1524, infcribed on labels among the grotefques is notew^orthy. The reverfe is not ornamented in the ufual fafhion. Diam. 9^ in. 8963. 'G^. PLATE. " Fruttierar The Adoration of the Shepherds, compofition of fix figures after Francia ; in dark blue and green relieved with yellow. Reverfe, a diaper of interfering circles in darker blue, with orange centres, on a paler ground, and interlaced knot ornament or mark. Italian (Faenza). About 1520. Diam. io| in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. By the fame hand as No. 1765, and a piece of the fame fervice ; it is apparently an early and excellent example of this artifl, who made it his chief habit to paint in thefe peculiar yellow tones on the " fmaltino" ground. 5i6 Italian Pottery, TAZZA Plate. Chrift and the Woman of Samaria, with landfcape background ; painted in colour on a grey blue enamel, " berettino " or " fmaltlno." Reverfe, petals, outlined blue, and touched with blue and orange ; in the centre the infcription DA • MI CHI * with fcroll ornament. About 1520-25. Diam. yf in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 20/. A neat example by the hand that painted No. 8963 and many other pieces in the fame ftyle. In this inftance the fubje6t fills the whole piece ; it is carefully finifhed, although the drawing does not fhow great ability in the figure fiibjefts. The colours are heavy, which effecft is increafed by the dull grey ground, wanting the relief given by the dark blue border of grotefques to the majority of his works. The infcription doubtlefs alludes to the fubjedt, " give me" (of this water). 4351- 57' PLAQUE, of upright, oblong form. Chrift bearing His Crofs, after the painting by Raffaelle known as " Lo Spafimo di Siciha." Italian (Faenza, figned F. R.). About 1530. H. 19 in., W. 13 in. Bought, 57/. ^s. An important example of the artift whofe initials, F. R., are figned upon a fquare flab in the foreground of the fubjeil, and who in all probability in his younger days, executed the pieces numbered 8963 and 1765, as alfo the centres of feveral of thofe well-known " fopra azzuro " plates, of which Nos. 7158 and 1734 are brilliant examples ; whether the grotefque borders and other ornament in blue camdieu may alfo be afcribed to his brufii is an open queftion, but there can be little doubt that nearly all the finer examples of this ftyle of painting, and which appears to have been for a time a fpeciality of the " Cafa Pirota " were exe- cuted by him. We do not, however, include the earlier pieces, fuch as Mr. Henderfon's plate figned" in Faenca," or that, No. 354. '72, which belonged to Mr. Webb, having for fubjeil the ftory of Curtius, Faenza. 5 i 7 and marked with the crolled circle on the reverie, neither the fmall faucer in the Britifti Mufeum reprefenting the Saviour in the Tomb, and fimilarly marked, all of which we believe to have been executed by an earlier and more delicate hand, about 1515. At the Loans Exhibition (No. 5174), Mr. Jofeph exhibited another fpecimen, probably of rather later period than the prefent, and which reprefcnted on a large plaque, executed in blue and opaque colours heightened with white on the pale grey-blue glaze, a group of the twelve apoftles {landing beneath a loggia of Italian renailTance architecture, while in the clouds above appears the Virgin and Child, after Marc Antonio's print from Raf- faelle's "Madonna di Foligno," referred to at page 478 ; that piece is not figned, but there is an equally important one in the Britifh Mufeum, reprefenting the Adoration of the Magi, by the fame hand, on the back of which is the mark of the fabrique ; over a portico in the fubje6t the crofled circle divides the figures of the date 1527. We cannot write in glowing terms of " Lo fpafimo," which, like the other large fubjeCl pieces by this painter, is heavy in tone and fome- what patchy, nor can the drawing be highly extolled ; it is, neverthelefs, an important fpecimen. Other examples of this mafter are referred to in the notice on this fabrique. TAZZA Plate. " Fruttiera." Mutlus SccTVola ; painted in colours, outlined and fhaded in blue on the white ground. Reverfe, concentric rays and circles in blue, dafhed with orange, and the mark. Italian (Faenza). About 1540. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. \os. This and No. 4317 are evidently painted by the (;anie hand; that on a blue ground, and having the infcription " Fata in Forli ; " this, on a white enamel, bears the well-known mark of the crofled circle and pellet, believed to be that of the Cafa Pirota botega at Faenza. This fame hand has evidently painted Nos. 1739 and 1677, as probably alfo fome of the medallion centres of the fcolloped pieces of inferior quality. From the evidence of thefe two pieces we may infer that their painter worked firft: at one, and then at the other of thefe neiglibouring potteries, and that both Faenza and Forli produced " fopra azzuro " pieces of fimilar ornamentation. The occurrence of the crofl'ed circle is more frequent on the finer examples, painted by a mere able hand, whilfl the work of this artifl; generally occurs on pieces 5i« Italian Pottery. without that mark. His training was at Faenza, whence he migrated to Forli, unlefs an imitator who forged [the Faentine mark. The painting denotes a young and inexperienced hand, fomewhat more advanced on No. 4317. 1677- '55- PLATE. *' T'aglierey In the centre a half figure of Mofes, on yellow ground ; a central border of white fprays on grey, and a wide outer border of arabefques in pale blue, touched with white and yellow on dark blue ground. Reverfe, flowers and zigzags in dark, on a pale blue ground. Italian (Faenza or Forli). About 1520-30. Diam. 9I in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. lOi. Perhaps by the fame artift as No. 1739, and probably made for fale, thofe having armorial fliields, being fpecially ordered, would naturally be painted with higher finifh. There is no mark on the back of this piece. 1739- '55- PLATE. " Taglierey In the centre a male half-figure in coftume of the period, furrounded by a belt of grey with white fprays, and a wide border of grotefques in cam'dieu^ of pale blue on dark blue ground. Reverfe, concentric belts of dark, on pale blue ground. Italian (Faenza? or Forli). About 1525-30. Diam. 9^in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. lOJ. Faenza, 5^9 A fimilar piece to No. 1677, and alfo without the mark of the fabrique. 17-3. '56. CIRCULAR Di/h. " Bacile." Decoration in " fopra azzuro." In the centre a fhield of arms ; Medici impaling Strozzi ; the furface covered with fcroll ornament, plaits, and foliation, in white, blue, green, and yellow on the pale blue ground, furrounded by a garland of laurel. Reverfe, plaits, zigzags, and the mark in dark blue. Italian. (Faenza or Caffaggiolo ?) About 1530. Diam. 15^^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. The mark on the back of this piece alfo occurs on one in the Britifli Mufeum, the fubjeil of which is Orpheus playing, nymphs, &c. 520 Italian Pottery. liftening around ; rather coarl'ely painted on the front of a pharma- ceutical jar, on a grey-blue ground; the mark is on the back; it alfo is found at the back of No. 2544 in this colleftion. A plate in the pofleflion of Mr. Fountaine at Narford Hall, with cupid centre and grotefque border on dark blue ground, is dated 1531, and has the fame trident, accompanied by the crofTed circle and pellet, fuppofed to be the mark of the Cafa Pirota in Faenza. The red ufed upon the prefent piece, and the blue and yellow pigments, differ materially from thofe of CafFaggiolo, although the trident occurs on an example of that fiibrique, in conjundlion with the ufual mark and the name. The armorial bearings on the prefent piece would alfo point to a Florentine origin. Monfignore Cajani, at Rome, had in his pofleflion laft winter (1871) a fine difli by the fame artift, on the back of which was the Mark No. 13, confifting of the three letters M * F * I, the latter crofled by a paraphe. 17^9- 55- PLATE. " Tondino." Scroll ornaments and interlacings in dark blue, touched with white, and a green garland on pale blue ground, " fopra azzuro ;" in the funk centre a trophy of arms. Reverfe, fcrolls and a mark. Italian. (Faenza or Caffaggiolo?) About 1530. Diam. 9f in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 7/. loj. A piece perhaps of the fame fervice, and in the fame ftyle of deco- ration as No. 1723. Faenza. 521 2544- '56- PLATEAU. Arabefque and diaper ornaments in white and yellow enamel on the dark blue ground, in imita- tion of the Venetian enamels ; " fopra fmaltino." Reverfe, fcroll and zigzag ornaments, and marked with a trident. Italian. (Faenza or CafFaggiolo ?) About 1530. Diam. 15^- Bought, il. m. From the imitation of the Venetian difties enamelled on copper, with dark blue ground and arabefque ornamentation in gold, this, and other fimilar fpecimens, have been afcribed to the Venetian potteries. We are, however, of opinion that they were produced at Faenza or Caffag- giolo ; the occurrence of the trident in connexion with the eroded circle on a piece belonging to Mr. Fountaine, confirming our view, unlefs that alfo was the work of a Faentine artift painting elfewhere. No. 1723 is by the fame hand. 5 22 Italian Pottery. 1709- 55- EWER. " Mezzina" Globular ; pale blue ground, " fmaltino." In front, furrounded by a wreath of green foliage and yellow flowers, tied with orange ribbon, is a me- dallion grounded in dark blue and covered with trophies of arms, &c. in a lighter tint heightened with white ; handle dark blue and yellow. Italian. (Faenza or CafFaggiolo ?) About 1530. H. 15 in., diam. 13 in. Bought (Bernal Coll), 111. I J. 6d. Probably by the fame hand as Nos. 2544 and 1723, whofe mark is a trident. Moulded Pieces [Scatznellato). 8897. '63. AZZA or '' FruUiera." Moulded, '' ScameliatOy" m concave waved fpiral flutings, with cut or fcalloped border ; on the central medallion St. Francis (?) in a rocky landfcape; foliated fcroll pattern, in white on orange, and yellow on blue ground, alternating in whorls round the centre. Reverfe, lines of blue and orange. Italian (Faenza). About 1520 or 1530. Diam. ii|-in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 20/. {See vignette.) This is a fine fpecimen of a numerous clafs of pieces which were in all probability produced at Faenza about 1520 or 1530. Mr. J. C. Robinfon writes of this : — *' The works of this mafter are numerous, and refemble each other fo clofely as to be always eafily recognifable. The pattern, indeed, feems to have been a ' fpecialty ' of this particular artift ; the pieces are always executed with great delicacy, the figure fubjecSls in Faenza, 523 the medallions being well drawn, and painted in a iinifhed and fpirited manner." Like the plates with dark blue ground and grotefques, " fopra azzuro " (fee No. 1734), thefe would appear to have been in great demand, and perhaps, in the firft inftance, the product of one botega, but we doubt their all having been by one hand. A reference to Nos. 1807, 8958 will fliow the work of a lefs careful artift. There can be little doubt that the borders were painted by others, the fubjedl centre being the work of a fuperior brufh. We know of only one piece on which a mark occurs ; it is in the Britifh Mufeum (Mark No. 14), which may be that of M° Vergilio of Faenza. From what we are told by Picolpaflb, there can be little doubt that a fimilar clafs of wares was alfo made at Caftel Durante, and under figures 42 and 44 of Tav. II. he gives us examples of the manner of moulding fuch pieces ; it becomes a queftion therefore whether any, and which of thefe pieces, were produced at Caftel Durante, and which at Faenza. One in Mr. Cook's colledlion (from Barker) with very dark ground, and differing in fome particulars from the more typical pieces, is luftred with ruby and gold ; it is a folitary inftance, to our knowledge, of a piece prefumably Faentine, being enriched with the luftrous colours ; but here again we fall back upon the probability of its being a piece really made at Caftel Durante and luftred in the ufual way at Gubbio. 524 Italian Pottery, 1720. 55. TAZZK or " Fruttiera" Moulded, " Scannellato,'' in concave waved fpiral flutlngs, with fcalloped border ; on the central medallion, the Magdalene kneeling in a glory ; foliated fcroll pattern in white on orange, and yellow on blue ground, alternating in the flutings and on the edge. Reverfe, lines of blue and orange. Italian (Faenza). About 1520 or 1530. Diam. 11^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. los. This is the companion piece to No. 8897, and painted by the fame artift. TAZZA or " Confettierar Moulded, ^' Jmartellato^' into compartments, diapered with arabefques in orange on dark blue and green, and in white on orange ground. On the central medallion a Saint (John ?) feated on a cloud. Reverfe, dafhes of blue and orange. Italian (Faenza). About 152,0- 30. Diam. 11^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 6/. \os. Painted by the fame hand as Nos. 8897 and 1720. Thefe pieces are much varied in the fafhion of their moulding, and are in the ftyle of the filver plate of the period, hence the term " fmartellato," hammered, alfo given to pieces of this clafs by Piccolpaflb. Gubbio alfo produced pieces fimilarly moulded. 8958. '<^^- ThZZK. " Fruitier a:' Efcalloped "fmartellato:' On the central medallion the profile buft of a man in Eaftern coftume, the remainder covered with foliated fcroll diaper, dolphins, &c. in compartments, alternately grounded in green, orange, and blue. Reverfe, coarfely painted with concentric circles and femi-circles of blue and yellow. Italian (Faenza } Faenza, 525 or Forli). About 1525-30. Diam. lof in. Bought (Sou- lages Coll.), 5/. 1807. 'ss- TKZZK or '' Confettierar Ek^Woped'' /mar fe/Iaio." Cupid on a central medallion, the reft covered with foliated fcroll pattern of white and yellow, in compartments alternately- grounded in green, orange, and blue. Reverfe, coarfely formed petals, &c. in blue, orange, and yellow. Italian (Faenza? or Forli). About 1525-30^ Diam. io-| in. Bought, 61. 10s. Perhaps by the fame artift as No. 8958. The medallion fubjedl is not painted with fo much care as thofe on Nos. 8897, 1720, 1721, where a fuperior hand is difcernable. The diapering was probably executed by others. 89:20. '6^. TAZZA Plate or " FruUiera." Fluted and efcalloped " Scannellato.'' In the centre a medallion with clalTical profile portrait over a fcroll infcribed " Flamino " on dark blue ground ; the inner border divided into compartments with arabefques on a ground alternately green and blue ; the outer, blue and orange. Reverfe, dafhed lines of blue and orange. ItaHan. (Faenza or Forli ?) About 1525-30. Diam. 10 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. By the fame hand as No. 8958. 4626. '58. TAZZA Plate. " Confettiera:' Embofled " Scannellato^ On a central medallion a half figure of St. Sebaftian on blue ground. Diaper of foliated fcrolls in light blue on com- 526 Italian Pottery. partments of orange and dark blue ground. Reverfe, fprays of dark blue and orange. Italian. (Faenza or Forli ?) About 1520-30. Diam. 9! in. Bought, 4/. Alfo by the fame hand. 161 1. '55. 'T^AZZA. '' Confettiera." Embo ff^d '' Smarteliafo." Oh X central medallion, Cupid with a vafe ; foliated fcrolls in pale blue on compartments of orange and blue ground. Re- verfe, lined and dafhed with blue and orange, and the central mark or ornament. Italian (Faenza (.f*) or Forli). About 1525. Diam. 8 in. Bought, 8/. By the fame hand as No. 4626. It is doubtful whether the con- fufion of lines is meant for a mark or only an ornament. (See remarks on No. 8897.) 4343- 57' TAZZA Plate. '' FruUiera." Moulded ''Scanneilato." On the raifed medallion centre a half-figure of Judith with the head of Holofernes, furrounded by radiating funk Faenza. 527 flutings, diapered with light blue arabefques on dark blue ground, " fopra azzuro ;" a circle of depreflions round the border, grounded in orange, relieved by white fprays. Re- verfe, outlined to the form in dark blue with fprays of yellow and orange on the light blue ground. Italian (Faenza or Forli). About 1530. Diam. io|; in. Bought, 10/. loj. 8955- '^3- TAZZA, Deep. '' Fruttierar Fluted and efcalloped. In the raifed centre a half-length figure of a woman holding a pierced heart ; the border of radiating flutings alter- nately orange and deep blue painted with foliated fcroUs. Italian. (Faenza or Caftel Durante?) About 1530. Diam. 9I in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 6/. 436. '69. TAZZA or " Fruttiera." Moulded. A central figure (Mercury ?), and bunches of flowers round the fides painted in blue and yellow on a white ground ; on the reverfe a mark. Italian. (Faenza or Imola ?) Latter half of the 1 6th century. H. 3-I in., diam. 12 in. Bought, 3/. 3J. The mark upon this piece is precifely fimilar to that on a moulded difh filled in with fruit, in the Britifh Mufeum, and which is given in facfimile at No. 14. In that we have one of the well-known ytv/wnt-Z/rz/o pieces, covered with grotefques on compartments grounded alternately in blue and orange, around a central yellow medallion on w^hich is the figure of Cupid. The glaze having failed in the firing, the piece has been filled in with fruit modelled in the round, and again pafTed through the fire. A fimilar inflance of this economy obferved at the fame fabrique is in the writer's collection, but it is without the mark. Both thefe fpecimens are of that well-known model and flyle of decora- tion which has almoft univerfally been afcribed to Faenza. The prefent example differs materially in decoration, and is probably of later date, but it bears the fame monogram on the reverfe, and may with 528 Italian Pottery, probability be referred to the fame origin. It is one of a numerous clafs which Italian coUedtors have affigned to Imola j all diftinguifhed (■■-> by a thick coating of milky enamel, and ornamentation in pale and crude colouring ; but it is alfo prefumable that a fimilar kind of ware was produced at feveral cotemporary fabriques. One, very like the prefent piece, was in Mr. Reynolds' colledtion, and figned at the back Fatta in Torino ade 12 ^ Setebre 1 577. No. 4384 is probably from the fame pottery as the prefent piece, and we think that No. 8929 may be more reafonably clafled with it than under Savona. We have placed them among the later wares of Faenza, always with fome doubt in favour of the neighbouring fabrique of Imola or perhaps of Turin, to which place the artift may have fubfequently emigrated. We cannot agree with Mr. Chaffers, who refers this piece to Venice, reading the letters A. F. fo frequently feen on Venetian fayence, followed by V. E. for Venice. The Venetian mark he alludes to occurs only on wares of very different charadter, and of a later period. The writer has obferved a variation of the combined A and F with other letters, I and R, on a piece of this ware. 4384- '57- TAZZA. " Fruitier a.'' Border perforated in bafket- work pattern ; the centre painted with a figure of Juftice in blue and yellow on white ground. Italian. (Faenza or Imola?) Late i6th or early 17th century. Diam. 10^ in. Bought, i/. 8929. '6^, PERFORATED Tray or Bafket, with two foliated handles. A central medallion of blue leafage on yellow ground, with a ribbon infcribed S. A. G. S. ; the reft of the bottom and Faenza. 529 fides perforated, leaving a Tcroll and leafage device, coloured in blue, yellow, and green. Italian. (Faenza orlmola ?) 17th century. Diam. 12 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. There is fome elegance in the form and device of this piece, but the colours are cold and crude. The initials are probably thofe of the owner. It is perhaps of the fame fabrique as No. 4384. Mr. Chaffers afcribes this piece to Savona. By the Painter of the Mufeo Correr Service and of his Botega. A^77- 57- ilLAQUE. Square, Subjed of many figures in a hilly landfcape, a town in the difl:ance ; probably reprefenting Jofeph fold by his brethren ; after an unknown defign by a mafl:er, apparently of the Umbrian fchool. Italian (Faenza or Cafl:el Durante). About 1480-82. H. 15 in., L. 15 in. Bought, 40/. The decorative application of thefe plaques is unknown, but it is prefumable that they were like the fimilar paintings on porcelain now produced at Drefden, Munich, and elfewhere, made as fmall pi6lures for incruftation, or hanging in frames upon walls. The prefent fpeci- men is remarkable for its fize and for the excellent though timid art with which it is painted, indeed in the figure of the child in the fore- ground there is fo much of the fpirit of Raffaelle that, but for the probability of its having been already made at the time of his birth in 1483, and if the myth of his having painted on pottery could be believed, we might afcribe it and fome touches on the furrounding figures, to his boyifh hand. A broken hilly country is reprefented, of a thoroughly Umbrian charadler, among which are trees and a town in the difliance ; on the road thereto a party of four horfemen advances, feven others wait on a nearer rifing ground to the right, while on the 530 Italian Pottery, left three men, wearing turban caps and loofe garments, hurry away- together. The foreground is occupied by a group of fix men in armour to the right, and four women, one with a child in her arms, on the other fide ; they contemplate, and apparently are fpealcing to a naked boy, who flands in their midft, and by his attitude would feem to caft himfelf upon the flrangers, one of whom with open arms advances towards him. The whole compofition is more in the manner of the early Umbrian fchool, than in that of Francia, to which it next approxi- mates, indeed, the young Timoteo della Vite, Giovanni Santi, or even Perugino, might have defigned it. The colours ufed are fomewhat pale and liquid ; a lively yellow predominates in the drefles, and in the high lights of the trees, as gold was ufed for the latter purpofe in the paintings of that period. A pale thin blue is much ufed, and with great delicacy of effefl, a deep ochreous orange, a purple, and a liquid green complete the palette. The glaze appears to be ftanniferous, but it is difficult to determine from fight only, whether it be fo or merely the ordinary coperta covering a flip of fine white clay. From a careful comparifon with one of the plates now belonging to the writer, and formerly in the Pourtales Colle6lion, he is fatisfied that this plaque is an early work by the artifl who painted the other pieces of a fervice now in the Correr Mufeum at Venice, one of which is figned with an initial in early characters, apparently the letters T.M(?), accompanied by the date 1482 (fee Mark No. 19), but whether of the fabrique of Caflel-Durante or of Faenza, to which the late able diredlor of that mufeum, Signor Lazari, afcribed it, we are yet unable to decide with certainty. TAZZA Plate. " Scodella." The Judgment of Solomon. On a ftep of the throne is infcribed " non mi chi nee tibi fed dundiatur." Reverfe, a central rofette and radiating flutings filled in with fcroll work hi blue. Italian. (Faenza or Caftel Durante?) About 1482. Diam. 9J in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 22/. 6s. This plate is painted by the fame hand as the well known feries of pieces in the Correr Mufeum at Venice, one of which is dated 1482 (fee Mark 19). We know nothing of the hiftory of this excellent Faenza. 531 artift, whofe works are extremely rare, and to whom we afcribe the beautiful large plaque No. 4277. A plate in the pofleflion of the writer, is one of the fervice alluded to, reprefenting the Judgment of Midas, a continuation of which hiftory is the fubjedl of one of the Correr pieces. The prefent example may alfo have belonged to the fame fet, and it is worthy of note that the figned and dated piece illuf- trates another pafTage in the Hiftory of Solomon, his Worfhip of an Idol. A comparifbn of the writer's plate with this one and the plaque, has enabled him to corroborate the opinion he had previoufly formed. Solomon, wearing a turban, is feated on a throne raifed by two ftages from the diapered floor ; the fides of thefe ftages are ornamented with panels of arabefque fcrolls and central mafk, in the ftyle of the borders of the Faenza and Siena plates ; the two women, clad refpeclively in yellow and brown drefles, ftand before him, one with her hands in the attitude of prayer ; the executioner, nearly naked, and with uplifted fabre holds the child by one foot in the left hand, hanging with head downwards. The careful drawing and delicate tones of colour fo chara6leriftic of this early artift pervade the fubje6l ; the yellow drapery ftiaded with blue, and the liquid nature of the pigments, are peculiar, the high lights being delicately touched in with white. 69. '65. PLAQUE. The Refurredion. In the ftyle and probably from a defign by Melozzo da Forli. Italian. (Faenza or Caftel Durante?) About 1490-1500. H. 9! in., W. Bin. Bought (Pourtales Coll.), 126/. {See coloured plate.) In all the higher qualities, as well as m delicacy of Hniih, and minute attention to details, this plaque is perhaps the moft artiltic production of the Italian painters on enamelled pottery which has defcended to us. When we confider the fmall number of pigments known to the ceramic artifts of that early time, it is remarkable to find fo exquifitely delicate a tone of colouring as pervades the whole of this picture, at the fame time there is a breadth of treatment and an effeft of rilievo and of diftance, which are of a very high order. The handling is like that of the great illuminators of the day, as Girolamo dai Libri, and others, while the delicate tranfparency of the nicely graduated colouring has fomething of the effecfl of oil painting. It is the work of an artift of the higheft excellence, whofe mitial ^3 2 Italian Pottery. monogram at the back of the piece compofed of the letters T and B is all we know of his name or of his botega. The compofition is in a rocky landfcape, through openings of which are feen a mountainous diftance, with a town and a river or lake ; in the foreground the open farcophagus lies diagonally, furrounded by a group of eight foldiers moftly in armour, and in attitudes of varied proftration and alarm, a delicately pencilled cloud, among which are feen three cherubs' heads, fupports the rifing figure of the Saviour, who holds in his left hand the ftaff and banner of the crofs. The fpirit of Mantegna pervades the whole compofition, and is particularly ftiown in the bold and maflerly forefhortening of the proftrate foldiers, while the expreffion of fear, aftonifhment, and awe depicted on their countenances is rendered with great ability. A careful examination of the pieces figned with his monogram, and with others painted in the fame artiftic manner, among which is No. 1756, and a plate in the writer's colledtion, both of which were probably of the fame fervice as thofe preferved in the Mufeo Correr at Venice, leads to the inference that this plaque is by the fame hand, and that a feries of his works exift in the South Kenfington Colleftion. Much doubt has long prevailed as to who were the everal artifts fuppofed to have painted different works of the fame hand. Thus M. Jacquemart fMerveilles Ceramiques) agrees with the verdicSl of Signer Lazari, that the Correr fervice was the work of an able Faentine, while he afcribes this plaque to an artift probably of Siena, and of the early part of the i6th century. In the Louvre (G. 67), is the centre of a plate on which is admirably painted a group reprefenting the ecce homo^ and which, though fuggefted by M. Darcel as being in the early manner of Baldafara Manara, we have little hefitation in afcribing to the artift under confideration. The monogram on the pedeftal of the Salomone plate of the Correr fervice is read by Signor Faenza, 533 Lazari as G . I . O ., to us it looks more like an early half-Gothic T . M . followed by a paraphe, or letter p or q, but whether he altered his monogram from the one in queftion (Mark No. 19), no doubt can exift, in the mind of anyone who has ftudied and com- pared thefe various pieces, that they are the productions of the fame hand. We are inclined to think that the plaque No. 4277 is the earlieft work which we have recognifed, followed clofely by the Correr fervice, dated 1482. The fine plate in the Britifh Mufeum having the monogram (Mark No. 20), and the plate No. 1781, are perhaps fome years later than the mafterpiece now under confideration, than whidi we know of nothing finer in the whole range of ceramic painting. The pavement of tiles in the church of San Sebaftiano at Venice, which by fome writers has been fuppofed Venetian, bears another modification of the fame monogram (Mark No. 25), accompanied by the date 1510, and which we agree with Signor Lazari, after a perfonal examination, in referring to the fame botega, if not to the fame artift. Where he worked is yet uncertain ; after much doubt and confideration we are, however, inclined on this matter alfo to agree with our lamented friend, Signor Lazari, that his botega may have been at Faenza, although we ftill hefitate between that place and Caftel Durante. It has more than once occurred to us as not improbable that the early part of his career may have been pafiTed at Caftel Durante, where he would have acquired that Umbrian charadler which pervades his earlier works, and that delicate quality of liquid colouring fo apparent in the plaque No. 4277, painted after a defign of that fchool ; and that he fubfequently removed to Faenza, or to Forli, after which he may have adopted the mark of the fabrique as feen on the prefent plaque. We do not know the piece on which a mark (No. 10), the well-known crofled circle, afcribed to the Cafa Pirota, occurs with a loofely formed B ; we think, however, that no very fure inference can be drawn from that mark to connect our artift with that well-known fabrique. I 78 1. '55. TAZZA Plate. " Fruttiera." The fubjedl of Diana and Adason, with an elaborate landfcape background, covers the piece. Italian. (Faenza?) About 1500-10. Diam. I if in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 19/. -bps. 53+ Italian Pottery. This very beautiful plate is painted in colours of a peculiar tone ; blue, green, and white, heightened with a few touches of yellow, are ufed moft artiftically ; the landfcape background is of fingular beauty, and highly elaborated, while the outline of the figures in bright blue is delicately and carefully drawn. It has been afcribed to Diruta, but it appears to us to have more affinity with the works of the Durantine or Faentine painter of the well-known feries in the Correr Colle<5tion at Venice, to whom we afcribe No. 1756, the plaqtie No. 4277, and others in this colle6lion. The landfcape background has great fimilarity of treatment with that on the plate by the fame hand in the Britifti Mufeum (Mark No. 20). 2545. '56- PLATE. " Tondinor Hercules with the ' diftafF and Omphale ; Cupid lies at her feet ; Jandfcape diftance and a rocky foreground, in which is a label infcribed " omnia . viNCiT . AMOR .1522 ;" in the funk centre is a medallion land- fcape. Reverfe, plain. Italian. (Faenza ?) Diam. i if in. Bought, 2/. Although painted forty years after, we have little doubt that this plate was alfo by the excellent artift who produced the fervice in the Correr Mufeum at Venice, the plate marked with monogram compofed of the letters T. B. in the Britifh Mufeum, and the fimilarly marked and admirable plaque. No. 69 in this colledlion, as well as other pre- ceding pieces. His manner is difcernable, although confiderably modi- fied from his earlier and more timid handling, as feen in the large plaque No. 4277. 7680. '61. LARGE Tazza. " Fruttiera" The Gathering of the Manna, a compofition copied from an engraving by Agoftino Veneziano, after Raffaelle. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Faenza or Caftel Durante). About 1520-30. Diam. 16 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 100/. {See coloured plate.) Mr. J. C. Robinfon in the Soulages Catalogue remarks : " This magnificent piece is unqueftionably one of the moft perfed fpecimens LARGE TAZZA. The Gathering of the Manna. Faenza— ^^""^ 15"°— 3°- (7680 — 6t.) Faenza. 535 of the * Majolica iftoriata ' extant — the force of tint, variety, and har- mony of the colouring are moft remarkable, many pallages being in this refpedl of exquifite beauty. It is executed with unufual care, and the manufacture of the piece has been attended with perfect fucccfs. The name of the artift is not known. Several other pieces by the fame hand are, however, extant, all of which are of a high clafs. At the bottom, painted on a ftone, is a monogram blurred by the flowing of the enamel glaze ; it, however, appears to have been the initials F. R., the fignature found on feveral other pieces by the fame hand." The works of this clever artift muft not be confounded with thofe figned with a fimilar initial, as feen on the large plaque No. 4.351, reprefenting the Saviour bearing his crofs, and which was the work of that fertile but lefs able brufh which painted for the Cafa Pirota, in colours of a yellow tone upon the blue enamel. He who produced the work now under confideration was greatly fuperior in his power of delineation and of colouring. The Britifh Mufeum pofTeires one of his figned pieces, reprefenting the building of a houfe. An earlier figned example belongs to Mr. Fountaine, the fubjeit being St. Jerome in the Defert. One apparently by the fame hand, but not figned, fubje6l Cleopatra with the Afp, was exhibited by Mr. Addington, and is defcribed under No. 52 1 in the Loans Catalogue ; and the writer has a plate reprefenting a dance of cupids, from Marc Antonio's engraving after Raffaelle (Bartfch, 217), which he afcribes to the fame painter ''Loans Catalogue, 5208). By other Artijis prefumahly of Faenza. 2410. '56. ROUP, in high relief, reprefenting The Adoration of the Magi. Italian (Faenza). About 1480. H. IS in., W. 16 in. Bought, 8/. This quaint piece has more of the charadter of the Faenza wares than of thofe of Tufcany. The fcene is in a cave, above which a rocky landfcape is curioufly rendered ; the Virgin is feated holding the blefled Child on her lap, Jofeph (landing on her right i ali have the ^2^ Italian Pottery, nimbus encircling the head. Oppofite are the three Magi, one of whom is kneeling to prefent his gift. The draperies are in yellow, dark blue, and green. GROUP, in high relief, forming a fountain. A fleeping knight, by whofe fide ftands a man in civil coftume wearing a winged cap and holding a globe ; his horfe is behind. Italian. (Faenza ?) About 1480 or 1490. H. 18 in., W. 1 7-J- in. Bought, 1 5/. A curious group, which has been fuppofed to be of Nuremberg work, but which we believe to be Italian, and from the fame fabrique as the group of the Adoration of the Magi, No. 2410. In the back- ground is a caftle on a fcarped hill ; the knight's horfe is fattened to a tree, under which he is lying, his head refting on his helmet ; a ftafF or fword lies at his fide. The other figure appears to approach ftealthily, holding a globe in his right hand. The fubjedt may probably be derived from one of the Italian ftories of the day. J Fae 4406. 'Zl- UG. " Mezzina.'' Globular. The front formed as the head of a girl, projedting in high relief. Italian. (Faenza ?) About 1480. H. 6^ in., "W. 7 in. Bought, ill. This is a very unufual piece, of early date, and probably from nza. 1615. '55. CENTRE of a Plate. St. George and the Dragon painted in dark blue, green, and orange on the white ground. Reverfe, petals and fcrolls, with the monogram in dark blue. Italian. (Faenza or Pefaro ?) About 1480. Diam. 8 in. Bought, 8/. This is one of the inftances in which we fall back upon Faenza as a refuge, from our ignorance of the exad locality at which feveral 'aenza. SZ7 examples, bearing the fame mark of an M crofled by a paraphe, have been produced, the moft part of which appear to be by the fame hand ; and in venturing to afcribe them to Faenza we do fo with a fufpicion that Pefaro has as ftrong, if not a ftronger claim to their parentage. The approximation of ftyle in the decoration of fome of the pieces fo marked, to thofe plateaux with raifcd centre, frequently bearing a female buft, and brilliant in golden luftre, is a ftrong argu- ment in favour of their being Pefarefe. One example belongs to M. Jofeph Fau, of Paris, and is figured in Delange's Recue'il^ pi. 15 ; while at Narford is a difh fimilarly marked on the reverfe, having for central fubje ^y ^(a-^ ^ c^Vi^ ^ Fori). 547 No. 3. On a plaque in the Napier CoUedlion at Shandon (No. 3008), and defcribed under that number in the catalogue by Mr. J. C. Robinfon, who fuggefts that it may be by the mafter of Forli. It is dated 1523. The fubjeft is the Temptation of Adam, from Marc Antonio's print after RafFaelle (Bartfch, No. i). 548 Italian Pottery. No. 4. On a plate in the Louvre (G. 93), fubjeft, the punifh- ment of Croefus by the Parthians, with the legend : — " Aurum fitis *' Aurum Bibe." No. 5. This fignature and date are on the reverfe of a bafin in the Univerfity Mufeum at Bologna, on which is painted the fupper at which Mary Magdalene waflies Jefus' feet. CATALOGUE. 2591. '56. LAQUE. For wall incruftation. Kite-fliaped ; the arms of the family of Ordelaffi, Lords of Forli. Italian (Forli), About 1480-90. by 8f in. Bought, 4/. 1 1 m. The green of the lion is like that of Caffaggiolo, remarkable for its tranfparent nature, and is doubtlefs coloured by copper ; the drawing is vigorous and able. The Ordelaffi were Lords of Forli during the greater part of the 14th and 15th centuries; the laft, Luigi, died in exile at Venice in 1504. Dante refers to this family under the figure of the green lion's claws — " La terra^ che fe gia la lunga prova^ " E di Francefchi fanguinofo mucchio^ " Sotto le branche verdi ft ritrova.^' — Inferno, xxvii. 490. '64. PLAQUE, with ogee-fhaped top and moulded edge. The Virgin and Child, painted in brilliant colours ; outlined and fhaded with blue on white ground. Italian (Forli). Dated 1489. i8-| in. by 14 in. Bought, 14/. The Virgin is feated on a dwarf wall or pedeftal, coloured bright orange and purple, and infcribed with the date 1489 ; (he is clad in a loofe fitting drefs, laced in the front, and coloured green, with orange fleeves, embroidered and flaftied at the back of the arm ; a loofe mantle boldly outlined and fhaded with a deep blue, approaching in tone to that of Caff:"aggiolo, falls in heavy folds over her lap ; her hair is careleflly 550 Italian Pottery, and fimply drefled, and a thin white veil falls over her neck and fore- head ; fandals are on her feet, and her head furmounted by an orange nimbus. The Child fits on her left knee, fupported by her hands ; he is naked, holding an orange orb furmounted by a purple crofs in the right hand, and is crowned with an orange nimbus, crofled purple. The drawing of the whole fubjedt is very mafterly, particularly the treatment of the Virgin's head ; the heavy and fomewhat artificial folds of the drapery and the general manner of the defign is chara6leriftic of the fchool of Mantegna, and may with reafonable probability have been fketched by Melozzo da Forli. The tile No. 7549, which was purchafed at Forli, is by the fame hand, to whom alfo may probably be afcribed the difli No. 4727, figned at the back " i la botega d m'' jero da forli." 7410. '60. DEEP Bowl-fhaped Plateau. " Bacile.'' On the central medallion a fubjedt of boys gathering and picking fruit from a tree ; one climbs while fix receive the fruit below ; land- fcape background ; the fides of the bowl are covered with fcale pattern in orange and blue on white ground ; the rim, grounded in orange, is ornamented with fcale and ribbon work in blue and purple ; on one fide are two fhields of arms, in colour, fur- mounted by a crown ; they are thofe of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary. Reverfe, palmette and leaf ornament in deep blue on the white ground. Italian (Forli). About 1480-85. Diam. 18-Jin. Bought, 20/. A comparifon of this fine and boldly decorated piece with the plaque No. 490 will at once prove that the fame colours were ufed by the fame hand, and on an enamel of fimilar whitenefs and brilliancy, and that therefore there can be little doubt that this fervice, painted for Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary, was the work of an able artifl of Forli painting in the " botega " of Maeflro Geronimo. (See the notice on No. 490 and 4727.) The plate No. 1738 is of the fame fervice, and the vafe No. 8529 is from the fame fabrique, as is alfo the " tondino " No. 2597. The fine two-handled vafe from Mr. Webb's colledion, ^°' 35 1> is alfo afcribable to the fame fource, and we believe that the companion vafe is in the mufeum at Brunfwick. A plate in the Fori). 551 pofleffion of the writer, which was exhibited at the Loans Exhibition (Catalogue No. 5158) is probably a rather later and more careful work by the fame hand, as alfo in Mr. J. C. Robinfon's opinion is a plate exhibited by Mr. Barker, and defcribed under No. 5157, of the fame Catalogue. All thefe pieces have a ftrongly marked charafter, perhaps ap- proaching more nearly to the productions of the beft period of the CafFaggiolo fabrique than to any other, and have hitherto been clafled as of unknown origin, or with doubt afcribed to Faenza. Their Chara6teriftics are, an enamel glaze of great brilliancy and whitenefs, an orange colour of brilliant and deep quality, a dark blue of great in- tenfity, much ufed and in a peculiarly maflive manner, a liquid and tranfparent green, and a purple of great depth and tone. The ornamen- tation is in a large and boldly efFedlive ftyle, even in the fmaller pieces, although this manner is lefs apparent on thofe painted in blue camdieu. Matthias Corvinus was born in 1443, and began his troublefome reign in 1458 ; he married the daughter of King Podiebrad of Bohemia, and it is probable that the fecond fhield bears her armorial infignia. During the {^.vf intervals of peace which he was permitted to enjoy, he gathered about him the learned of the day, eftablifhed fchools and an univerfity, and formed a rich library of manufcripts. He was a liberal patron of the arts and fciences, an excellent linguift and fcholar, an able general, and brave foldier ; he died in 1490. This fine piece was found by the writer at a dealer's in Florence when accompanied by Mr. J. C. Robinfon \ a ftruggle enfued for the polTeflion of the prize, but it was concluded that the interefts of the Mufeum fliould prevail. PLATE. " Tondino." In the funk centre a rofette in dark blue on orange ground ; the fides have white leafage on white ground, " bianco fopra bianco ;" the rim, grounded in orange, is decorated with ribbon work and flowers in white, fhaded with blue, and touched with green, and bears two ihields of arms furmounted by a crown, thofe of Matthias Corvinus, King of Hungary. Italian (Forli). About 1480-85. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. ^s. One of the fame fervice as No. 7410, to which the reader is referred for further information. ^^2 Ita/ian Pottery, ^597' '5^- PLATE. " Tondino" In the funk centre is a medallion profile portrait of a man; the fides are plain white, and the wide border " a grotefche," with dolphins &.C., and foliated fcroll work, outlined and fhaded blue, relieved with yellow and green on an orange ground. Reverfe, concentric lines in blue. Italian (Forli). About 1485-90. Diam. loj in. By the fame hand as the fervice made for Matthias Corvinus, and perhaps another plate belonging to it, although without the coats of arms. (See No. 7410.) 1678. 'ss- PLATE. " 'Tondino" Orange ground ; in the centre a cartouche, infcribed GiAcin ta . b ; on the border, globes alternating with flowers, ribbon, and other mouldings, outlined in dark blue. Reverfe, diapering of blue and orange lines. Italian (Forli). About 1500. Diam. 9:^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 4/. 351- 72. VASE, half ovoid in form, below a fpreading fhoulder and elongated conical neck. On either fide is a fl:rap-like S handle, with fcroll ends ; the decoration, ftrongly outlined and painted in dark blue, divides into zones; under the projedling lip is a leafage moulding ; the upper part of the neck is diapered with quatrefoil pattern on yellow ground, the lower with reticulated ornament ; beneath the fiioulder is a belt of grotefques on yellow ground fringed with a trefoil edging ; followed by one of plain white, and another which, as alfo the PLATE. CEMRAL FIGURE AND DIAPERED BORDER. Forli or Faenza, about 1500. (,8:3. '55.) Fori). 553 foot, is diapered in fcale pattern, relieved with yellow or white on blue ; on the handles a band of crefcents in blue and yellow. Italian (Forli). 1480-90. Bought (Webb Coll.), 100/. This fine vafe is of unufual but elegant form, and its decoration marked and diftincft from the generality of pieces. A fimilar example, perhaps the fellow, is in the mufeum at Brunfwick, and from the ftyle of colouring and general character they may have formed part of the Corvinus fervice (No. 7410), although the abfence of the armorial bear- ings of the Hungarian monarch is negative evidence againft fuch a fuppofition. 1803. 's5' PLATE. " Tondino" In the centre on orange ground, a winged female figure holding a fceptre in her right hand and clafping a broken column ; the word forteza is behind ; border of fcale diaper, each bearing a flower in dark blue, touched with orange on white ground, and turquoife buds on orange. Reverfe, petals, &c., in blue and orange. Italian. (Forli or Faenza ?) About 1500. Diam. 8f in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. los. {See engraving.) This is a very beautiful plate, and of a ftyle of decoration in which the influence of the Perfian pottery is perceptible ; the dark blue flowers, centred with orange, and the buds of turquoife colour (an un- common pigment) on the orange ground, are arranged as a diaper of ex- cellent effect which harmonifes admirably with the fubjecSl centre on a rich orange foundation. The drawing of the figure is mafterly, and executed with great care. We have found difiiculty in recognifing the ftyle, which is of an advanced chara6ler, upon any piece with which we have had an opportunity of comparing it, excepting a plate in the writer's colle£lion, which forms a connedting link betw^een the prefent fpecimen and the plaque No. 490, and leads to the conclufion that it is of Forli, and by the fame hand as that and other pieces in the Mufeum and elfewhere. A certain correfpondence in defign and in the tone of colours would fuggeft that No. 2592, a large coarfe difli, may be of the fame fabrique. 554 Italian Pottery. 7549- '6j. TILE. Painted in blue on white ground; Sta. Veronica holding the " vernicle," or napkin impreffed with the face of our Saviour. Italian (Forli). About 1 490- 1500. Square, W. 10^ in. Bought, 2/. The drawing of this fubje6l is by the fame mafterly hand as the plaque No. 490. '64. This tile was purchafed by the writer in a fmall fhop at Forli, and there is every reafon to believe that it came from a houfe or church in that town, and is a work of its ancient fabrique. The difh No. 4727 is alfo of the fame fabrique, if not by the fame artift. 4727- 59- LARGE Plate. Chrift difputing with the Dodors ; painted in blue relieved with white on a white ground ; on the upright fides a diaper pattern in " bianco fopra bianco," and on the rim trophies of mufical inftruments, arms, tools, &c. Reverfe, elaborately ornamented with belts of foliated fcrolls in blue, on white ground ; in the centre, on a label under a goofe, is infcribed, " i la botega d m° iero da Forli." Italian (Forli). About 1500-10. Diam. I4in. Bought, 40/. Gs. 3^. {See coloured 'plate.') This very interefting piece is the only one known to be figned with the name of the owner of a botega in Forli, and unfortunately, as it ufed to be and ftill is fo much the habit in Italy, we only learn his chriftian name, " iero," for Jerolamo or Geronimo (?) ; whether painted by him we are not informed, neither do we learn his family patronymic. Though treated in a larger and bolder ftyle, we have little doubt that the tile No. 7549, and the fine plaque No. 490, are by the fame clever artift, and it is reafonable to believe that the defigns for all three were after the great mafter of the place, Melozzo. The fubje6t is ably treated. The youthful Saviour, with upraifed right hand, ftands in a fort of roftrum or defk, backed by a fufpended curtain ; the do£lors feated or ftanding in ranks on either fide, as though in the ftalls of a choir, are in various attitudes expreflive of furprife and anger, '^'order of Trophies. \ ur.i.i.—Si^Keri " / /<» ccitga d Mo. lero d Fcrli." At\".it 1500 — 1310. (472— «;9 ) Fori), ^^S which is fomewhat exaggerated in the drawing of the faces ; a child beats a dog immediately in front of the pulpit or roftrum, another, and a torn " roll of a book," are on the floor in the foreground. Nothing can exceed the beautiful porcelaneous quality of the enamel, which, thin but purely white and even, covers the whole furface with a brilliant glaze ; the entire fubje6l and ornamention are outlined, and fliaded with great delicacy in a blue of a fomewhat grey tone, and heightened with pure white. " A porcellana " is the manner of colouring, although perhaps with ftri6lnefs that term can only be ap- plied to the defign on the reverfe, which favours of the Eaft. The border, " a trofei," is moft elaborate, confifUng of arms, books, tools, flioes, mufical inftruments, &c. It was formerly in the Collegio Romano at Rome, from whence it was obtained by Mr. Cole, and is in as perfedl condition as the day it left the workfhop of M". iero. 837. '70. BOWL, on Foot, In the centre on a raifed fhield, between four dark red bofles bearing the letters S. P. O. R., is a female portrait buft, with the name " Camila " on a banderole ; encircled by alternate yellow and orange raifed ftuds, repeated on the edge and exterior, and funk flutings accentuated with dark red and yellow, outlined with blue ; the reft of the fur- face is diapered with pale blue arabefques on a white ground. Italian (Forli). About 1500-15 10. H. 4;J; in., diam. 13 in. Bought, 16/. 1 6 J. The fame hand that painted the plate No. 4727 undoubtedly executed this example. It is of unufual character, the form derived from the repouffe copper bowls made and much ufed in Italy during the 1 6th century, the funk flutings and raifed ftuds or bofles being evidently imitated from metal work. The colour of the glaze and general ftyle of the piece would, at firft fight, point to a Venetian 55^ Italian Pottery. origin ; but a comparifon with the plate refeired to proves a fimilarity of ornament on both {a porcelan\ as alfo on the tiles No. 30, leading to the conclufion that they were the handiwork of the fame able artift. 30. '66. TILES. Forming a pavement ; painted with various coloured devices, coats of arms, and portraits ; among them one, initialed P. R. and D. O., with the infcription ego PIGIT . PETRVS . INMAGINA . SVA . ET . IMAGINE . CACELERIS . svE . DiONisi . BERTiNO . RIO . 1513. From a villa at Pieve a Quinto, near; Forli. Italian (Forli). Bought, 88/. {See vignette.^ There can be no doubt that this pavement is the handiwork of the painter who executed the plate No. 4727, which the label tells us was made in the botega of M'^. lero in Forli, as alfo of the bowl No. 837 j but the above infcription leaves us in doubt as to whether thefe examples were painted by the Maeftro himfelf, or by one Pietro R. We hardly dare fuggeft the poflibility of the omiflion of the capital letter P in figning his name upon the plate No. 4727, or of the phonetic rendering of any local pronunciation of the name P/Vro, by which we may arrive at the conclufion that the Maeftro and the painter were the fame perfpn ; we would however fuggeft that there is fome awkwardnefs in the rendering of Geronimo or Girolamo by " iero." The initials twice repeated • upon the beautiful fcodella^ now in the Bafilewfki Colledion, which are given in facfimile, Mark No. 2, increafe rather than remove our difficulty. They may ftand for G. Irolamo or \eronimo, G or C (whichever the firft letter may prove to be) ; but how then about Fiero or Petrus ? or was the Petrus a perfon reprefented by the painter's brufti, that of M°. Geronimo ? That the tile upon which this puzzling infcription occurs, and the other portrait tiles of this pavement, and the Bafilewfki fcodeila^ were painted by the fame artift there is not the flighteft doubt, and we further believe that the difti No. 4727 was alfo his work in the " botega " of "■ M° iero." We muft hope for the difcovery of another fpecimen of his very excellent art, or of fome document which may Miore clearly reveal to us his name and hiftory. A plaque defcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon under No. 3008 in the catalogue of Mr. Na- Fori). SS7 pier's colleflion at Shandon, reprefenting the Temptation, Eve offering to Adam the forbidden fruit, after a rare print by Marc Antonio (Bartfch, No. i), is dated 1523, and is of the higheft artiftic excellence. Mr. Robinfon ftates that it has feveral points of refemblance with the Forli plate No. 4727, and we think it probable that it may be clafled as a more mature and careful work of the fame painter. On the back of the Shandon plaque is the Mark No. 3, which Mr. J. C. Robinfon thinks is intended to reprefent a diftafF and a weaver's ihuttle, " probably a charade or rebus of the name of the painter ; " if fo, may not the letter R, the fecond initial accompanying what may poflibly be the painter's portrait on the tile, ftand for rocca^ the Italian word for o- j J y ^GINE- CSCELEBJS'SYE DIOOTSI^BERTINO ,TiXO 'X^T3 n y diftaff, and the painter's name declare itfelf as P'letro Rocca? But this is mere fpeculation, perhaps more worthy of acceptance if we felt fure that thefe were really the objeds reprefented, but we confefs that there appears to us as great a fimilitude to a brufh and painter's palette as there may be to a diftafF and a fhuttle. Among the other portraits on thefe tiles are fome imaginary and or claiTic perfonages, and others which may be more real and of contempo- 558 Italian Pottery. raries. Thus we have " niron," " chamilo," " sase," " char- LOMN," "STEPHANVS . NARDINVS," " CECHVS . DE . RVBEIS," a doge, with the infcription " prencipvs qve . venecia," a bearded portrait of " VGOLiNvs . Mvsic,"^ and that of the painter " melotivs . pitor "^ of Forli, alfo a " Carolina " and a " leta." They are painted in an orange pigment, heightened with white, on a yellow ground, or on one of a nearly fimilar tint in camdieu^ and are bordered with blue arabefque leafage, a porcellana in precifely the fame tone of colour, and after the fame defigns, as a correfponding pattern on the plate and on the bowl before referred to. Thefe defigns occupy the larger octagonal tiles, others of which are painted with trophies, &c., in a like tone of colour ; on others again are fhields of arms, one of which bears : — per fefs, gules and azure, on the^ firft a demi lion rampant ifluant, or ; on the fecond three ftars, or, above three hillocks, vert. The other fhield bears : — per fefs or and azure, a dog (or wolf), rampant argent, fpotted azure ; on a chief azure, three ftars or ; and on a label beneath are the initials B . M . L . F . Another tile is painted with what is probably the imprefa of the family, a plant in flower, perhaps intended for a nettle, with the motto malva . per . chi . la . TOCHIA . FINIS. ; this may be intended for the common mallow plant, the malva fylvejiris^ known as the 7naha in Italian, but is not any known imprefa of the Malvafia family of Bologna ; on the other hand, we think the more correal reading to be mal . va . per . chi . la . tochia — harm or evil comes to him who touches ; a motto more appropriate to the nettle than the healing mallow. The moft important tile is, however, 1 Of this worthy mufician, Leandro Alberti, in his " Defcrizione d' tutta Italia," Bologna, 1550, folio, p. 280, fays, '^Ugolino (nominato Ori'vetuno) gloriofo mujico, et in-ventore de le note fopra gli articoli delle dita delle maner Florio Biondo, of Forli, in the " Roma riftaurata et Italia ilhiftrata," p.vi., fays, " Ugolino Urbi'vetuno da Forh ne le cofe di muficafilafcia d gran lunga qual fi ^oglia altro addetro, et il libra cJi' egli hafcritto d' miifica ofcurera qualunque altro die ti abbia mai fcritto non altramente che fifcrinja quello che ha Bonato fcritto d' apologia.'" Marchefi (Vit. Viror. illuft, Forliv, 4to. Forolivii, 1726, p. 182) fpeaks of him in fimilar laudatory terms as great in philofophy and mufic, and remarkable for the modefty of his profound charafler. He is alfo mentioned in equal terms of praife in an anonymous work entitled " Iluftri antiche e moderni d' Forli." Forli, 1757, 4to., p. 162. He was a canon and " Vicario generale." - This would feem to be a new orthographic variation of the name of the illuf- trious painter of Forli, which has heretofore been written as Melozzo, Melozzi, Melozio, and Meloccio, the latter preferred by Marchefi {Supp. ijlorie. della citta di Forli, lib. ix. all. ann. 1484), who tells us that he was fo highly efteemed by the Count Girolamo Riario, Signor of Forli, that he appointed him his equerry and gentleman, with large provifion ; while Zani, in his Encicl. Metod., does not hefitate to call him the " Raffaello degli Antiche." Fori), 559 that already referred to, on which the fuppofed portrait of the painter, with his initials P . R., and that of Dionifus Bertino Rio, his (or fome- body's) canceUiere^ or chancellor, or fecretary, initialled D . O ., are painted, together with the date and the infcription as given above. The latinity of thefe infcriptions is feldom claflic, and although in the prefent inftance it may imply that the painter Petrus had executed the portrait of fome other perfon and of his chancellor, we have fuggefted that his real meaning by the abbreviated word " pigit " was, that he had executed his own portrait on the tile, together with that of the chancellor, perhaps of his patron or through whom he re- ceived the benefit of the patronage, and in gratitude claims him for his own. It has been fuggefted that caceleris may be intended for con- ftgliere^ counfellor or advifer, but it may be after all only a high-flown title for his own fcribe and accountant. An ecclefiaftic in cathedral chapters is alfo termed cancellario. They formed the pavement of a private chapel in a villa at Pieve a Ouinto, between Forli and the pine foreft. 8967. '61,. VASE and Cover. Oviform, furmounted by a conical cover, having embofled gadroons and a feries of fix pointed lucarnes or windows, cufped and crocketed ; the apex is furmounted by a ball of orange colour ; the body of the vafe is divided into three zones by projedling mouldings, the lower emboffed with oblique gadroons, feparated by orange beading, and alternately painted with diapering in blue and white on the white ground ; the central belt is orange with palrnette ornament in blue ; the fhoulder has a band of acanthus leaves in green and blue ; the neck and foot, which has been much broken, have fimilar ornaments to the lower part of the body ; the handles, formed as winged dragons, are green, touched with blue and orange. Italian. (Forli?) About 1480. H. 24in., W. 15^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 80/. A very curious piece of early ornamental pottery, modelled and painted, and fliowing the Gothic character mixed with renaiflance orna- ment. We have no doubt that it is of north Italian origin, and a com- parifon of the colours and the manner of ufing them upon this piece and fome of the foregoing, particularly the belt of palmette ornament 560 Italian Pottery, on an orange ground, has led to the inference that it is probably from the botega of the Forli mafter who executed moft of the preceding pieces. Shaped pieces of this fize and early period are extremely rare. No. 7355 is of the fame fabrique and time. VASE and Cover. The body formed of raifed gadroons, painted with blue flowers, picked out with orange on white ground ; a wreath and leafage encircle the foot, and a gar- land of leaves is under the projecting fhoulder, from which rifes the neck, divided into compartments having blue flowers on an orange ground, between which are feated four children holding alternately a fhield of arms (azure, a fefs or) and a mandolin. The lip and the cover are encircled by a row of acanthus leaves in relief, the former green, the latter blue, and furmounted by another " amorino " playing a mandolin (broken). Italian. (Forli?) About 1480-90. H. 14^ in., diam. 7 in. Bought, 12/. An early and curious piece of ornamental pottery, combining deco- ration in rilievo and in colour. Although coarfely modelled, the general effe6l is pleafing. It is probably by the fame hand and fabrique as No. 8967. The arms are thofe of the Baglione family. 2592. 56. DEEP Difh or Bowl. On a central roundel a boar among cyprefs trees ; concentric circles of diaper leafage, guilloche, ribbon and other patterns in orange, dark blue, and green, on white ground. Reverfe, fl:arred circles in blue daflied with orange. Italian. (Forli ?) About 1480. H. \\ in,, diam. 18^ in. Bought, 8/. An early piece of doubtful origin, perhaps of Forli, Faenza, or CaiFag- giolo. We incline to the former j the decorative pattern of rofettes, &c. connects it with the beautiful litde plate No. 1803. On the Fori), 561 reverfe of a fmall " tondino " of the fame manner of decoration, and perhaps one of the fame fervice as the prefent example, occurs the Gothic letter Jb crofTed by a paraphe (Mark No. i). 6666. '60. PLATEAU for an Ewer. On the ralfed centre a fhield of arms and the initials P. P., furrounded by four medallions containing profile portraits of two ladies and two knights in armour, the fpaces between filled in with foliation and cornu- copiae on orange ground ; the edging of ftrapwork, on orange. Reverfe, concentric lines in orange and blue, and monogram. Italian. (Forli or Faenza ?) About 1500. DIam. 14-I in. Bought, 5/. Apparently an early piece, and interefting from the portraits, which may be of the father and mother, the fon and daughter. The blazon of the fhield is : azure, a bend bretefled argent ; perhaps that of the Marra family of Naples, or the Ranieri of CivitcUa, but a fimilar heraldry was borne by other Italian families. M. N N 562 Italian Pottery. 8559. '62,. VASE. Globular. A wide belt, grounded in bright orange, is covered with palmette ornament in white, outlined and ftiaded in deep blue ; on the neck and on the bafe a wreath of trefoil ornament. Italian (Forli). About 1480-90. H. 1 1\ in., W. 1 1\ in. Bought, 4/. The ftrength of colouring on this vafe is remarkable ; the fame rich maffive blue fimilarly ufed to that on Nos. 490 and 7410 mark it as being of the fame fabrique. (See the notices on thofe numbers.) No. 8528 is the companion vafe. 8528. '63. VASE. Globular. A wide belt of palmette ornament, outlined and fhaded in blue on orange ground ; on the neck and foot, belts of blue fcroll foliage on the white ground. Italian (Forli). About 1480-90. H. 12^ in., W. 12-Jin. Bought, 4/. The companion vafe to No. 8529. 4604. '58. DRUG Pot. Globular. A central belt of interlaced orna- ment and rofettes in white, outlined with blue on a blue ground ; a wreath of foliation below and fluting border above. Italian. (Forli or Venice ?) About 1500. H. 14 in., diam. 14;^ in. Bought, 6/. The form of the vafe, the fet decoration of the central belt, and certain details of the ornamentation, agree with other vafes having more of the chara6ler of the Forli fabrique, to which we are alfo difpofed to attribute this piece. Fori). 563 i/H- 55- VASE. Globular. A wide belt, grounded in orange, bears four medallions, two with helmeted, one with turbaned head ; and a figure of Juftice, above whom, on a ribbon, is infcribed ivstitia . dedio ; between are foliated ornaments in blue touched with green ; above and below are concentric belts of fcroll, trefoil, and cord ornament in blue on the white ground. Italian (Forli or Faenza). About 15 10. H. 11 in., diam. 13 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 17/. A boldly coloured efFe6tive piece, probably for the ufe of the Farmacia. 45 1/- 57- TAZ7.A Plate. Battle fubjed ; in the foreground a nude figure cutting off the head of a vanquifiied warrior, probably David and Goliath ; painted on blue ground. Re- verfe, infcription, " Fata in Forli." Italian. About 1540. Diam. 10^ in. Bought, 4/. Although by no means admirable in refpe£l of art, this is a very interefting plate, as the infcription on the back corrects former con- clufions as to a numerous clafs of works of fimilar ftamp, all of which have almoft univerfally been conlidered as the production of Faenza. An attentive examination, and a careful comparifon of a number of thefe fpecimens, will fhow that they may be divided according to degrees of excellence. The firft, of the higheft merit in refpeifl to careful painting and quality of colour, are more ufually marked at the back with the crofTed circle and pellet, believed to be the mark of the Cafa Pirota at Faenza, whence perhaps the ftyle and the patterns were taken by artifts who fubfequendy worked at Forli and elfewhere. In this fpecimen we have the type of an inferior clals painted in the fame manner, and even adopting the fame ornaments on the reverfe, among which is a fort of imitation of the crofTed circle mark They were perhaps produced as counterfeits of the wares of the rival fabrique at Faenza. (See remarks on No. 1776.) N N 2 5^4 Italian Pottery, A plate in the Louvre (G. 92) reprefenting the Maflacre of the Innocents, after Baccio Bandinelli, is probably by the fame artift, who, as we are led to believe, had previoufly worked at Faenza. Thirdly, we have a ftill inferior imitation in certain pieces produced at Padua. 38. -66. PLATE. ^' Conditio.'" The border of grotefques in light on dark blue ground, " fopra azzurro," an inner circle of " bianco fopra azzuro " and a central medallion with a fhield of arms furmounted by a mitre. Reverfe, flowers and fcrolls with circles dafhed with croff-lines in imitation (?) of the Faenza mark. Italian (Forli or Padua). About 1550-60. Diam. 11 in. Bought, 4/. As in the laft fpecimen the defign and ftyle of this plate are evidently derived from the Faenza pieces of an earlier date and fuperior execution, as No. 1734. The reader is referred to the notice on Nos. 1776 and 4317 for further remarks on the fubje<51:. The arms are thofe of the family of Canigiani, of Florence. RIMINI. HE firft, and indeed rhe only early mention of this fabrique is in the work of Piccolpaflb, where he names it merely as among exifting potteries. A few pieces have been preferved which confirm his ftatement, being infcribed at the back with the name of Rimini. The majority of them may have been of the fame fervice, being dated 1535, and alike in the ftyle of painting. A plate at the Hotel Cluny (No. 2098) is infcribed at the back " di Adam ed Eva, in Rimino. 1535'" In the Britifti Mufeum is another, reprefenting the Fall of Phaeton, which is figned at the back " 1535 in Arimin" (Mark No. i). M. Bafilewlki has a plate, figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 78, fubje6l the Trojan Horfe, infcribed "jn arimin 1535." One in Mr. Barker's colledtion was figned "in Rimino;" and another "in Arimi- nenfis 1535," as quoted by Delange, who may poflibly refer to the Britifh Mufeum fpecimen, the fubjed being fimilar. Some pieces in the Louvre are afcribed by M. Darcel to the fame artift as the Cluny example, one of which (No. 96), in addition to the titular infcription " NOE," has an ill-formed letter X or Z, fuppofed to be the initial of the painter, and a branch or vine ftem without leaves (Mark No. 2). On another (No. 103) the infcription " Guido Selvaggio," referring to the fubje6l, the Guido of the Orlando Furiofo, has been mifl:aken for the fignature of " Guido Salvino," who, according to Piccolpaflb, took the art to Antwerp. The ftyle of painting on thefe pieces is marked by a rather ftartling contraft of colours, the flefh tints very pale and heavily (haded with a reddifti yellow, the blues are blackifti, the drawing of the fubjed free and carelefs the landfcape being better treated, the tree ftems brown (haded with black ; but perhaps the moft chara(Sleriftic feature is a glaze of 66 Italian Pottery, fingular richnefs and brilliancy, which greatly enhances the effeil of the colours. Of a later date is a jug in the Mufeum of the Univerfity of Bologna, decorated with a fubjedt from Ovid, the handle, &c. a trofei^ and figned " Giulio da Urbino in bottega di M°. Aleflandro in Arimin." This is probably the artift who, according to Vafari's ftatement, went to Ferrara from Urbino, / Mark No. i. Mark No. 2. HOEX \ CATALOGUE. ILATE. '' Fruttiera" The Death of Abel. Re- verfe, concentric lines in yellow and infcription of the fubjed in blue, " Chaimo quado occife il fuo caro fratel Habel." Italian (Rimini or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 11 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. Rimini, 567 The manner approaches to that of an artift who executed fome pieces which are figned at the back " in Arimin," one of which is in the Britifh Mufeum ; they are remarkable for a very dark tone of fhading, but not for • great excellence. We doubtingly afcribe this, and fome other pieces of fimilar ftyle, to that fabrique. 8959. '63. PLATE. " Fruttieray Perfeus and Andromeda. Reverfe infcribed " D'Androma e Perfeo." Italian (Rimini or Urbino). About 1 540. Diam. 1 1 in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 8/. 1701- 55- PLATE. " Tagliere." The Metamorphofis of Adlason. Reverfe, concentric lines in yellow, and infcribed *^ Ateon mutato da Diana in Ceruo." Italian (Rimini or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 10^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 11/. lis. By the fame hand as No. 1753. ^7^3' ^35- PLATE. " Fruniera." Cain and Abel. Reverfe infcribed " Cain qaudo ucift abello fuo fratello." Italian (Rimini or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. io| in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. i6s. 6d. By the fame hand as No. 1753, and a repetition of the fubjedt dif- ferently treated. 568 Italian Pottery, 8964. '67^. PLATE. " Fruttiera:' Apollo and Marfyas, Reverfe infcribed " Marfio et Appollo." Italian (Rimini or Urbino). About 1540. Diam. 11^ in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 5/. Perhaps alfo afcribable to the fame painter as Nos. 1753, 1703, &c. RAVENNA. N the colleftion of the Baron J. Ch. Davillier, at Paris, is a plate painted in blue camdieu on a bluifti grey glaze of a fimllar tone of colour to that ufed at Venice and Padua, with the fubjedl of Amphion carried on the waves by three dolphins, and playing the viol. It is the work of an able hand, perhaps after the defign of a mafter of the fifteenth century, and is itfelf probably of the earlier quarter of the fixteenth. The fubje6l is furrounded by a delicate border, a porcellana, and on the reverfe is the infcription Ravena (Mark No. i). It is figured in Delange's " Recueil," pi. 46. There is an excellent copy of this plate, by a modern French artift, in the South Kenfington Mufeum (No. 712. '69). A pretty " hanap," or fmall jug, in Mr. Henderfon's collection, ornamented with yellow intertwined branches of foliage on a dark blue ground, and with a ftiield of arms fupported by two cupids, has beneath the handle the letters R.V.A., with the date 1552, which have been read as Ri^VfwA, but we think more likely to be the initials of the owner or painter of the piece. A jug of approximate form by Nicolo da Urbino is figured in Delange's " Recueil," and is one of the pieces of the Gonzaga-Efte fervice, fuppofed by fome to have been produced at Ferrara. Mr. Henderfon's example is not painted by that artift, although it may very well be of Urbino or Caftel Durante. Ravenna. 569 Mark No. i. "/- BOLOGNA. ICCOLPASSO refers to the earth ufed by the potters of this city, and it is probable that they produced works of merit, which, however, we have not as yet the means of diftinguifhing, no documents on the fubjedt or infcribed pieces having been difcovered. Some excellent modern imitations of Delia Robbia rilievos and painted wares are produced by Meflrs. Angelo Minghetti and Son, of that city, good examples of which were ftiown at the Roman Expofition of 1870. S70 Italian Pottery, I M O L A. lECES modelled fomewhat after the ftyle of thofe by Bernard Palifly have been afcribed to this fite ; wares covered vv^ith a thick white enamel, and frequently formed with balket-like open work at the fides, have alfo had this origin imputed to them, but we do not know by what authority, nor do we find any record of an example infcribed with this name. In 1790 Ignazio Cavazzuti, reporting on the works at Safluolo, alludes to a fabrique at this place, as alfo to that at Lodi, of which he was the dire6lor. NORTHERN DUCHIES. F E R R A R A. Y the refearches of the Marchefe Giufeppe Campori,' of Modena, we learn that Alfonfo I., Duke of Ferrara, who married Lucrezia Borgia, and was a great patron of art, found means, notwithftanding his troubled and warlike rule, to eftablifh a fabrique of Majolica at his caftle in Ferrara, This is con- firmed by Piccolpaffo, who further ftates that the Duke invented a peculiarly brilliant white glaze, afterwards known as " bianco di Ferrara." Although the precife period of the introdudion of the art is unknown, as early as 1436 the name of " Maeftro Bene- detto bocalaro in Cajiello'" is recorded ; in 1472 one Enrico, and in 1489 Gio. da Modena, are named ; while in the Memoriale of the expenfes of the Marchefe di Ferrara, Leonello, in 1443 occurs the firft men- tion of painted and glazed wares. We there find entries of payments made to one " Baftiano bocalaro " for tiles painted from the deficrns of Jacopo di Sagramoro and his companions, reprefenting various plants and vegetables, and which were placed over the benches of the " Cortile della Fontana " of the palace, then ufed as a market for herbs. In 1474 the chapel known as the " Capella del Cortile," in the ducal caftle, was confecrated ; it was erected by the Duke Ercole I., and Ariofto, in defcribing it, notices the pavement of painted tiles.^ Artifts appear to have been introduced from Faenza * ^' Notizie della Majolica e della Porcellana di Ferrara.'' Modena, 1871. 2 " Sellegado a guadri fsmipedali Jopra mtreadi de 'varj coluri concatenadi dt certe 'vitalbe.'" " Defer." MSS. in Bib. Palatina. 572 Italian Pottery, by Ercole I. about 1490, and Frate Melchiorre and his fon had a place allotted to them in the caftle, the former being known as " Maejlro del lavori di terra." A curious document is brought to light by the Marquis Campori from the Archives of Mantua, dated 1494, by which it appears that Ifabella (d'Efte), wife of the Marquis of Mantua (Gonzaga), had fent a plate, which had been broken into three pieces, to be repaired at Ferrara by the Maejiri working at the caftle ; this was done, and the mended plate returned by Francefco Bagnacavallo at the defire of the Duchefs of Ferrara, with another as a prefent. In his accompanying letter, Bagnacavallo fays that he has ordered fix pieces to be made, if it will pleafe her Excellency to have them, but that they will not be of majolica, but better, thinner, and lighter, all white, worked with white upon white [ma non ferano di maioUche^ ma ferano piu galante^ piu fubttlle^ et piu leggiere^ tuti bianchi lavorati di biancho fopra biancho)^ by which paflage the Marquis Campori infers that the broken piece fent was only of mezza-majolica, having a lead glaze, while that made at Ferrara was coated with the ftanniferous enamel, and that this was the then meaning of the term '* bianco fopra bianco" fynonymous with " bianco allattato malamente detto bianco faentino" not merely the decora- tion of a white arabefque upon a white ground ; but whether this white was introduced by the Faentine artifts or invented at Ferrara is an open queftion. Contemporary with Fra. Melchiorre, one Ottaviano da Faenza was paid in 1493 for wares furniftied to the nuns of " Corpo di Chrifto ;" and in 1501 Giovanni da Modena worked at fome ftoves in the caftle, while in the fame year the name of Biagio da Faenza firft appears, who in 1502—3 made fome wares for the new monaftery of Sta. Catterina, and in 1505-6 executed other work at the ^^Jiufa" in the " cajiel nuovo." At that time M^. Criftoforo da Modena was known as the " bocalaro ducale" who in the fubfequent year was ordered to cover a " loggetta " with tiles for the Duchefs Lucrezia Borgia. Duke Ercole I. was then in power, but was fucceeded by his fon, Alphonfo L, in 1 505, as Duke of Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio. From 1506 to 1522 the artiftic works feem to have been difcon- tinued, probably on account of the wars in which the Duke was engaged againft Pope Julius II. and the Spaniards, who took Modena and Reggio, and reduced him to great want of money ; fo much fo that in 15 10, not wifhing to increafe the charges on his fubjefts, he pledged his plate and precious obje6ls, even to the jewels of his wife Lucrezia, ornamenting his creden-ztera and making ufe of vafes and diflies of earthenware, the produce of his own induftry. This ftatement is thought by M. Jacquemart to prove the continuance of the manufacture, but we Ihould underftand it Ferrara, 573 rather as implying that the pieces produced by his own hands, or under his own fupervifion, at the ducal pottery managed by Maeftro Biagio before Alfonfo became duke, were brought into fervice on this occafion. This view is, we think, confirmed by the fadl that in 1520 Duke Alfonfo, through his ambaflador, Jacopo Tebaldo, at Venice, ordered a fet of jars for his fpexieria^ the produ6lion of which was to be fuperintended by Titian, and their coft arranged (about 2s. gd. each for the larger vafes). Of thefe eleven large, eleven fmaller, and twenty of the fmalleft fize, with the covers, were forwarded to Ferrara. Another indiredl confirmation, in the opinion of Campori, is found in a document referred to by him (at page 27) as being in the Archives of Modena, by which it feems that Ifabella Gonzaga had commiflioned Alfonfo Trotti, a gentleman of Ferrara, to procure for her fome plates of fine majolica in Venice and Faenza, which he did in 15 18. But may it not be equally probable that that lady merely wiflied to procure fpecimens of the artiftic pottery of thofe fabriques ? In 1522 the moneys paid for tin and lead are again recorded, as is alfo the engagement of Antonio da Faenza, at 12 livre per month (about 16s. 9^.), with food and lodging, for two perfons ; in 1528 he is fucceeded by one Catto, who died in 1535. It is not certain whether Antonio was a painter on pottery or a mafter potter; although he remained in the Duke's fervice till 1528, other " bocalari" were engaged, but it is not till 1524 that we find money paid (12 foldi) to one " Camillo " for painting vafes for the potter. In 1529 the brothers Dofli diredled the artiftic productions of the works, as two livre were allowed to Doflb for two days' work, tracing defigns for the potter, and to Battifta one livra for modelling handles. Thus it would appear that thefe great artifts, who were employed by the Duke to decorate his palace, &c., with frefcoes and paintings, gave defigns alfo for the pottery, and models for the fhaped pieces. Signor Giufeppe Bofchini, in his letter to Mayr on " due piatti dipinti in majolica^* fuggefts that as the Dofli in their decorations adopted the grotefques, derived and modified from the antique by the great RafFaelle, it is not improbable that fome of the pieces fo ornamented on a white ground, and which are generally afcribed to the potteries of Ur- bino, may have been the produce of the ducal eftablifhment at Ferrara ; and then defcribes two plates which he had {ttx\ in the hands of a dealer, as being of this charadler, and on each of which occurs the emblem and motto adopted by Duke Alfonfo II. on his marriage with Margarita di Gonzaga. Thefe were probably portions of the fervice, believed to be that which was ordered for the occafion in 1579, and of which' two pieces 574 Italian Pottery, exift in the South Kenfington Mufeum ; but of the works produced at the earlier period of the eftablifhment, under the management of Baftiano and of Biagio, we have no authenticated examples.^ M. Jacquemart has fuppofed that certain beautiful pieces, one of which, a hanap, is in the colle61:ions of the Baron Alphonfe de Rothf- child at Paris, and figured by Delange in his " Recueil," pi. 31 ; others in the Britifh Mufeum, and elfewhere, and which bear the united arms of Gonzaga and Efte, may have been of that origin, but on them the Gonzaga has the firft place in the (hield, impaling the coat of Efte. Thefe pieces are undoubtedly portions of a fervice made either for Gian. Francefco II. di Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua, who, in 1490, married the accomplifhed Ifabella, daughter of Ercole I., and fifter of Alfonfo I., Duke of Ferrara, or even more probably for that lady fub- fequently to her hufband's death in 15 19 ; ftie died in 1539. Some of them have monograms not eafily explained, although the firft letter of one, confifting of the interlaced Y and S, may be intended for a florid form of a letter I, and thus compofed of the two firft letters of the name " Ifabella," as in the cafe of the I.S. interlaced, adopted in the arms of Malatefta on the marriage of Sigifmondo Pandolfo with Ifotto da Rimini. The motto " nee fpe nee metu " occurs on fome of thefe pieces, which without doubt were painted by Nicolo da Urbino, and are referred to in the notice of the Fontana fabrique at page 324.^ Another pottery feems to have exifted in the Schifanoia palace, proteiled by Sigifmondo d'Efte, brother of the Duke, and directed by Biagio Biafini, of Faenza, who is mentioned in the archives of 15 15 to 1524. In 1523 three painters, II Frate, ^^ ptttore alia majolica" Groflb, and ZafFarino, are fpoken of as refiding there. This fabrique ceafed at the death of Sigifmondo, in 1524. From 1534 to 1559, during the reign of Ercole II., the work does not feem to have been encouraged ; Pietro-Paolo Stanghi, of Faenza, is the only artift recorded, having made the ornaments to a ftove in the caftle j but Alfonfo II. took more intereft in the manufailure, and Vafari fpeaks of the fine produilions of his furnaces. In his grandfather's time the artifts of Faenza were more renowned, but later, under the Umbrian dukes, Urbino had attracted the Fontana family, and other able artiftic * It has fometimes occurred to the writer that the pieces of the Mufeo Correr fervice, and others by the fame hand marked with the T. B. monogram (fee Faenza), may perchance be the work of Biagio. 2 Another plate of this fervice, which had long been in the poifefTion of the Gonzaga family, was recently fold at Meffrs. Chriftie's. It is centred with the (hield of arms, furrounded by fubjeft. Ferrara. 57^ potters from Cartel Durante, and had become the leading manufaftory ; thence came Camillo and Battifta, his brother, neither of whom how- ever, were of the Fontana family. « Campori attributes to Alfonfo I. the invention of porcelain, and cites a letter written to him from Venice on 17th May, 15 19, by his ambafla- dor, Jacopo Tebaldi, in which he refers to a fmall plate and a '•'- fcutella" of porcelain, which he fends from a Venetian potter, who, it would feem had made experiments at the Duke's fuggeftion, but who declines to continue them at his own coft, or to accept the Duke's offer to eftablifh him at Ferrara. It feems from this, more probable that the Venetian artift had fucceeded in producing a kind of porcelain, the fabrication of which the Duke of Ferrara wirtied to adopt and encourage in his own city, but which feems to have been then abandoned. And it would further appear from an entry in the book of the Duke's expenfes at Venice in September 1504, preferved in the archives of Modena and alfo made known by the Marquis Campori, that the fum of L''" 2. 3. had been paid ''^ per fchudelle fette de porcellana contrafaSla e una bochale a la chatalana" fhowing that this counterfeit porcelain was then produced by an unrecorded Venetian potter, probably the fame who, as we have juft feen, fifteen years later declines going to Ferrara, on account of his age, " che'l e troppo al tempo, et che non fe vole levar de qua." Nearly half a century has palTed away before we hear of frefh experi- ments in the production of porcelain, dire6ted by Mo. Camillo, of Urbino, afTifted by his brother Battifta, and which feem to have refulted in fuccefs. When injured by the accidental explofion of a cannon, which ultimately caufed his death and that of three gentlemen, in 1567, he kept the fecret, refufing to divulge it. This event is mentioned by Bernardo Canigiani, the ambafTador of the Florentine court, who fpeaks of Camillo da Urbino as a maker of vafes, painter, and chemift, and the true modern difcoverer of porcelain, " Ritrovatore moderno alia porcel- lana " (Campori, p. 50). It would feem, however, that his brother, Battifta, muft have known fomething of the procefs, which he may have been able to perfedl by experiments, for it appears that between 1568 and 1569 the work was continued, as on the 17th December of the latter year an entry is made of an unufual allowance of wine for a workman engaged in preparing the ingredients '■^ per far porce/Iani." The fd6\ of this difcovery of a porcelain of artificial or mixed body in the fixteenth century in Italy, feems to have been known and acknow- ledged, and is referred to by Vafari and Aldrovandi, in the following century by Magaiotti and Bonanni, and again in the laft by PafTeri, Targioni, by the OJfervatore Fiorentino^ by Galuzzi, and others (p. 51). 576 * Italian Pottery, Loft fight of until the fortunate appearance of a few pieces of the Medici china fet connoifleurs on the alert, and prompted Dr. Forefi, of Florence, to make fearch for documents on the fubjeit, refulting in the difcovery of records proving that thefe pieces were really fpecimens of the porcelain made by the Grand Duke Francefco 11. de Medici, at Florence, about 1580. It feems to the writer not improbable that two fmall vafes exhibited at the Loan Exhibition of 1862, one by Her Majefty, and one by the Earl of Stamford and Warrington, and defcribed by Mr. J. C. Robinfon in the catalogue of that collection under Nos. 7901, 7902, may have been produced by M^. Camillo at Ferrara, or by the unknown artift at Venice. As remarked by the Marquis Campori, it is more than probable that the Grand Duke of Tufcany and the Duke of Ferrara were both engaged at the fame time in making experiments for the fabrication of porcelain, and that each arrived at a nearly fimilar refult, and within a i^vf years of each other's fuccefs. The priority of difcovery would feem, however, to reft with Ferrara, but unfortunately we are without fpecimens which can be traced to that origin. There is much confufion in refpecft to the two Urbinati artifts ot the name of Camillo ; the patronymic of one, that M^. Camillo who worked at Ferrara, and was a difcoverer of porcelain, is unknown j but the other M^. Camillo, who is ftated to have gone to Florence, and is believed to have dire6led experiments with equal fuccefs for the Grand Duke, was the brother of the celebrated Orazio Fontana. The firft was killed, as we have ftated, in 1567 ; the laft was Hving until 1589. It is greatly to be regretted that we have at prefent no clue by which we can, even with probability, attribute any of the examples of majolica in our colleftlons to the earlier works of the Faentine artifts produced under Alfonfo I. at Ferrara ; the more fo as both under his reign and under that of Alfonfo II. the fabrique was condudled, not with a view to profit or commercial enterprife, but fimply from princely magnificence and a love of art ; the produce was for their own ufe, and for prefents among friends, but not for fale ; we may therefore conclude that it was of highly artiftic and great technical excellence. This was ex- ceptional among the potteries of that period in Italy, all of which (not to include the porcelain work of the Grand Duke of Tufcany) were commercial undertakings, more or lefs patronized and encouraged by the ruling families of their feveral localities. Some Ferrarefe pieces have doubtlefs been preferved, and are probably now clafled among thofe of Faenza, with which they muft have a great affinity. In the Gallery at Ferrara. 577 Modena are fome in the Urbino manner, which came from the guar- daroha of the Cafa d' Efte, and perhaps may have been made at Ferrara. It is not till 1579, when the art was in decadence, and when the Urbino ftyle of ornamentation prevailed, that, on the occafion of the marriage of Alfonfo II. with Margarita di Gonzaga, it is believed that a credenza was made, the pieces of which are to be recognifed by bearing the device of a burning pyre, with the motto " Jrdet aternum." This fervice is fuppofed by Signor Giufeppe Bofchini to have been made at Ferrara, but the Marquis Campori, notwithftanding a diligent fearch among the archives, which he has explored with fuch valuable refults to the hiftory of ceramic art in Italy, can find no entry of the produ6lion of any fuch fervice, nor indeed any further record of the continuance of the fabrique at the ducal caftle, after the untimely death of M*'. Camillo in 1567, or during the courfe of that year; from which he concludes that at the death of Battifta, M". Ca- millo's brother, which happened, as he believes, within a fhort period ; and perhaps alfo partly in confequence of the earthquakes which caufed fo much damage to Ferrara during the years from 157Q to 1574; the production of majolica ceafed, after having continued, with fmall inter- ruption, during a period of nearly a century and a half. The pieces of this fervice, although affimilating to the later pro- ductions of the Urbino furnaces, have a diftinCtive character of their own, and although their connexion with Ferrara may be merely one of ownerfliip, and not of origin, we think it well to clafs them for the prefent under that head, fimply becaufe we have no other ftandard to which we can attach ail that is known of the hiftory of that princely botega, and becaufe thefe pieces have, in default of pofitive evidence to the contrary, been accepted as Ferrarefe. They are remarkable for the purity of the white enamel ground ; the grotefques are by another hand than thofe on pieces univerfally accepted as of the later period of Urbino or of Pefaro, but they are not eafily diftinguifhed without examination of the fpecimens fide by fide. They cannot bear comparifon with the finer works produced at the Fontana fabrique at Urbino in the zenith of its exiftence, want- ing that mafterly execution of the grotefques, which we are difpofed to attribute to Camillo, and indeed hardly fuperior to thofe painted at Rome by M°. Diomede Durante. Two pieces of this fervice are in the Louvre (Nos. G. 588, 590); two others from the Soulages Colledion are in the South Kenfington Mufeum. At Narford is a circular ciftern or vafque, with ferpent handles, decorated externally with grotefques on the white ground, and 578 Italian Pottery, infide with the figure of Neptune riding on the fea j on a rock rifing from the waves is placed the blazing pyre, furmounted by the motto " Ardet aternufn." There is alfo a falt-cellar, and a vafe with ferpent handles and double fpout, in the fame colleilion, decorated in the fame ftyle and bearing the fame imprefa. Another example is in Mr. Na- pier's colle6lion, No. 2956. Alfonfo II. died in 1 597, after which the dukedom was abforbed into the States of the Church. The Efte removed to Modena, to which place the contents of the palace at Ferrara were carried, in- cluding the old majolica, fome of which is mentioned in inventories of the 17th century. A few pieces, which efcaped deftru6tion during the French invafion of Italy, were gathered from negle£led corners of the palace, and placed in the Public Gallery of Modena in 1859. CATALOGUE. 504. '65. ASE, or Cruet. Ovifornij with twifted fnake handle and double fpout. Painted with Ur~ bino grotefques on white enamel ground ; on the front a device of a flame of fire, with the motto, " Ardet asternum," on a fcroll ; and on a label under the handle the word ^' OLIO." Italian. (Ferrara ?) 1579- H. 8 J in., W. 4^- in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. 505- '63. VASE, or Cruet. Oviform, with twifted fnake handle and fpout ; painted with Urbino grotefques on white enamel ground ; on the front a device of a flame of fire, with the motto, " Ardet asternum," on a fcroll ; and on a label under the handle the word ACETO. Italian. (Ferrara ?) W. 4f in. Bought (Soulages Coll.), 15/. It has been not unreafonably fuppofed that thefe pieces were really made at Ferrara for Al- fonfo II. on his marriage in 1579 with Margarita de Gonzaga, and formed portion of a fervice of which we have fpoken in the introduftory notice to this manufa6lory. The device of a flame, with the motto " Ardet aeternum," occurs on the reverfe of a cotemporary medal, on which are portraits of the Duke and Duchefs facing each other. An engraving of this medal is given in Litta's folio work on the Italian families, under that of Efte. .>"^ (Aic^-iii (li !7e nci ieu J ^ "^ "^ M O D E N A. LTHOUGH the antique pottery of Modena is referred to by Pliny and by Livy, we have no exacSl record or marked example of wares produced there during the period of the renaiflance. Modenefe artifts in terra-cotta worked at Ferrara, and Criftoforo da Mo- dena was boccalaro to the Duke of that territory in the 1 6th century. At the end of the 15th century Codro Urceo, the poet, fent a prefent of pottery to Luca Riha from Modena, accompanied by a Latin epigram. PiccolpafTo, moreover, names Modena as a place where majolica was produced, but whether of a fuperior or of a more ordinary kind we are not informed. In the laft century Geminiano Cozzi, of that city, was the leading maker of porcelain at Venice about 1765, but the monopoly granted to the fabrique of Safluolo impeded the manufacture of enamelled wares elfewhere in the duchy. At Sassuolo, a town prettily fituated ten miles to the fouth of Modena, an eftablifliment for the manufa6lure of enamelled earthen- ware was introduced by Gio. Andrea Ferrari in 174.1. It would feem, from documents quoted by Campori, that he obtained from the Duke Francefco III. the right of making ordinary white and painted majolica, as the ftanniferous enamelled wares were then univerfally denominated, to the exclufion of all rivals in the duchy, and all importation of the like from other parts, except during the fair held at Reggio. The work commenced in 1742, and in a h^N years he was joined by Gio. Maria Dallari ; their rights were from time to time renewed, and in 1756 confirmed to the extent of granting the monopoly to the family for three generations ; the materials were not to be charged with import duty, and the advantages fccured to the fabrique were further extended in 1761 by even excluding the foreign wares from the fair at Reggio ; the manufacturers on their part being bound to fupply the duchy with an abundance of good wares at 584 Italian Pottery. moderate prices. Notwithftanding occafional appeals againft the monopoly, the work continued, employing artifts from Imola and Faenza, among others Ignazio Cavazzuti of Modena, and Pietro Lei of Safluolo, the ceramic painter, who was fubfequently aflbciated with Cafali and Caligari at Pefaro in 1765. The wares produced were various, among others finer pieces painted in the Japanefe ftyle, and with flowers and gilding ; groups of figures were alfo made, and a large export bufinefs carried on. In 1790, the fpirit of free trade having ftirred the minds of the council, notwithftanding a moft favourable report made by Ignazio Cavazzuti, an " expert " of the period, in anfwer to an appeal againft the conduct of the manufafture, permiflion was granted to import wares from other principalities into the duchy. The French invafion, that deftru6live volcanic wave, which after devaftating the continent of Europe, carried away on its receding furge to the country whence it came, the more valuable and portable treafures which its advance had uprooted, feverely injured the manufac- tory at Saflliolo, as it had deftroyed that of Buen Retiro ; but it partially recovered from the fliock, not, however, again producing wares above thofe of ordinary quality. It ftill continues, employing fome 50 or 60 hands at two feparate eftablifliments directed by the brothers Carlo and D. Antonio Rubbiani, who fent fpecimens of its produce to the Paris Expofition of 1867, gaining the bronze medal. Reggio muft have had a pottery, for in 1565 an appeal was made to the Duke Alfonfo II. to forbid the importation of wares from elfewhere, whereby to encourage the native boccalari \ but what they produced does not appear. At ScANDiANO, a neighbouring horgata^ one Nuvoletti fet up in 1754 to make enamelled ware, but the privileges granted to Safluolo were fatal to his undertaking. So alfo at S. Possidonio, where the Marquis Achille Taccoli eftabliflied an experimental pottery at his villa about the fame period ; he was joined by one Carlo Cremonefi, followed by Geminiano Benafll of Modena and Paolo Coftoli of Padua. The work lafted a year only, when it was put down and the produce deftroyed by the authorities, on the ftrength of the monopoly granted to SaflTuolo. The Marquis made another effxirt, but with the fame refult. Mantua. 5^5 MANTUA. ROM a document in the Archivio della Camera di Com- mercio, feen by Signor Portioli, and referred to by Campori, it would appear that the art was introduced at Mantua under the government of the Marchefe Lodo- vico III. (1444-1478), 'and that its workers had their ftatutes, which were altered and amended from time to time ; but we are quite unable to judge of the character of the wares produced. They were prefumably of an inferior quality, for we find that Ifabella D'Efte in 1494 (fee Ferrara) procured majolica for her own ufe from Ferrara, Urbino, &c., which would argue that the pottery 0/ Mantua was inferior. In the fecond half of that century Schivenoglia mentions a bottega di MaioU^ condu6led by one Zonan Antonio Majolaro^ and remains of a furnace with fragments of ware was difcovered in 1864 on the riva al Lago inferiore^ from whence Signor Porlioli procured a fmall plate painted with a female buft, arabefques, &c. Campori ftates that about 1591 potters came from Arbizzola or AlbilTola on the Ligurian coaft and eftabliihed a botega which exifted till 1630 ; he quotes documents of the year 1616, confirming its exiftence, and of 161 7, prohibiting the importation of foreign wares, except at the fair of S. Lorenzo in Oftiglia. This order was repealed in 1621, and in 1626 another document confers the right of making majolica upon one Lazzaro Levi. Campori fuggefts that the imprefa adopted by Francefco Gonzaga after the battle of Taro, namely a crucible in a fire and containing ingots of gold, may be a diftinguifhing mark of the Mantuan faience even of a later period. VENETIAN STATES. VENICE. UR knowledge of the produdion of Majolica, or rather of artiftic enamelled pottery, in Venice may be faid to begin with the year 1540. Previous to that date there can be little doubt that the Venetian ovens produced enamelled wares of greater or lefs merit, but we have no fufficient record of their charadler. The refearches of the late Signer Lazari, of the Marquis Campori, and of Sir William Drake have given to us all that we know^ upon the fubje6l, in addition to the more pofitive evidence infcribed upon fpeci- mens in our colle6lions. We learn from the archives of Modena that in 1520 the great Titian was commiffioned by Alfonfo I. of Ferrara, through his agent at Venice, Tebaldo, to procure a quantity of glafs, made at Murano, and of earthen and majolica vafes, for the ducal pharmacy ; and that Titian himfelf undertook to fuperintend the execution of the work. On the ift June in that year Tebaldo writes : "By the boatman, Giovanni Trefla, I fend to your Excellency eleven great, and eleven medium, and twenty fmaller vafes of majolica, with the covers, com- manded by Titian for your Excellency's pharmacy." We may therefore infer that the works at Venice were either fuperior in their productive capacity to thofe eftablifhed in the csftle at Ferrara, or that thefe had ceafed working for the time. M. Jacquemart believes that works producing artiftic wares exifted at Venice as early as the fecond half of the fifteenth century, arguing that if the qualities of the Venetian pottery were of fo high an order at that period as to induce the inventor of the celebrated bianco d'l Ferrara to order vafes for his own pharmacy, it muft have been developed and perfected from an earlier date. Ve7iice» 587 M. Jacquemartj in fupport of this opinion, inftances an albarello in the coUedlion of M. Fayet, painted with a portrait head with long hair cut fquare on the forehead, in the fafhion of the fifteenth century, and having among the ornaments a legend in Venetian patois. But Signor Lazari confidered that the examples of glazed tiles, exiftent in the facrifty of the church of Sta. Elena at Venice, having the arms of the Giuftiniani family, and dating about 1450-80 ; as alfo thofe in the Lando Chapel of S. Sebaftiano, having a monogram and the date 15 10 (fee Faenza), and other examples anterior to about 1545, were importations from Faenza or from Caftel Durante ; an opinion fhared by the writer after a careful examination of thofe pavements. It would feem that wares, either the produce of the Venetian potters, or perhaps the Valencian and " Damas " wares, together with Venetian glafs, were obje6ls of Venetian commerce with England, carried on by means of the celebrated galleys of Flanders. Among Mr. Rawdon Brown's Venetian ftate papers ^ is recorded a fafe condu6l from Richard 11. , granting permiffion during ten years to the paflengers on board two Venetian galleys then lying in the port of London (27th September 1399), to fell fmall wares brought over by them, namely, glafs veffels and earthenware plates, free of duty.^ Sir William Drake gives the wording of a petition, dated 22nd December 1664, from the Guild of the " Boccaleri " of Venice, in which reference is made to previous decrees in their favour ifTued in the years 1455, 1472, and 15 18, prohibiting the importation of foreign earthenware; and a decree of the Senate of 21ft March 1665 prohibit- ing the importation or fale in Venice of any fort of foreign earthenware, by any perfon not being a member of the Guild, but upon the condition that that body ftiould keep the city well fupplied with " latefini," and that {hops fhould be kept open for its fale. Two varieties of earthenware are, however, exempted from this pro- hibition, viz., " correzzoli " crucibles, and the " magiolica da Valenza." The petition ftates that the workers at this " povera arte " were reduced to thirty perfons, including mafters and workmen. From the general tenour of this petition we may reafonably infer that at the period of its prefentation the potter's art in Venice was reduced to the production of very ordinary wares ; neither do we find any allufion to its artiftic excellence at the periods of the former decrees, the laft of thofe referred to being of the year 15 18, two years after which comes Vol. I. p. Ixvi and p. 39. Drake, Veil. Cer., p. 10. 5^8 Italian Pottery. the order from the Duke of Ferrara for pharmacy jars, and not till twenty years after, the firft recorded piece of artiftic ware bearing a date. It is curious, and perhaps confirmatory of the inferiority of Venetian artiftic pottery at the period, that an exception fliould be made in favour of the majolica of Valencia, which we know alfo to have been imported into Genoa. At the date of the decrees of 1455, 1472, and 15 18 thefe Spanifti wares were in great perfedlion, but were fadly inferior in 1664. It feems probable, therefore, that from 1540 to 1550 was the culminating period of the excellence of Venetian pottery in refpe6l to painting and defign ; but it is neverthelefs reafonable to fuppofe that the pieces produced in 1520, under the fupervifion of Titian, muft have been decorated with confiderable artiftic excellence. The earlieft dated example is a deep circular difti in the writer's colle6lion, the centre of which is occupied by the figure of a mermaid floating on the fea, a horn in her right hand, and regarding herfelf in a mirror which {he holds in her left ; the wide border is covered with intricate and very elegant arabefque fprays of foliage, with fruits and flowers, among which are birds. The whole is painted in dull pale blue on a grey enamel, and heightened with white, and on the reverfe is the infcription " 1540 • adi • 16 • del • mexe • deotvbre." This plate is clearly by the fame hand and of the botega of M°. Lodovico, whofe name occurs on No. 4438 of the South Kenfington colle6tion. An interefting difli which has recently come under the obfervation of the writer, through the courtefy of its prefent owner, Mr. Durlacher, is infcribed at the back, " In Venetia a St° Barnaba. In botega di M° Jacomo Da Pefaro, 1542." The glaze is of a uniform pale grey tone, probably intended to imitate Chinefe celadon, and the furface is covered with ornamentation painted in white. In the centre are a fifh and a mafk, foliated fcroll and ftrapwork, with flowers, &c., fur- rounds, and on the border are four heads in medallions, infcribed LYCRETIA . OMERO . FAVSTINA . oviDio . This piece bears witnefs to the eftablifliment of another Pefarefe artift at Venice, not hitherto recorded. The next date, 13th April 1543, is on the plate No. 8512, accompanied by a name which reads aolasdinr, and is a piece of the fame general character as the firft, but may be by a different brufli. It would feem alfo that Guido Merl'igno^ of Urbino^ had a fhop in Venice at San Paolo. Mr. Marryat ^ cites an example infcribed " Fate in botega de Guido 1 Op. Cit., p. 65. Venice, 589 Merligno Vafaro da Urbino in San Polo a di 30 di Marzio 1542." (See Urbino, p. 351.) There is another in the Brunfwick Mufeum ; another is referred to in the Campana ColIe6lion at the Louvre ; and the Rev. T. Berney poffefles an example. (S. K. Loans Catalogue, p. 443.) Thefe pieces are of fomewhat coarfe execution, and the evidence of their produ61:ion at Venice entirely refts upon the words " in San Polo" occurring on the firft example referred ^o by Mr. Marryat. The prefent w^hereabouts of that plate is unknown to us, neither are we informed as to its artiftic merit. About this period one Simone Marinoni eftablijfhed a pottery in the fuburb of the town of Baflano, known as the " Marchefane," as recorded by Lazari^ on the authority of Gian. Battifta Bafeggio. The fame inveftigator, quoting from Piccolpaflb, refers to a fabrique of enamelled earthenware exifting in Venice between 1545 and 1550, which Piccol- paflb had vifited, and which was conduiled by Francefco or Cecco di Pieragnolo del Vafaro and his father-in-law, Gianantonio da Pefaro^ from Cafl:el Durante. They had erected the largefl: furnace to be feen in thofe days.^ Piccolpaflb alfo defcribes the mills for grinding clay, peculiar to Venice, and flrates that earth was imported from Pefaro. Thefe artifl:s probably introduced a new fl:yle. Further we have the Narford plate, the work of a different painter from thofe produced by Maeftro Lodovico, and probably of a different botega, dated 1546, and infcribed fatto in Venezia in chajlello (fee Mark No. i). And again of the 25th April 1550 is the plate No. 4605, which with greater probability may be deemed of the Lodovico botega. M. Demmin ^ mentions a difti at the Hague in the Meerman Weftreman Collection, infcribed " I fortiflimi Roma contra ire Pierro Baldantonio a di Octo. 155 1, in Venicio." In 1567 Battifl:a di Francefco, writing on the 25th May to the Duke of Ferrara on the fubje6l of borrowing the fum of three hundred crowns, in confideration of his fervices, which he offers to the Duke as a mafter potter and maker of majolica in various fliapes and of various qualities, fays, that he is then living at Murano with his wife and children ; he ' Not. Race. Correr, p. 79. - *' Ne ho veduta una io in cafa di M. Francefco di Pier del vafajo della terra di Durante, larga 10 piedi e lunga iz, dico di fopra dalla volta quella del piancito, ed avea tre bocche dove fi dava fuoco, ma quefta non fa al propofito noftro." Page 29 of the Roman edition. ^ Guide de TAmateur. 590 Italian Pottery. tells the Duke that he pofleffes a well-ftocked fhop, but that he is anxious to ferve him as a potter at Ferrara, having heard fo much of the Duke's magnanimity and other excellencies ; and he begs a reply- may be addrefled to M. Battifta di P'rancefco, maker of majolica vafes, Rio delle Verrieri, Murano. We do not hear of his having received the appointment. In the Brunfwick Mufeum there is a large difh, having the fubjedt of Mofes and Aaron entreating Pharoah, with a rich border of medallions figurative of the months, &c., and the infcription " 1568. Zener Domenigo da Venecia Feci in la botega al ponte fito del Andar a San Paolo." The companion difti in the fame colle6lion is not figned ; its fubje6l is the Overthrow of the Egyptians in the Red Sea ; the reverfe has a fine fcrollwork border on rich blue ground. Another, and prefumably inferior, fabrique produced in 1593 the drug pot No. 5402, by " Jacomo Vafellaro, a ripa granni," after which we lofe fight of dated pieces till the earlier years of the next century. One Stefano Barcella Veneziano was an artift on enamelled wares, but whether he painted at a Venetian pottery or elfewhere is uncertain. (Mark No. 2.) We next come to a feries of pieces having for mark a C-formed fifh hook, with loop at one extremity and barbed point at the other. The only name which occurs in connexion with thefe examples is that of one Dionigi Marini^ who figns a plate having this mark twice repeated, and the date 1636. Its fubjeil is horfes, and it is ftated to be in the colleilion of M. Roger de Beauvoir. The fame mark, with the date 1622, is on a piece in the Berlin Mufeum. A plate, alfo referred to by M. Jacquemart and by Mr. Chaffers, reprefenting the Annunciation, was in the Uzielli Collection, and on it the hook divides the four letters of the date 1571. This fpecimen has been loft fight of, but it feems more probable to the writer that the date may have been read in error, perhaps from the imperfe6lion of the glaze, and had been intended for 1621 or 1671. A large room fountain in the Hotel Cluny, decorated with mafks and garlands in relief, has a fimilar mark, but M. Jacquemart confiders that its ftyle denotes a period of produ6lion too far removed from that of the plate in queftion to fuppofe any connexion in regard to their mutual fabrique. He does not appear to have feen the plate, neither has the writer, but M. Jacquemart's remark is confirmatory of our doubt as to the correal reading of its date. Venice, 591 About the middle of the laft century the eftablifhment of the Bertolini at Murano produced enamelled earthenware. At Nove the Antonibon, and at Bafano the Marnardi, and Gio. Maria Salmuzzo, and in its neighbourhood Giovanni Antonio Caffo, were manufactures of enamelled pottery of various excellence during the fecond quarter of the century. In 1753 the Bertolini obtained a decree of the Senate permitting them to open a fhop in Venice for the fale of their majolica, free for ten years of all import and export duties. In their petition they had ftated that the ware they were able to produce, after many coftly experiments, was perfect in refpeil to the qualities of whitenefs, lightnefs^ and deftgn^ and equal to that produced by any other fabrique in the State, but that from the monopoly held by Antonibon, of Nove, and Salmuzzo, of BafTano, they were unable to compete with them, although the wares they produced were of equal excellence. Notwithftanding, themanufa6lory had ceafed before the expiration of the term of the decree in 1763, when it was annulled. The leading chara6leriftics of the enamelled pottery produced at Venice in the fixteenth century, are, a clofe bufF-coloured body, covered by an even glaze of grey colour, produced by the admixture of a fmall portion of zaffre, and known as " fmaltino." A fimilar tone of ground- ing was ufed at Padua. Upon this the defign was outlined and fhaded in blue, of a rather low tone, the high lights being touched in with white. The reverfe of the diflies generally have a belt of foliated fprays round the rim, and radiating flutings or alternating thin and thicker lines round the " cavetto." It is worthy of remark that fome of the Paduan wares are fimilarly ornamented, and we may thence infer fome connexion between the eftablifliments, or an attempt at imitation ; the fadl that a crofs was adopted as a mark at both places is alfo noteworthy. Such are the pieces produced by M°. Lodovico about 1540, but we may alfo aflign to his botega others on which the glaze is of greater richnefs, and the blue of greater intenfity, with the occafional uie of a brilliant yellow pigment ; of fuch are No. 4605, dated 15 50, and we are inclined to conclude that thefe pieces are of the later period of the manufacture and betraying Durantine influence. The fubjeCl pieces, fuch as Mr. Fountaine's plate made " in Chaf- tello," 1546, and one unfigned in the writer's pofleffion, reprefenting the deftrudlion of the children of Niobe, but without infcription, betoken the influence of Urbino, and may have emanated from the botega of Guido Merligno. 592 Italian Pottery, The Venetian wares of the laft century, which, without pofitive proof, are generally believed to have been produced by the Bertolini, have alfo diftinclive qualities. They are remarkable for their thinnefs and lightnefs ; baked at a high temperature, they are almoft as fonorous as metal, the ornamentation round the rim frequently executed in rilievo, they have been miftaken for enamelled copper with repoujfe flowers, &c. The colours ufed on them were generally blue and brown, with yellow occafionally, on a pale blue or dull white ground. Venice lays claim to the invention of porcelain, and we have alluded to this matter, although beyond the boundary of our fubjeiR:, in the notice on the fabrique at Ferrara. Venice, 593 MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On a difh, 20 inches in diameter, of pale grey ground, white ornamentation [bianco fopra fmaltino) of lacework, fcrolls, &c., with medallions on the rim. In Mr. Durlacher's pofleflion (Auguft 1872). dj o ©4^f^ 4^-^ No. 2. On a circular difh, 21 inches in diameter, in Mr. Foun- taine's colledlion. The fubje6l, the Deftrudlion of Troy, covers the whole furface. It is figured in Delange's " Recueil," plate 80. if^39' '5<''-) Venice, ^gg defies us. The date, 13th April 1543, is accompanied by what may be a fignature. 4431- '58. CIRCULAR Difh. " Badle." In the central medallion a Cupid running with a bafket of flowers ; radiating palmette ornament alternately in white and blue, and a wide arabefque border of foliage and fruit, with birds, &c., all in blue heightened with white on a light grey blue ground. Re- verfe, a zone of foliated fcroll work in blue. Italian (Venice). About 1540-45. Diam. i6|^ in. Bought, 3/. ioj. Cleverly drawn and efFedlive, and of the botega of Mo. Lodovico. 4782. '59. PLATE. " 'Tagliere" A youth {looping to fl:ir a blazing fire, painted in blue, touched with white, on pale blue ground, beret tino ; narrow arabefque border. Reverfe, circle of blue foliated fcroll pattern. Italian (Venice). About 1550. Diam. 9f in. Bought, i/. 5 J. By the fame hand and from the fame fabrique as No. 443 1 . 6oo Italian Pottery. 1744- '55- PLATEAU. The entire furface, grounded in dark blue, is covered with trophies of arms, mufical inftruments, &c., among which are figures of Plenty holding a cornucopia, and Cupid with a dog, painted in a paler tone heightened with white. Among the trophies ribbons are infcribed with illegible fentences, and a label with S ' P ' Q " R. Reverfe, radiating lines and foliated arabefque in blue. Italian (Venice). About 1550. Diam. 18 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. ^s. The defign of this piece, which is in the manner of Battifto Franco, is not executed in " fopra azzurro " work ; the whole of the glaze is coloured pale blue, " fmaltino," by the admixture of the pigment; the trophies oudined and fhaded with darker blue, and heightened with white, remain of the colour of the glaze, and are relieved by a filled-in grounding of the darker colour. 15;^- 55- PLATEAU. The centre and border painted in grifaille, with trophies and mufical inftruments on the white ground. Reverfe, a belt of foliated fcroll work in blue. Italian (Venice). About 1550. Diam. 17 J in. Bought, 2/. Perhaps by the fame hand as No. 1 744. 1768. 'ss- PLATEAU. The pale grey ground covered with fruit and foliage in colour, among which is a large mafk of a fatyr, outlined and fhaded in blue, carrying a bafket of fruit. Reverfe, a belt of foliated fcroll work, and in the centre a fketch of a draped female and a tree in dark blue. Italian (Venice). About 1550. Diam. I7f in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. Of the fame form and probably of the fame fabrique as Nos. 1744 and 1572. The fketch of a lady in the ample drefs of the Venetian Venice. 60 1 higher clafles is in the manner, and worthy of, Titian or Paul Veronefe. It may poflibly be the work of one of thofe artifts, haftily fketched with the potter's brufh to illuftrate fome fubje6l of converfation. 1688. 'is. PLATE. ^^ 'Tagliere.'' Divided Into compartments, having blue, orange, and green grounds, varied in waved belts and diapered with foliation in contracting colours ; in the centre a trophy of a helmet, a fhield, and a triple pipe, on dark blue ground. Reverfe, plain grey enamel. Italian (Venice). About 1550. Diam. 8 in. Of brilliant glaze and colour, and probably painted by the fame hand as the large difh No. 4605, and the fmaller pieces, Nos. 1733 and 1682. ^732>' '55- BOWL or Saucer. " Bacinetto.'" In the centre a boy, nude, {landing and holding a bunch of leaves ; border of green foliage and yellow berries on a dark blue ground. Re- verfe, plain white enamel. Italian (Venice). About 1550-55. Diam. 7 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 8/. c^s. Probably alfo by the fame hand as the difh No. 4605. The heighten- ing of the brilliant copper green leafage with yellow is fimilarly applied ; the effe6l is brilliant, the colours being ufed after the Eaftern tafte, and the glaze is of great richnefs. 1682. '^5. PLATE. " Tagliere.''^ On the central medallion, grounded in orange, a young boy or cupid, with a fcarf, plucking a flower ; border of trophies in grifaille, tied by an orange ribbon, on dark blue ground and encircled by a garland of green leaves; on a book is the date 1557. Reverfe, plain. Italian (Venice). Diam. 8-^- in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 6/. 5^. By the fame hand as No. 1733. The decorations of both thefe pieces, as indeed of many of the Venetian and Paduan plates, is in the manner of Cartel Durante. 6o2 Italian Pottery. 4605/56. PLATEAU, or Circular Difh. On the pale blue herettino a landfcape and an outer border of foliage, painted in dark, blue, heightened with white, and an inner circle of green leaves heightened with yellow and yellow fruit {a paefe e foglie). Reverfe, radiating leafage moulding with central dark lines, and outer border of foliated fcrolls, the date in dark blue. Italian (Venice). Dated 2,5th April 1550. Diam. i6f in. Bought, 6/. The glaze of this piece is of great brilliancy, and it is a fine example of a ftyle of decoration much ufed at Venice j for which we have the authority of Piccolpaflb. 5405. 59. DRUG Pot. Pale blue ground, covered with leafage, a foglie^ in a darker tint. On a central ribbon '^tria fena nirol," a ihield of arms beneath ; on a label behind is the infcription "Jacomo Vafellaro a ripa granni fecit 1593." Italian (Venice). H. 8f in., diam. 5^ in. Bought, 2/. is. 6d. Venice. 603 An ordinary drug pot, recording the name of another Venetian potter, named Jacomo, who worked on the Ripa Grande in 1593. This could hardly be that M", Jacomo da Pefaro who was working fifty years before a S. Barnaba. (See Mark No. i.) 7^to/>^«^'^Are^ -^19' 53- PLATE. " Taglierey Two men beneath a large arch- way coloured and fhaded in brown, and a diftant land- fcape. Reverfe, leafage and the mark in brown. Italian (Venice). About 1753-63. Diam. 9 J in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). Some other pieces of the fame fervice are in the Britifli Mufeum, on one of which is the mark compofed of a grapnel or three-pronged boat anchor, combined with the letters A • F . (See Mark No. 7.) This earthenware, which is remarkable for its clofe texture, is believed to have been produced by the brothers Bertolini at Murano, between the years 1753 and 1763. T R E V I S O. ARZONI, in the " Piazza Univerfale," who has been already quoted in reference to the pottery of Pefaro and other places, fpeaks of the wares of Trevifo being as inferior to thofe of Faenza as puff-balls to truffles. A deep difti formerly in the Addington Colledlion, on which is painted the fubje6l of the Sermon on the Mount, with border of grotefques on a blue ground, has on the reverfe a male portrait, fupported by cupids, and encircled by a band on which is infcribed D . o . N . p.a.r.i. s.t. oed.a. t.r.a.v.i.s.i.o. and on a label, mdxxx 8. Whether this is intended for the fignature of the artift, or the name and portrait of the owner, to whom it may have been a gift-piece, is an open queftion ; we incline to the latter folution, in which cafe it becomes doubtful whether the piece was made at Trevifo or at fome other fabrique, for prefentation to the Don, a refident of that place. Wares fomewhat like that produced at Monte Lupo, and alfo afcribed to Caftel Durante, having a glofly black or brown-black glaze, and decorated with fprays, fcrolls, birds, &c., in thin gilding, the pafte being of a coarfe red clay, have been afcribed to this place of manu- facture. France alfo produces fimilar pottery. An inferior incifed ware was made at Trevifo in the laft century, which could advance nearly as good a claim to the produdtion of all the early fgraffiati as that made for La Fratta. A plate of atrocious exe- cution in this ftyle is infcribed, " Fabrica di boccaleria alia campana in Trevifo, Valentino Petro Storgato Bragaldo jo figlio fabricator. Jouane Giroto Liberal figlio fecie. Adatteo Schiavon incifo e delineator. Anno dni cic . ic . cclxix." Wares with a white and unctuous glaze, painted with flowers and ornaments, fometimes in flight relief, and with the fides of open work, are afcribed to this place. The letter . N . occurs on an ewer of this kind. Baffano. 605 B A S S A N O. ^HIS fabrique appears to have been eftablifhed in the firft half of the fixteenth century, as fhovvn by the refearches of Signor G. BafTeggio. About 1540 one Simone Marinoni ere£led a furnace in the fuburb of Baflano called the Marchefane. Two pieces attributed to this " botega" are mentioned, one dated 1555, reprefenting Saints Francis, Antonio, and Bonaventura, the colours and glaze on which has partly failed in the firing; and a plate dated 1595 initialed S . M. In the early part of the eighteenth century we find members of the roving Terchi family working at Baflano. A plate in the Louvre (No. G. 599)> painted with the fubje6l of Lot and his daughters efcaping from Sodom, is figned " Antonio Terchi in Baflano," with the mark of a crown with five points. (Mark No. I.) On the back of a piece belonging to M. Le Blanc in Paris, painted with alandfcape, is the fignature, " Bo Terchj, Bafllino," and the five- pointed crown. (Mark No. 2.) Subfequently, in the village of Nove, near Bafllino, at the end of the feventeenth or beginning of the eighteenth century, G. B. Anto- nibon efl:abliftied a work, which produced fpecimens of a very high chara6ler. There is fome doubt whether the pieces painted by the Terchi were produced at the older efl:ablifliment at Bafl^ano or the newer one at Nove, but if at the latter, it feems remarkable that they fhould not have preferred afiixing the name of the more recent eftablifhment. A pair of vafes with fubje6ls after Raffaelle are figned " Bar Terchi Romano, 1726," but we have no means of knowing whether they were painted at Naples, S. Ouirico, Siena, or Bafllino ; there is alfo fome doubt whether the mark of the crown alone (Mark No. 3) can be attributed to this fabrique or to a work by Terchi at fome other place. During the fecond quarter of the lafl: century (1728-35) the fifl:ers Manardi carried on a manufactory of faience and ordinary glazed ware at BaflTano, their foreman being one Giovanni Antonio Caffb, who, in 1735, fet up for himfelf in the fuburbs of that city, and under the fanc- tion of the State, an efl:ablifliment for the production of ordinary wares and fine faience fimilar to that produced at Lodi, Faenza, and Genoa. Neither of thefe works feem to have continued for any length of time, but to have yielded to their more important rival at Nove, which, in 6o6 Italian Pottery, 1756, is referred to as being the only one exifting in the Venetian States previous to 1753, about which time Gio. Maria Salmazzo at BafTano, and the brothers Bertolini at Murano, had ere6led works for making faience ; the latter had ceafed in 1763.^ There are no fpecimens in the South Kenfington Mufeum which can confidently be afcribed to this fabrique. Mark No. i. A^ ^^^f^-^^ Mark No. 2. Bo rp C • Mark No. 3. ' W. R. Di:ake -. Venetian Ceramics, pp. 38, 39. Nove^ near Bajfano. 607 N O V E, NEAR B A S S A N O. HIS fabrique, perhaps commenced at the latter end of the feventeenth century or the beginning of the laft, was fully eftablifhed in 1728, under the diredlion of Giovanni Battifta Antonibon, who, in 1732, petitioned the State for leave to open a fhop for the fale of his wares in Venice. Lazari, in the Catalogue of the Mufeo Correr, ftates that it had a beginning " in ful finire del fecolo xvii," not in " the firft years," as he has been mifquoted. M. Demmin records a " furtout de table," the infcription on which reads, " Delia fabrica di Gio. Batta. Antonibon nelle none di Decen. 1755." Some admirable works in faience were produced at Nove, perhaps the moft remarkable being a vafe in the Italian ftyle of the period of Louis XVI, , the ground of which is of a fine " gros bleu," with medallions, carefully painted with claffical fubjedls, and enriched with gilding appHed with great (kill. This vafe, which is 2 feet 5 inches high, was feen by the writer fome years fince, in the hands of M. Kuhn, the dealer at Geneva, with fome figures, and other pieces of the fame manufacture, all of which he had purchafed at Venice. It is now in the pofleflion of Mr. C. W. Reynolds. On the bafe are cartouches infcribed " Fab* Baroni Nove." In 1762 one hundred and fifty men were employed at the works, the wares of which were noted for their even and pure white furface. Pafquale Antonibon then had the diredlion, and petitioned for leave to manufacture porcelain, in which, however, he does not feem to have attained to a very high fuccefs. The faience, on the other hand, is of excellent technical quality and good painting ; it is much efteemed. Well modelled pieces formed as fifh, &c., lying upon a difh, with rockwork, fruit, &c., in relief, and furmounted by a lemon to form the handle of the cover. Upon one fuch M. Jacquemart records the mark S . I . G. 1750. In the rooms connected with the chapel at Nymphenburg, near Munich, is a fervice of many pieces, having the arms of the Royal family of Bavaria, and faid to have been made for Maximilian Emanuel, the Elector, who lived from 1662 till 1726 ; they are coarfely painted with fubjeCls from Roman hiftory, &c., with defcriptions in Italian on 6o8 Italian Pottery. the reverfe, and on feveral the name which feems to read DOUI, but the firft letter is probably intended for an N, and the third for V. There is a candleftick among the reft. CATALOGUE. 433' 433^- '69- UREEN and Cover. Enamelled earthenware ; white, painted with mafks, foliated fcroll work, &c., in blue ; the Ihell-ihaped fide handles, and one formed as a figure of Atlas, on the lid, in mottled purple. Marked beneath " Noue G • B • A • B ." Italian (Nove). i8th century. H. 10 in., L. 15 in. Bought, 3^- Z^' QBAB The initials, doubtlefs, of Giov. Batta. Antonibon. PADUA. ADUA is named by Picolpaflb, among other cities at which works exifted in his time (1548), but without entering into any defcription of the charadler of the wares produced ; and we are indebted to the refearches of the late Sig. Vincenzio Lazari, the able author of the " Notizia," and Dire6lor of the Correr Collection at Venice, for the difcovery of the long anterior foundation and of the locality of Padua. 609 the botega, as alfo the exiftence of an interefting example of its produce. In the ftreet of Padua, ftill called after the pottery the " Via delle Boccalarie," he found a houfe in which were manifeft remains of the ancient furnaces, and upon the walls of which, towards the ftreet, was a cafing of enamelled tiles, in blue and white triangles ; among thefe was a difc of 52 centimetres in diameter (20^ inches), painted with the fubjedl of the Virgin and Child upon a throne, between S. Roch and Santa Lucia, with angels and a fhield of arms ; thefe figures are llightly in relief, and white, with the exception of the hair which is yellow, and the drefs of the Virgin which is of a pale blue. The clay is coarfe, and the glaze thinly though carefully applied. The fubjefl is painted after a drawing by Nicolo Pizzolo, a pupil of Squarcione, and rival of the celebrated Mantegna (about 1450-1500). On a part of the throne is the name NICOLETI. (Mark No. i.) This interefting piece is now in the Public Mufeum at Padua. From that period till the middle of the fixteenth century, we have no other example of Paduan enamelled pottery. No. 1742 of this catalogue is the next example, dated 1548 ; it bears the crofs, always occurring on the figned pieces of this fabrique, and is by the fame hand as the following. No. 1684, which is dated 1550. The great fimilarity to fome pieces of the Venetian wares, from the inferior examples of which it is difficult to diftinguifh them, and which they, perhaps, were intended to imitate, is ftiown in No. 1724, bearing the date 1555 and the Paduan crofs. Next in fequence is a plate with the fubjeil of Adam and Eve, formerly in Mr. Barker's pofleffion, from the Delfette Colledion, dated " 1563 a Padoa," and bearing the fame mark (Mark No. 2)5 and of the fame year, one in the Britifta Mufeum, on which the crofs is placed between two initials N and F (Mark No. 3), and of the follow- ing year, by the fame hand, is another piece in the fame colIe6lion, reprefenting Hercules and a nymph, or perhaps Polyphemus and Galatea (Mark No. 4). We have no further record of the manufactory, but pharmacy vafes with handles continued to be made even till the laft century, and were known as " Alia Padovana ; " they were of a pearly grey colour with flowers in relief. The figned and dated pieces above mentioned are by no means of a high artiftic merit ; the colouring and drawing are generally carelefs and inferior, with ftrong high lights coarfely rendered in white or yellow. A pervading grey tone is obfervable on all the pieces, arifing from the grounding, which both on the face and the reverfe is of a blue-grey M. y y 6 lo Italian Pottery. tint imparted to the fubftance of the glaze, and characSteriftic of the wares of this fobrique. In the abfence of evidence to the contrary, and judging from the examples which have defcended to us, it could have been only of fecondary rank and inferior to the Venetian furnaces, the productions of which it would appear to have partly imitated. MARKS, &c. ON PIECES IN OTHER COLLECTIONS. No. I. On a plaque formerly on the front of a houfe in Via delle Boccalarie at Padua, now in the mufeum of that city. It reprefents the Virgin and Child, in flight relief, between the figures of S. Roch and Santa Lucia. Padua, 6ii No. 2. On a plate, fubjefl Adam and Eve, inferior painting on a greyifh glaze. Delfette and Barker Colle6lions. l e^iYi^i^UiX^ ?T^ ztbudoa No. 3. On a plate, alfo of inferior painting on a grey ground ; in the Britifh Mufeum. c 7 s 9 * 6l2 Italian Pottery, No. 4. On a plate, fubjea Polyphemus and Galatea (?), by the fame hand ; in the Britifli Mufeum. ( ^ 4 ^ i-J " (tpciclod. CATALOGUE. 1742. 55- ILATE. " Tagliere." Painted in colours on grey- ground, with the fubjed: of Myrrha flying from her father. Reverfe, an infcription explaining the fubjedt in blue, the date 1548, and mark, and a circle of foliation in yellow. Italian (Padua). Diam. 10^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 4/. 14J. 6d. Padua, 613 An interefting piece from the mark and date, rather haftily painted, fomewhat after the manner of one of the artifts at Urbino, who figns in " botega di Guido Durantino." 1684. 'SS' PLATE. " Tagliere.'" Curtius leaping into the gulf. Painted in colour on grey ground ; border of grotefques on yellow ground. Reverfe, a zone of fcroU foliage, the title of the fubjedl, a mark, and the date 1550. Italian (Padua). Diam. 9! in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 15/. 15J. 6 14 Italian Pottery, By the fame hand as No. 1742. The border decoration is probably copied from one of the early mailers of Faenza. isr^ PLATE. "Tondino."' Combat of the Horatii and Cu- riatli, painted with a predominance of yellow colour on a pale grey ground. Reverfe, an infcription denoting the fub- je6t, and a zone of fcroll foliage in blue. Italian (Padua). About 1550. Diam. 11^ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 5/. i8j. The prevalence of yellow is ofFenfively confpicuous, although there is merit in the vigorous drawing of the heads, &c. It is probably by the fame hand as No. 1684. 1750- '55- PLATE. " Tondimy Scroll foliage " a porcelan," in blue on pale blue ground, herettino ; in the centre an efcutcheon of arms, per pale argent and azure, a bar Padua. 615 counterchanged. Reverfe, a circle of foliated fcroll work and marked with a crofs. Italian (Padua). About 1550. Diam. loj in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), il. Very fimiiar in defign and colour to the Venetian wares, but lefs careful in execution. The arms appear to be thole of the family Donado of Venice. i;54- 55- PLATE or fmall " Bacile." '■'■ A trofeiT Trophies of arms, mufical inftruments, a rhyton formed as a horfe's head, and a fcroll of mufic in grifaille, on dark blue ground. Re- verfe, radiating leafage, the mark and the date 1555. Italian (Padua). Diam. 13 in. Bought (Bernal Colh), 7/. lOi'. A remarkably good example of the Paduan wares, which might pafs for Venetian but for the mark, a fmall crofs, which accompanies thofe pieces figned " in Padova." « 6 1 6 Italian Pottery, ' 1749- 5S' PLATE. " Tondino" Foliated fcroll work and flowers in colours, outlined with blue on pale blue ground ; in the centre a camel, coloured brown. ItaHan (Padua). About 1550-60. Diam. ii\ in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 6L A coarl'ely painted ordinary piece. C A N D I A N A. I HIS pottery is only known to us as having produced wares painted in imitation of the Rhodian or Syrian, and we (hould have remained ignorant of the place where thefe copies were made, but for an example, in the colle61:ion at Sevres, which is marked " Candiana, 1620 ;" another has fmce been recorded with the date 1637. M. Jacquemart mentions a piece of the fame ware, on which are the letters S • F • C, and another infcribed MS • DEGA, on a ribbon or cartouche which crofles the bouquet of flowers on the face of the piece ; another from the Azeglio Colle61:ion attributed by Mr. Chaffers, with fome doubt, to this pottery, has the name PA • CROSA. We are inclined to think that thefe muft be the names of the owners rather than of the painters of the pieces. None of the examples are of high quality, either in refpedl: of glaze or colouring, which is but a poor and weak attempt to reproduce the brilliant effect of the Oriental wares. They all appear to be of the feventeenth century. It has been fuggefted by the Marquis d' Azeglio that this term Can- diana may merely refer to a ftyle in ornamentation, of a ware really made at Venice or Padua, and imitative of the Oriental imported from Candia and Rhodes. This fuggeftion has confiderable probability, the more fo as we are not able to difcover fuch a locality as Candiana in Italy. If a diftin61: fabrique it muft have been on a private and little known property. Candiana, 617 CATALOGUE. LATE. Pattern of rofes, pinks, and foliage in imi- tation of Perfian or Rhodian ware. Reverfe, rude fcrolls in blue. Italian (Candiana). About 1620. Diam. 1 1 in. Bought, 3/. c^s. A copy from a Perfian or Rhodian plate. A fimilar piece in the Mufeum at Sevres is figned "Candiana, 1620." Though manifeftly produced with a view to fuppiy a cheaper imitation of the more valuable Perfian wares, thefe pieces are now more rarely met with than their fuperior originals. 836. '70. FLASK, with long neck and projecting bofs, of green colour ; the body painted with ochreous brown flowers and blue carnation buds, the neck with a frill of elongated leaves in green and ochre, in imitation of Rhodian ware. Italian (Candiana). About 1620. H. 15 in., diam. 7^ in. Bought, 4/. 4J". This and the companion flafk are good fpecimens of the imitation of the Rhodian and Perfian wares made at Candiana (?) in the feven- teenth century. 836^. '70. FLASK, with long neck and projedling bofs, of green colour ; the body painted with ochreous brown flowers and blue carnation buds, the neck with a frill of elongated leaves in green and ochre, in imitation of Rhodian ware. Italian (Candiana). About 1620. H. 15 in., diam. '-j\ in. Bought, 4/. 4J. 6i8 Italian Pottery, VERONA. HE exiftence of a fabrique at this city, like that at Foligno, Ravenna, and others, is made known to us by one figned fpecimen only. In the pofleffion of the Rev. T. Berney, of Bracon Hall, is an extremely well painted " iftoriato " plate ; the fubjetSl is the clemency of Alexander in liberating the wife and family of Darius. There is a fhield of arms on the face of the piece, which is infcribed on the reverfe, " 1563, a di 15 genaro . Giv • Giouani • Batifta • da • faenza • In Verona M," followed by another letter, which has unfortunately fcaled away with a portion of the glaze. The firft three letters of the name have been fuppofed to read f, c, o, and have thus been taken to fignify f?"««co, and the painting, confequently, the handiwork of the celebrated G. Battifta Franco. But we agree with Mr. Robinfon and M. Jacquemart in the reading of the three letters as Gxufeppe ; the difl:in61: dot over the i, the central letter, and the form of the others, precluding the idea that they were intended for an awkward abbreviation of the furname Franco. The letter M, followed by another, is probably the mark of the botega, perhaps the initials of its owner's name ; but of this we know nothing, nor of the artift who painted this interefting example of an otherwife unknown fabrique, although alluded to in Piccolpaflb's work. /?0 dtliitenia. L O M B A R D Y. MILAN E have no record of the exiftence of a fabrique at this city in the fixteenth century, although Piccolpaflb refers to the wares made in Lombardy, without de- fining any particular fite. Her firft appearance as a producer of artiftic ce- ramics is about the middle of the laft century, when admirable faience was made. M. Jacquemart refers to an example in the mufeum at Bordeaux, painted with bouquets in the ftyle of the rich fluffs of the feventeenth century, with a predominance of blue and orange. It is figned at the back " MILA^." The mufeum at Sevres has plates painted with figures in the manner of Watteau, and figned with the name of " MILANO " in full. The faience in imitation of the Chinefe ftyle is equal to the finer produ6lions of Delft ; they are frequently enriched with gilding, and are remarkable for the richnefs of the glaze. On the tureen of a fervice in the pofTeffion of Mr. C. W. Reynolds occurs the mark The name of the town only is on other examples. Two fine jardinieres inflanced by M. Jacquemart as belonging to M. Paul Gafnault are richly painted with flowers and gilding, and modelled with fhell and fcroll ornaments in relief; they are infcribed " F. DI PJS^JLE RUBJTI MlL^r A plate by the fame maker, in the Sevres coUedion, has the initials 620 Italian Pottery. p. R. beneath the figure 7, and over MIL^^. The Marquis d'Azeglio has a fimilarly marked fpecimen. This apparent figure 7 may perhaps be an ill-formed letter F ; on the Marquis d'Azeglio's example it is more clearly fo, and on a fpecimen in Sir W. R. Drake's colle6lion the mark aflumes the form of a heart, fiarmounted with an F (for fabbrica), and enclofing the letters P. R. over M°. A fervice alfo attributed to Milan, in the ftyle of Drefden, with flowers in camdieu rouge violace^ has one piece infcribed with what would feem to read M""^ Brecchi. It is referred to by M. Jacquemart. There is in the neighbourhood of Milan, " at St. Chryflophe," a modern manufactory, under the direction of Giulio Richard, where fervices of faience and imitations of early wares, fome ftamped with Wedgwood's name, are made. The mark is G. R. (Chaffers). LO D I. HIS is another of the many eflablifhments fet up in various parts of Italy during the latter end of the feventeenth or beginning of the eighteenth century, for the manu- facture of a fuperior clafs of faience. The fpecimens produced have confiderable affinity with thofe of Trevifo but, indeed, in many infl:ances there is a great fimilarity in. the wares produced by Italy at that period, partly perhaps to be accounted for by the tafte of the time and by the fa6t that many of the artifls moved fi-om one fabrique to another. But for the prefervation of fpecimens infcribed with the name of the fadory, in connexion with the monogram of the painter or of the owner, we fliould have remained, in many inftances, ignorant of the former exiilence of thefe eflablifhments. In Mr. C, W. Reynolds' coUedtion were figned pieces. A large oblong difh, painted rather coarfely with a fifh, fruit, &c. (Mark No. i). M. Jacquemart records a piece figned with the name " Ferret " *' Lodi ;" and another with a monogram fomewhat fimilar to that on Mr. Reynolds' example, but which is plainly compofed of the letters J and Af, and perhaps C. Lodi, 621 Ignazio Cavazzuti, who reports fo favourably in 1 790 of the manu- fadlory at SafTuolo, ftates that the eftabliftiment at Lodi was under his direction, and that his family was then fettled at that place. Mark No. i, ^ Isfti jyCl^ P A V I A, E know that the Andreoli family were natives of this city, and that from thence Maeftro Giorgio and his brothers emigrated to Gubbio, in confequence, it is ftated, of political troubles at their own home ; and that, eftablifh- ing themfelves at; Gubbio, they there created the moft important, and certainly the moft brilliant, manufa6lory of majolica in Italy. But of the exiftence of a fabrique at Pavia we have no information. At the latter end of the feventeenth century we find an amateur ceramic artift working here, who figns his name presbiter . antonivs . MARIA . cvTivs ., and who was the inclfore of certain carefully finifhed pieces of fgraffiato ware, under which fe£lion they are defcribed. P [ E D M O N T. TURIN. ROM documents difcovered by the Marchefe Giufeppe Campori, of Modena,^ in the archives of Turin, it appears that in the year 1564 certain fums of money were paid to Maeftro Orazio Fontana, of Urbino, who is ftyled " chief potter to His Highnefs," for two " credenze " of his wares which had been brought for the Duke, payment being made through the Arch- biftiop of Turin, Hieronimo della Rovere. Other moneys were paid to Orazio at Nice on the 6th January of that fame year for certain vafes ordered by the Duke, and alfo money paid to Antonio Nani, a potter of Urbino, for the expenfes of bringing thefe vafes. From thefe extra6ls the improbable inference has been drawn that as Orazio was the Duke's " chief potter " he muft have had a fabrique at Turin ! whereas there can be little doubt that the fame Orazio was " chief potter " to many other grandees at various places, his eftablifh- ment at Urbino being at that time the moft important and moft widely known " botega " in Italy. Neither can we agree with another inference drawn from thefe docu- ments, viz., that as thefe pieces of Urbino ware were appreciated and purchafed at Turin in 1564, there muft have been at that time a fabrique of highly artiftic enamelled faience in that city. We fhould draw a contrary conclufion, on the principle that it is not requifite to fend owls ' Notizie della Majolica, &c., di Ferrara, p. 83, et f?q. T'urin. 623 to Athens, and that had there been a local pottery, at which anything beyond ordinary wares were made, Emanuelle Filiberto would have encouraged it by his patronage. One Francefco Guagni, of Caftel Durante, is mentioned by Pun- gileoni as having been in the Duke's fervice, but it feems doubtful whether he was a ceramift, who made refearches for the compofition of porcelain at that court in 1567, or whether he was a military engineer. Campori affirms the latter. Thus much for the evidence of hiftory. Ten years later a fabrique exifted, but certainly not prompted or infpired by the beautiful vafes of the Fontana fabrique, for in Mr. C. W. Reynolds' colledlion was a " caneftrella," the fides of which are of open work, formed by crofled bars, and in the centre the fubje(5l of a boy carrying two birds on a pole, coarfely painted in a manner certainly not after that of Orazio. On the reverfe is the infcription " Fatta in Torino adi 12 ct Setebre 1577." This interefting piece is the only known example of enamelled pottery made at Turin in the fixteenth century. It is covered with a thick and very white enamel, and ware of the fame charaiSler is afcribed by Italian colle6lors to Imola. (See No. 436, p. 527.) A piece cited by M. Jacquemart, with landfcape decoration, is marked at the back with the crofled (hield of Savoy, he confiders it to be of a date anterior to thofe marked with the fame fliield furmounted by a crown. A plateau belonging to the Marquis d'Azeglio, who, waning in his former love for the majolica of the fixteenth century, has latterly devoted his attention and made mofl: interefting obfervations on the faience and porcelain produced in Italy during the feventeenth and eighteenth, of which he pofl'efl'es a rich collecSlion of examples, has on the reverfe the Mark (No. i), namely, the fhield of Savoy furmounted by the crown. This piece, painted with horfes, birds, hares, &c., in blue on the white ground, is afcribed to the latter end of the feventeenth century. Another example, a large difti, in the fame collection, painted with flowers on a white ground, is infcribed at the back " Fabrica Reale di Torino," a monogram compofed of the letters C. A., and the date 1737. He alfo has a difli of the fame period, painted with the fubjed of Sufanna and the Elders, and flgned at back gratapaglia . fe . tavr . M. Jacquemart mentions an example of good quality, infcrilied " Laforeft en Savoye 1752." At Vineuf fine faience as well as porcelain was made about 1750, under the dire^Slion of M. D. Gioanetti j the mark was Mark No. 2. In the Britifli Mufeum there is a fruit bafket of brown glazed ware, apparently of the earlier part of the Lift or later years of the 624 Italian Pottery, preceding century, the open work border of which is formed as the collar of the order of the Santiflima Annunziata of Savoy, which would point either to a Savoyard origin or owner, for whom it may have been defio-ned ; it was probably one of a fervice or fet, and has fome re- femblance to the brown difh No. 4353, afcribed to La Fratta, and to certain pieces varioufly attributed to Monte Lupo, Caftel Durante, &c. Mr. Chaffers gives a mark which occurs impreffed on two vafes 21^ inches high, belonging to Mr. Jackfon, of Hull, " of very light and refonant ware, with rich maroon-coloured glaze." The mark is a crowned fhield, bearing a large T (or tau crofs) furmounted by a fmaller B, and does not feem to us to have any reference to the arms of Savoy. Mark No. i, Mark No. 2. V DG STATES OF GENOA. GENOA. N his defcription of the defigns for decoration given by Piccol- pafTo in his manufcript, he ftates that fome of thefe patterns were frequently adopted at Genoa, and the prices at which they were produced. It is clear, therefore, that in his time an extenfive fabrique muft have exifted, probably for wares of fecondary rank. No figned fpecimen of thefe works of the fixteenth century at Genoa has defcended to us. We have therefore, at prefent, no means of recognifing any of the pieces of that period, which may have been preferved in coUedlions. PiccolpalTo further informs us that the earth ufed there, was dug, and not gathered from the beds of torrents, Sec. Among the faience of the eighteenth century attributed to the manufadlory of Savona, fome examples were clafled, marked at the back with a lighthoufe or tower, from which hangs a beacon, and it was fuggefted by the writer, in converfation with other amateurs, fome years fince, that no fuch building exifting at Savona, it was more probable that thefe were the produ6lion of Genoa, where the y/iro is fo con- fpicuous a feature in nearly all the views of that beautiful harbour. In other refpedls it would be difficult to diftinguiih them from fome of the produitions of Savona. Mr. Reynolds had a bottle painted with birds and ornaments in blue, and marked with the lighthoufe, the well-known Fanale of the port of Genoa. There was a vafe in the Bernal Colle6lion fimilarly marked, and the writer has feen other examples. It fometimes occurs with the letters B. L. and G. G., accompanied by an orb furmounted by a crofs. M. R R 626 Italian Pottery. A large loofely fketched figure of a fifh is alfo probably a mark, as it occurs on a fpecimen at Sevres, and on a bottle painted in blue cafna'ieu belonging to M. Demmin, who, we know not on what authority, afcribes it to Genoa. The Marquis d'Azeglio informs us that " a very fine black faience fhadowed with gold feems to have exifted there," of which he has a fpecimen. Mark No. i. (Reduced.) S A V O N A, N the Riviera, fome eight leagues to the weft of Genoa, is the fite of an extenfive manufa6ture which was adlive during the latter half of the feventeenth century, and to the prefent day brick and tile kilns, and potteries for the produ6lion of ordinary " terraglia," vafes for mural ornament, ornamental pots for orange trees, and other works in terra-cotta, are fcattered in various fpots along the coaft road from this city to Genova la Superba. Albizzola is the firft, and here it would feem that a fabrique exifted even earlier, as M. Jacquemart records the exiftence of a pi6lure formed of tiles painted with the fubje6t of the Nativity, and infcribed *' Arbifola," the name of the potter, " Agoftino," and of the painter, " Gerolamo," with the date 1576. This Gerolamo is faid to have been of Urbino. Nearly all the examples of the Savona faience have a fimilarity of charadler, a good glaze, a ground of a bluifti white, upon which the fubje61:s are painted in a rather pale but clear tone of blue. The fub- jecSs are frequently figures in groups, in the coftume of the laft century. Savon a. 627 with flowers, foliage, &c. ; the pieces are thin and well baked, and the forms frequently rather exaggerated, with fcalloped edges, &c. The moft frequent mark is a fhield of arms of the town, fur- mounted by a crown, and fometimes accompanied by the initials of the makers. Girolamo Salomini was one of the earlier " maeftri," about the middle of the feventeenth century, and the letters G. S. are fuppofed to be his initials, unlefs they may be read as " Quidobono Savona." The fix-pointed ftar, formed by crofling two triangles, and known as Solo- mon's feal, is ftated to have been the mark of the Salomini. Gian. Antonio Guidobono was another producer, who worked with his two fons Bartolomeo and Domenico ; the initials G a G have been afcribed to the former. Gian. Tommafo Torteroli and Agoftino Ratti were working alfo about the fame period. Two examples in the pofTeflion of the Rev. Thomas Staniforth, of Storrs, Windermere, are marked (Nos. i and 2). On a difh, with blue figures on white, is the Mark No. 3. (ChafFers.) Some pieces in the Chamber of Arts at Berlin are figned AGOS- TINO . RATTI . SAVONA . 1720. In Dr. Diamond's collection is a piece marked with a trumpet, from which hangs a banner of the houfe of Savoy, which he afcribes to Savona. In Mr. Henderfon's colle6lion is a fmall ewer, bearing a mark careleffly painted, and which Mr. ChafFers has rendered (at page 137) as a fifli tied to a ftake. We agree with Dr. Diamond in fufpeiling that thefe marks are fimilar, but badly defigned, both being intended for the trumpet with the banner of Savoy ; the former is given by Chaffers at p. 142. Mr. Chaffers alfo gives fome marks from pieces in the colleftion of M. Edouard Pafcal, at Paris, and others ; the letter S under a rude fhield, and N . G . under a fort of crown, which are fuppofed of Savonefe origin. The writer has feen pieces, apparently of this ware, marked with a double tower or fquare battlemented caftle, one fide of which rifes higher than the other, and which conveys a rough idea of the tower at the entrance of Savona. Domenico Conrade, who emigrated to France and erected an eftablifhment at Nevers, was a native of Albizzola ; and in return we find a French family, faid to be of Marfeilles, but who had probably alfo worked at Mouftier, coming into Italy and producing the following works. A cylindrical jar in the Azeglio CoUedlion, painted with a 628 Italian Pottery. fea combat, boats, figures, &c., is figned at the back, Primum Opus ABorrelli Menft Julij 1735, and again, ABorrelli Invent . Pinx : A . S . 1735- Two vafes painted in green cama'ieu are figned, Jacques Borrelly^ Savonne^ I779j 24 Septembre, and other pieces occur with the fignature Giacomo Borrelly. M. Jacquemart fiirmifes that the former was the father and an Italian, whofe fon after working at Mouftier and Mar- feilles, returned to Savona. Mark No. 2. Mark No. 3. jbWc Savona. * 6 2 9 CATALOGUE. 433. '69. ISH, ihell-fhaped. Painted with blue flowers, and border on a white ground. ItaHan (Sa- vona). 1 8th century. Diam. 15^ in. Bought, 530. '68. * . . PEPPER Cafter. Painted with figures of children and landfcape in blue on white ground. Italian (Savona). Late 17th or early i8th century. H. 5^ in. Bought, \is. 531. -68. PEPPER Cafler. Painted with figures of children and landfcape in blue on white ground. Reverfe, the mark in blue. Italian (Savona). Late 17th or early i8th century. H. 5|- in. Bought, las. The mark on this piece is much blurred, but is probably intended for the crofled triangles or fix-pointed ftar. -^ i 630 Italian Pottery, 4387- '57- PLATE. A group of cavaliers and cupids in a landfcape ; blue and white. Reverfe, the mark of Savona. Italian (Savona). 1 8th century. Diam. 13 J in. Bought, 15J. ^ 430. '69. FLAT Tazza on Foot. Centre and border of blue fcroIJ work on white ground ; a mark beneath the foot. Italian. (Savona ?) H. 2-|in., diam. 13 in. Bought, 3/. NEAPOLITAN STATES, NAPLES. HEN Antonio Beuter fpeaks of the excellent wares made at Caftelli in the firft half of the fixteenth century, it is not unlikely that Neapolitan pro- dudlions were included in the ceramic importations from that port to Spain, and we have examples of that period to confirm the fa6l. M. Jacque- mart tells us of a vafe of fomewhat fimilar general character to thofe about to be defcribed, on which is the infcription " P il fig. Francho Nepita . 1532." About 1654, Paulus Francifcus Brandi painted three vafes which are defcribed as very large and grandiofe in ftyle, with handles formed as caryatides, and painted with religious fubje6ls, in a free but elegant ftyle, of blue camdieu on one fide only. M. Jacquemart, probably not having feen the dated piece, afcribed thefe to the end of the fixteenth century, but Mr. Marryat informs us that one of the three vafes painted with the fubje6l of the Laft Supper is *' figned in full with the date 1654 ; another ' Fran : Brand Napoli cafa Nova.' " M. Jacque- mart reads the laft two words of this infcription as " Gefu Novo," and makes known to us a mark (Mark No. i), beneath each of the two vafes he defcribes ; the infcription on the fecond of thefe he gives as " Paulus Francus Brandi Pinx 68 4- ." Overlooking the fad that the art in Southern Italy was of later development than in Tufcany and the North, that able writer interprets thefe numerals as 1568, whereas it is more probable that the fame period of the following century was intended, unlefs the infcription on the firft-named vafe is wrongly rendered. The fubje6ls of thefe laft are the Miraculous Draught of Fifties, and Chrift in the Garden (Mark No. 2). He further obferves, on thefe marks, that the clofed crown is an important feature, differing materially from the open crown of Tufcany, 632 Italian Pottery. and that which accompanies the fignature of the Terchi at BafTano, and is fometimes found alone ; and he reafonably infers that other marks, in which this fame clofed crown occurs, accompanied by initial letters, a palm branch, &c., may be afligned to a Neapolitan fabrique. Some of thefe have hitherto been miftaken for the marks of Nove, Baflano, Caftelli, &c. The crown is fometimes furmounted by a ftar, with the initials B. C. or A. underneath ; rarely impaled on a palm branch, between B. and C. At the royal fabrique of Capo di Monte, eftablifhed by Charles III. in 1736, feveral varieties of fine wares were made, from a beautiful artificial porcelain to a faience of high quality, of which, however, little feems to have been produced. Of fuch is a jug painted with flowers in Captain Langford's pof- feflion ; it is marked with the letter N, furmounted by an open crown, the well-known mark of the later period of the fabrique. Of the fame late period is a " fontaine de facriftie," defcribed by M. Jacquemart, modelled with the dove of the Holy Spirit, cherubs ifTuing from clouds, &c., and richly gilt and painted, on which is the fame mark, and the fignature " Capo di Monte." " xMolo." The Etrufcan wares made by F. Del Vecchio, white and gold fervices, and other faience, bear the mark of his works, ftamped * -1,^' * The Giuftiniani, Mollica, and other modern producers of faience and terra-cotta, generally mark with their names imprefled upon the pafte. Some pieces of the laft century, painted with figures, landfcapes, &c. in very pale colours, and marked at the back with the letters H . F or PF combined, are of Auftrian, and not of Italian origin. Mark No. i. Mark No. 2. SB.Gc Cajielli. 633 CASTELLI. N the fite of the ancient city of Atrium there has pro- bably been an extenfive ceramic induftry from the earlieft times, all the more important requifite materials being in the immediate neighbourhood ; an excellent potter's clay, hills yielding an almoft endlefs fupply of bruftiwood, and cheap labour, together with the advantage of a neighbouring port for fhipment. There is little doubt that a confiderable exportation of thefe wares took place in the fix- teenth century to various places, among others to Spain, for we are referred by PafTeri to the " Cronica Generale di Spagna," by Antonio Beuter, whom we have previoufly quoted, and who with a laudatory compliment at the expenfe of Coroebus, particularifes the wares of Pifa, Pefaro, and " li Caftelli della Valle Siciliana d' Abruzzo." It will be noticed that thefe three fabriques fo particularifed, are all places whence pottery could be readily exported, without much land carriage ; and we know from other fources that a commerce exifted between Valencia and Pifa for the interchange of the Hifpano-Morefque and Italian faience. Of thefe reputed produdlions of Caftelli during the fifteenth and fixteenth centuries we know really nothing, no fpecimen that can with any reafonable probability be afligned to fuch an origin having, as yet, been difcovered, and we muft pafs over a century and a half before we arrive on fure ground. It is, in fa£l, extremely difficult and almoft hopelefs to attempt to feparate and define the numerous examples of the Abruzzi faience ; nor do the works fpecially devoted to the fubjecS ^ materially affift us in this refpe6t. We learn that fome thirty- five potteries exifted in the country round Naples, employing the population of various villages, and producing wares of greater or lefs artiftic merit, and it feems that of thefe, Caftelli in the Abruzzo Ultra, to the north of Naples, took the higheft place. A certain general fimilarity of cha- racter exifts among the fpecimens known to us, and it would be a thanklefs tafk to attempt a claflification, except of the figned and marked pieces. 1 Bonghi, Diego. Intorno alle Majoliche di Caftelli. 8vo. Naples, 1856. Cherubini, G. Dei Grue e della Pittura Ceramica in Caftelli. 8vo. Naples, T865. 634 Italian Pottery, We are told of Orazlo Pompei, who figned pieces in 155 1 to 1588, and the younger O. Pompei in 16 10, but it would appear that the Grue family were the leading artifts at Caftelli for a confiderable period. We hear of a Francefco, born in 1534, but whether he himfelf painted, or of his works we know nothing. In 1647 ^ Francefco Grue figns F-G* DE • CHA • P • ; " in 1677 " Fs A. Grue, Efeprai : " in 1718 " Dr Franc Anton" Cav^ Grue P.;" in 1722 " fras Ants Grue P. Napoli," and in 1737 " D^^ Franc« Ant^. grue, p. Caftelli, a.d. MDCCXXXVII." One Francefco Saverio Grue is faid to have again invented the art of gilding faience, previoufly difcovered at Pefaro in 1567 by Giacomo Lanfrancho. F. A. Saverio Grue is another member of the family, who figns " S. Grue, P. Napoli, 1749," on a piece quoted by Demmin. He died in 1755. Carl-Antonio Grue, who figns C • A • G •, and who died in 1723, is confidered the moft able artift of the family, and is termed " the reftorer of majolica painting " by Signor Cherubini. He is faid to have painted fome vafes for the Spezieria at Loreto. He had four fons, one, the eldeft, was a dod:or of theology, and died in 1746. A plaque by him is recorded by Mr. Marryat, the Adoration of the Magi, figned " D^ Franc Ant° Cav"" Grue, P," and a plate by him is mentioned by M. Demmin, figned " Doctor • Franc • Ant • Grue • F • Neap • Anno 1718." Liborio, the youngeft fon of Carl Antonio, was an hiftoric painter, who died in 1776. Two pieces by him are recorded by M. Demmin, one figned " Liboricus Grue P.," the other L • G • P . Another Saverio Grue, who figns with a monogram compofed of the letter G, intertwined with an S, died in 1806. The works of the Grue family are chara6leriftic of the Abruzzi wares. The drawing is executed with facility and freedom, and among thofe by the more eminent members of the family are pieces of great beauty. The technical quality of the wares is good, the colouring pale and fickly, although fome pieces are painted with great elegance, charming delicacy of touch, and modulation of the tones of colour. Gilding is occafionally added, not merely to the edges of the piece, but ufed fomewhat after the manner of the luftre pigments in heightening and relieving. The Gentili were alfo a family of painters at Caftelli, and, perhaps, pupils of the Grue. An example is quoted by Marryat as in the pof- feffion of Dr. Rofa, figned as early as 1670, and the work of Ber- nardino, the elder member of the family. It is figned " Quefto crocififlb Cajlelli. 635 del carmine lo fece Bernardino Gentile per fua divozione, 1670." He died in 1683. His fon Carmine painted facred fubje6ls. A Virgin by him, after Domenichino, is figned C • G • P. The Capelleti were artifts of Caftelli, as alfo the Fuina ; one of the latter painted animals and flowers, and figned with an F, or his name in full. Small plates, cups and faucers, decorated with haftily painted land- fcapes, figures, &c. in the fame pale greeny yellow tone of colour, and which are fo abundant in Southern Italy, were produced at Fermo. M. Jacquemart records another artift of Caftelli, and of the fchool of the Grue family, who figns a plaque with paftoral landfcape " Lvc * Ant° Cianico P. 1733." Mr. Chaffers records two names on pieces in the Berlin Mufeum. One a fine large plaque is figned "Math Rofelli fee." Another, circular, painted with the Baptifm of Chrift, infcribed G. Rocco di Caftelli, 1732. Of other marks given in that work, the open crown may probably be of Baffano, the fliield a blurred Savona mark, and the clofed crowns of Neapolitan fabriques. Of thofe here given, the Mark No. i is probably that of a member of the Grue family. Mark No. 2 is from a noble difh which was brought to England by Signor Caftellani. The fubjeil, a battle, vigoroufly painted with border of fcroll and other ornament. The fignature of the artift Carlo Coccorfe, is on a ftone in the foreground of the fubje£t, the date is on the border, where the initials are repeated. On the horfe trappings is the double C, fimilar to that impreffed on the Buen Retiro porcelain, and furmounted by an open crown. Three important fpecimens of the fabrique of Caftelli or of Naples are in the poffeflion of Signor Aleffandro Caftellani. On one of thefe plates is the portrait of the celebrated Neapolitan Tribune, Maffo Aniello (Maffaniello), furrounded by rich foliated ornamental border, on the upper part of which is a coat of arms, charged with an amphora, and accompanied by the motto patricio • lancellam. The reverfe is infcribed " Tomafo Aniello figlio de Creco d' Amalfi et Antonia Gargani, nato 21 Guigno, 1620." The fecond has the portrait of Greco d' Amalfi, and the infcription " Greco d' Amalfi Marito di Antonio Gragnano." The third plate bears the portrait of the Tribune's wife, and is infcribed " Bernadina Pifa Moglie di Tomafo Anillo d' Amalfi." 636 Italian Pottery, Mark No. i. yi.^^mt J Mark No. 2. ccxxx Cajlelli, 637 CATALOGUE. 13. '6y. OWL and Cover. Nude figures after Annibale Caracci; filled in with cartouche medallions with fubjeds, fruits, foliage, &c. Italian (Caftelli in the Abruzzi). About 1770. Signed, " Liborius H. 12 in., diam. 10 in. Bought (Marryat Coll.), The painting of this piece has been carefully executed, but has fufFered much in the firing. - 4345- S7' PLATE. A fatyr furprifing a nymph ; border of cupids in grifaille. Italian (Caftelli, by L. Grue). About 1770. Diam. 7 in. Bought, 13J. 5. '69. PLATE. A lion killing a horfe ; border of flowers, and interlacing ftems, with ftiield of arms, painted in blue, on white ground. Italian. (Caftelli?) 1 8th century. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, i/. 638 Italian Pottery, 6. '6g. PLATE. Cupid riding on a dolphin ; border of ftrap work and flowers, with coat of arms, painted in blue on white ground. Italian. (Caftelli ?) 1 8th century. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, i/. g6g. '54. GARDEN Seat. Reprefenting a monkey on a marbled bafe fupporting a cufliion, which is painted in a diaper pattern. Italian (Naples). i8th century. H. 20 in., W. 14^ in. Bought, 5/. 51. 60. 'yi. SEAT, one of a pair. Formed in three graduated cufliion- fliaped parts, painted with flowers in polychrome, and edged with raifed cords and rofettes. Italian. (Naples or Venice?) 1 8th century. H. 15^^ in., greateft L. 2 ft., greatefl: W. 22 in. Bought, 10/. the pair. 60a. '71. SEAT, one of a pair. Formed in three graduated cufhion- fhaped parts, painted with flowers in polychrome, and edged with raifed cords and rofettes. Italian. (Naples or Venice ?) 18th century. H. 15^ in., greatefb L. 1 ft, greatefl: W. 22 in. Bought, 10/. the pair. ^607. '56. PLATE. Marine deities ; fprinkled granite ground. Italian. (Naples or Caftelli ?) i8th century. Diam. 9J in. Bought i/. 6s. 6d. Cajlelli. 639 2608. ' ^6. PLATE. The Graces ; in a rocky landfcape on blue fprinkled ground. Italian. (Naples?) i8th century. Diam. 9^ in. Bought, 1/. ds. 6d. 181. 'Si. CUP and Saucer. Landfcapes and figures. Italian (Naples). 1 8th century. H. of cup, i\ in., diam. 3 in., diam. of faucer, 6\ in. Bought (Bandinel Coll.). 1658- '53- PLATE. Arion ftanding on a dolphin ; arabefque border with cupids and coat of arms. Italian. (Naples?) 18th century. Diam. 11^ in. Bought, i/. \os. PALERMO. r E have very little accurate information of the ceramic pro- ductions of Sicily. Works by the Arab and Moorifh potters are believed to have been produced in the ifland, and are clafTed as Siculo- Arabian, and Siculo-Morefque wares, and fragments of various kinds have been dif- covered among the remains of potteries at Calata Girone. Of the works produced during the fixteenth and following centuries we only know one authentic example, brought to light by M. Davillier. This is a drug pot, " albarello," infcribed " Fatto in Palerma, 1 606," and decorated fomewhat after the manner of Cartel Durante. PIECES OF DOUBTFUL LOCALITY OR ORIGIN. HE pieces which we catalogue under this heading are wanting in thofe chara6leriftic features by which an approximate judgment may be formed as to the fa- brique or locality at which they were produced ; we have accordingly formed of them a fort of awkward fquad, a clafs apart, until fuch time as by greater knowledge they may be claflified more accurately. CATALOGUE. 2^62. 'S^- ASE. Truncated pear-fliaped. Two handled. On either face are two leopards or lions rampant, com- batant, in a diaper of oak leaves ; vine or ivy leafage covers the fides and handles ; outlined in manganefe, and filled in with dark purple on the white ground. Italian. 15th century. H. 14-I in., diam. 14^ in. Bought, i/. 1 2 J. (See engraving.) A very interefting piece of early date, perhaps the moft ancient example of Italian glazed ware with painted decoration which the VASE. LIONS RAMPANT, OAK LEAFAGE, ETC Italian, i 5/// century. (25J2. '56.) PLATEAU. FEMALE PORTRAIT, FOLIATED BORDF.RS, Italian, i 5/// century. (2593- '5f5 ) Pieces of doubtful Ijocality or Origin. 641 Mufeum pofTefTes. There is no clue by which we can fix the locality of its manufacture, or its precife date, but a certain Oriental character about the defign would fhow the nfluence, perhaps, of Moorifh potters. ^593- '56. DEEP Difh. The bottom covered by a female three- quarter buft on diapered ground ; the fides and rim diapered with leafage ; the whole is outlined and fhaded with manganefe ; the hair, buds of the leafage, and dividing lines are orange brown, the leaves filled in with green. Reverfe, the bottom unglazed, the fides glazed. Italian. 15th century. Diam. 17^ in. Bought 2/. {^See engraving.') Of the fame early period and fabrique as Nos. 4901 and 1759, all of which appear to be of mezza-majoUca^ glazed over a flip or wajh of white clay. In their general charafter they approach to the flill earlier difhes which are to be feen in the towers of the Pifan and other Italia* churches, A dull yellow, a liquid copper green, and manganefe, with which all the outlines are drawn, are the only colours ufed. We fufpe<5t a Tufcan origin, 4901. '58. DISH. On a white ground, beneath a thiftle, coloured green and yellow, is a hare of manganefe purple colour ; on the fide and border are two belts of green leafage, returned with manganefe, divided by yellow lines, and with yellow buds ; the ground is Jemee^ with yellow and green flowers. Reverfe, unglazed, fketched in outline with a cupid holding a branch. Italian. 15th century. Diam. \%\ in. Bought 4/. %s. By the fame hand as Nos. 2593 ^"^ 1759- 1759- '55- DEEP Difh or Salver. On the white ground is a large green lion " paffant," and bearing a banner charged with a crofs, in manganefe colour ; fides and border diapered M. S S 642 Pieces of doubtful with green ovals and fpots, and divided by concentric yellow bands. Reverfe, unglazed. Italian. 15th century. Diam. 20 in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 61. ^s. By the fame early potter as Nos. 4901 and 2593. 2610. '^6. INKSTAND. Group modelled in the round of Romulus and Remus fuckled by the wolf; a vafe is behind to hold the ink ; the pedeftal is enriched with fcroll foliage and rofettes in relief on the panels, and with cord mouldings ; the outlines are marked in blue, and the colouring is in yellow, purple, and green. Italian. About 1500. H. 8^ in., L. 9-I in., W. 5^ in. Bought, 8/. A curious early piece, perhaps from one of the potteries in the Roman States and neighbourhood of Perugia. 7840. '61. DRUG Pot. '' Albarelhr Cylindrical. On the front is a fquare panel of white arabefques on a blue ground ; beneath is infcribed " GENTZIANA " ; green handles and lip. Italian. 1 6th century. H. 13^ in., W. 12 in. Bought, 4/. 19J. id. 7841. '(ii. DRUG Pot. Cylindrical. '' Albarelkr On the front is a fquare panel of white grotefques on a blue ground, with central medallion bearing a female half figure, heightened with green and yellow ; beneath is infcribed " ZAFARANO " ; green handles and lip. Italian. About 1540. H. 14 in,, W. 12 in. Bought, 4/. 19J. id. Locality or Origin, 643 7839. '61. VASE. Oviform. Shield of arms ; the handles in form of dolphins (the fpout miffing). Italian. i6th century. H. 13 in., W. 11^ in. Bought, 4/. 1282. '55. PLATE. " Tagliere.'' A central rofette, and a border of interlacings in yellow, outlined with orange, the ground picked out with green and blue. Italian. " About 1 580-1 600. Diam. 8|- in. Bought, iGs. 2d. Probably by the fame maker as No. 2597, and of uncertain locality. ^597- '56. PLATE. " Tagliere." Interlaced foliated ribbon and ftrawberry leaf pattern in yellow, outlined with blue, and relieved with red fcrolls and fquares. Italian. About 1 580-1 600. Diam. 9 in. Bought, i/. 12s. An ordinary ftock piece of uncertain manufatflure, probably from the fame as No. 1282. 1761- ^55- PLATEAU. Interlacings terminating in leaves, and acorns in yellow fhaded with orange on dark blue ground ; in the centre a medallion with a figure of Juftice. Reverfe, the letter V or A, and concentric lines in blue. Italian. About 1 600-1 6 20. Diam. i8f in. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 10/. It is difficult to affign this piece with any degree of probabih'ty, par- taking as it does of fome of the chara6lers of the Diruta and Viterbo 644 Pieces of doubtful wares of the later period, as alfo of CafFaggiolo. It has fome affinity with No. 2597, but is probably of much more recent date. 17^3- SS' PLATEAU. The buft portrait of a female, richly dreffed, outlined with dark brown, and coloured with orange, blue, brown, &c. on a green ground ; on either fide is an elaborate monogram, probably her's or the donor's ; border of fcroll-work in blue between yellow lines. Reverfe, plain. Italian. 17th century. Diam. i6Jin. Bought (Bernal Coll.), 1 5/. The careful work of an inferior artift ; the monograms, one of which confifts of the letters S • A • L • % and the other ofC-E-V-P-F-K, are probably thofe of the owner or giver of the piece, and not of the painter. There is a certain Venetian character in the figure and drefs. Locality or Origin, 645 5434- '59- PLATEAU. Raifed medallion in the centre, with a female figure rudely drawn, the remaining furface covered with zones of fcroll foliation, outlined and grounded in dull blue. Reverfe, dated 1628. Diam, 18 in. Bought, lis. 5^. A coarfe late example, which cannot be afligned, with any degree of probability, to a known fabrique. ^7^^- '59- PLATE. A ftag hunt, with landfcape background painted in dull blue on the white ground. Reverfe, figned and dated "GEO: BAT A; MERC ATI 1649." ^iam. 15} in. Bought, i/. los. Carefully executed, apparently from a print or drawing by Sadeler or other artift of the German or Dutch fchool ; but the fignature at the back would denote that it is either the handiwork or from a drawing by Mercati, an artift of the fchool of Pietro da Cortona, referred to by Lanzi.-"^ He was of Borgo S. Sepolcro, and produced works in that city, at Leghorn, and elfewhere ; his execution was fometimes painftaking, and we fee no reafon why he may not have executed the drawing on this piece in the dull cobalt pigment. C BO • B \TA.V MB KCAt f 429. '69. CIRCULAR Difli. The rim painted with trees, buildings, birds, &c. in blue on white ground, and central armorial fhield of a Cardinal, in colours on front and back. Italian. 17th or 1 8th century. Diam. 12^ in. Bought, 3/. ■ Hiftory of Painting in Italy, tianflated by T. Rofcoe. 184.7. (Eohn.) Vol. i, P- 255- UNCERTAIN MARKS AND MONOGRAMS ON PIECES UNKNOWN OR INSUFFICIENTLY DESCRIBED. T is to be regretted that the majority of the following marks and monograms, taken in fac-fimile from pieces then in various collections, many of which have fmce changed owners, are now uncertain, the memoranda attached to them having been unfortunately miflaid. The greater number were engraved fome years fince from tracings taken by or furnifhed to Mr. J. C. Robinfon, who was then coUedling material for his propofed work on Majolica. The want of fufficient data which might enable us to attribute thefe marks to particular artifts or fabriques with any degree of accuracy, has led us to prefer the more unfatisfadlory, but perhaps better courfe, of placing them together as uncertain, and in the hope that they may be recognifed and eventually claflified corre6lly. The following occur upon pieces unknown to the writer, or of which he has only information of doubtful authority. # Uncertain Marks^ &^c. on Pieces unknown. 647 The arrows upon No. i have the appearance of being painted in colour, while the paler lozenge or letter D is probably in luftre. No. I. No. 2. No. 3. No. 4. No. 5. .if Nos. 6 to 10 are perhaps executed in luftre colour. No. 6. No. 7. No. 648 Uncertain Marks ^ &^c. No. 9. No. 10. on Pieces unknown. 649 No. 1 1 is probably a monaftic or other owner's mark, or a pharma- ceutical emblem. The monograms which follow are probably in colour. No. 12. No. 13. •A- FA 650 Uncertain Marks ^ &'c. No. 14. No. 15 No. 16. No. 17. No. 18. -Kb -^jl^ A- No. K f"^ No. 20. M on Pieces unknown. 651 No. 21 we fhould be difpofed to confider as the (hield and initials of the owner of the piece. No. 22. 1540 No. 23. Est Q M ^ T-Z No. 24. Jo ' -"Ar 652 Uncertain Marks^ &^c. No. 25. Although a long infcription, leaves us in doubt, for we cannot feel aflured of the locality of Saminiatelo ; it could hardly be the borgo of S. Miniato in Florence (?). ri ' T£C£ . ^yssro. T'/AT^^o. IN. BoTT£GJHA.-b|.BrCHOA/r. I)"EL. NANO. IN. SAMINIATELO, CHV ^ STO , VZ-yyVO. AGHciTfNfo . :bf.-H^ O.A. -BI.CIHQE. No. 26 is from a piece which belonged to Mr. Falcke. (Chaffers.) i6 No. 27 may be from a vafe No. 615 in the Delfette catalogue, and perhaps of Caftelli. No. 28. on Pieces unknown. 653 Nos. 29, 30. Perhaps the monograms of Giov. Batt. Mercati, whofe name is infcribed on No. 5756. '59, among the unaffigned pieces. No. 29. c^ No. 30. No. 31. This fignature occurs on a piece in the pofTeflion of Monfignore Cajani. It is cleverly painted, fomewhat in the manner of the Caftelli or the later Sienefe pieces, with the fubjedl of a group of Satyrs and SatyrefTes gathering grapes. Denniftoun, in his Dukes of Urbino, in a foot note to page 391 of the fecond volume, refers to this, or a fimilarly figned plate, as then being at that city, and belonging to the Canon Staccioni. 654 Recent Acquijitions, PERSIAN WARES. 424. '72. SHALLOW Bowl on Stem. A central ornament in blue and brown on the milky white ground, the fides pierced with openings filled with the tranflucent glaze, the edge touched with black. Perfian (Gombron ware). i6th or 17th century. Diam. 8^ in., Height, 4^^ in. Bought, 2S^- A fine and unufual fpecimen of this rare and very beautiful pottery, no other example on a raifed foot being known to the writer. The milky whitenefs and richnefs of the glaze are remarkable. There is great difficulty in affigning a date, as we know nothing with certainty of the locality or period of its production. A fmall fragment of this pottery with pierced pattern filled in with glaze, was difcovered by Mr. Wood in his excavations at Ephefus, together with glazed Damafcus and incifed ware, at a confiderable depth beneath the furface. G U B B I O. 355- '72. PLATE. Tagliere. Lufl:red ware. Majolica. Medea leading her children. Landfcape background. Italian (Gubbio). Signed by M°. Giorgio and dated 152,8. Diam. 9! in. Bought (Webb Coll.), 100/. Though figned by the mafter and a fine piece, we doubt its being the work of his hand. The fubje6l is unufual and ably treated, and the luftre pigments are carefully applied. WORKS CONSULTED, TABLES OF REFERENCE, INDEX; ^Sl WORKS CONSULTED, OR CONTAINING REFERENCES TO ITALIAN AND SPANISH MAIOLICA AND ENAMELLED FAYENCE, AND TO THE WARES OF PERSIA, DAMASCUS, RHODES, &c. Barreyros : Chorographia de alguns lugares. 4to. Coimbra. 1546. Bassagio, J. B. : Maioliche di BafTano. 8vo. BafTano. Beautez de la Perfe. 1665. Ed. Paris. 1673. Beche, Sir Henry de la, and Trenham Reeks : Catalogue of the Mufeum of Geology. 8vo. London. 1855. S. K. 2nd ed. 1871. S.K. Beuter, Dr. p. Antonio : Cronica Generale di Spagna, tradotto in Italiano dal P. Alfonfo di Ulloa. Venezia. 1556. Spanifh ed. 1600. S.K. Birch, Samuel, F.S.A. : Hiftory of Ancient Pottery. 2 vols. 8vo. London. 1858. S.K. Bohn, H. G. : A Guide to the Knowledge of Pottery, etc. 2nd ed. 8vo. London. 1862. S. K. BoNGHi, Diego : Intorno alle Majoliche di Caftelli. 4to. Napoli. 1856. S.K. Brongniart, Alexandre : Traite des Arts Ceramiques. Text, 2 vols. 8vo. Atlas, obi. 4to. Paris. 1854. S. K. Brongniart, A. and Riocreux, D. : Defcription du Mufee Ceramique de Sevres. 2 vols. 4to. Paris. 1845. S.K. 658 Wo7^ks cojtfulted,, &^c, BuRGEs, W. : Art applied to Induftry. 8vo. Oxford. 1865. S. K. BuRTY, Philippe : Chefs d'CEuvredes Arts Induftriels. Svo. Paris. 1866. S. K. Englifli Tranllation. Svo. London. 1869. S. K. Campana Collection : Cataloghi del Mufeo Campana. 4to. Rome. 1859. ^* ^• Illuitrations of the Obje6ls in the. (See Art pour Tous, L'. Oaober. 1862.) S.K. Campori, Giuseppe, Marchese : Notizie della iVIanifattura Eftenfe della Maiolica, etc., nel xvi. fecolo. 4to. Modena. 1863. Delle Manifatture della Maiolica, etc.,iftituite in Torino da Orazio Fontana e da Fr. Brandani. 4to. Modena, 1867. Notizie della Maiolica e della Porcellana Di Ferrara. Modena. 8vo. 1871. S.K. Capmany, Montpalan Ant. de : Memorias Hiftoricas. 4to. Barcelona. 1780. Catalogue : Catalogo delle Pitture in Majolica ed altri Oggetti d' Arte efiftenti nel Gabinetto di Mons. A. C. 8vo. ph. Rome. i860. S. K. Chabouillet, Anatole: Defcription des Antiquites, etc., compofant le Cabinet deM. Louis Fould. Fol. Paris. 1861. S.K. Chaffers, William : The Keramic Gallery. 2 vols. London. 1872. S. K. Marks and Monograms on Pottery and Porcelain. 3rd ed. Roy. Svo. London. 1870. S. K. Chardin, Chir : Voyage en Perfe. Circa 1650. Ed. 1811. S.K. Cherubini, Gabriello : Dei Grue, e della Pittura Ceramica in Caftelli. Svo. Naples. 1S65. Darcel, Alfred : Notice des Fayences peintes Italiennes, etc. (Mufee du Louvre.) Port Svo. Paris. 1864. S.K. Davillier, J. C. : Hiftoire des Faiences Hifpano-Morefques. Svo. Pari?. 1861. S.K. Works confulted^ &^c» 659 Delange, H. : Appendix to the tranflation of PafTeri {which fee). 8vo. Paris. 1853. S.K. Delange and Bornemann : Recueil des Faiences Italiennes. Fol. Paris, Londres. 1867 et feq. S. K. Della Valle, Pietro : Viaggi. 4to. Roma. 1662-3. Demmin, Augusts : Guide de i'Amateur de Faiences, etc. 2 vols. 3rd ed. i2mo. Paris. 1867. S.K. Recherches fur la Priorite de la RenaifTance de I'Art Allemand. Poft8vo. Paris. 1862. S.K. Hiftoire de la Ceramique. Fol. Paris. 1869 et feq. S.K. Catalogue de la Collection de M. A. Demmin. 8vo. Paris 1866. S. K. Catalogue du Mufee des Arts Plaftiques. Roy. 8vo. Paris. 1868. S.K. Dennistoun, James : Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino. 8vo. London. 1851. S.K. De Segange, L. Du Broc : La Faience, les Faienciers, et les Emailleiers de Nevers. 8vo. Nevers. 1863. S.K. DiAGO, Fr. : Anales del Reyno de Valencia. 4to. Valencia. 1613. Dillon, Talbot : Travels through Spain. 4to. London. 1780. Drake, W. R. : Venetian Ceramics. 8vo. London. 1868. S. K. EcHEVERRiA, Dr. Juan de : Pafeos por Granada. 4to. Granada. 18 14. (Quoted by Davillier, Faiences Hifp.-Mor.) Edvv^ards, Miss M. B. : Through Spain to the Sahara. 8vo. London. 1868. S. K. Escolano : Hiftoria de la Infigne y Coronada cuidad y Reyno de Valencia. Fol. Valencia. 1610. Ferriere, Percy, Le Comte de la : Une fabrique de Faience a Lyon. 8vo. Paris. 1862. S.K. T T 2 66o Works confulted^ ^c. Fischer, Ch. August : A Pi6lure of Valencia. 8vo. London. 1808. S. K. Ford, Richard : Handbook for Spain. 8vo. London. 1B45. S. K. 2nd ed. i2mo. 1847. 3rd ed. 8vo. 1855. FoRSTER, H. R. : The Stowe Sale Catalogue. 4to. London. 1848. S. K. FoRTNUM, C. Drury : Notes on the Bacini as ornaments to the archite6lure of fome churches in Italy. Remarks on a Lamp of Perfian ware, etc., and on the Pottery of Egypt, Perfia, Damafcus, etc. Archaeologia, vol. xlii. pp. 379- 397. S. K. Fraser, James Baillie : A Winter's Journey from Conftantinople to Tehran. 2 vols. 8vo. London. 1838. Hiftorical and defcriptive account of Perfia. i2mo. New York. 1843- Frati, Luigi : Di un' Infigne raccolta di Maioliche. (Delfette Collection.) Roy. 8vo. Bologna. 1844. S. K. Del Mufeo Pafolini in Faenza. 8vo. Bologna. 1852. Di un Pavimento in Majolica. 8vo. Bologna. 1853. Garzoni, Tommaso : Article on Maiolica in the Piazza Univerfale. 1585. Gautier, Theophile, the Elder : Wanderings in Spain. 8vo. London. (National Illuftrated Library.) 1851. S.K. GiNORi, Carlo, Marchese : La Manifattura Ginori a Doccia. 8vo. Firenze. 1867. S.K. See alfo Lorenzini. Granuzzi, D. Lugio : Relazione iftorica della Santa Cafa in Loreto. Loreto. 1838. Grasse, Dr. J. G. 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S-^- 667 TABLE OF REFERENCE FROM THE REGISTER NUMBERS* OF THE SPECIMENS TO THE PAGES IN V/HICH THEY ARE DESCRIBED. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. 2. '65 CafFaggiolo 107 160. ' 69 Ancient Perfian 22 5. '69 Caftelli , 637 161. ' 69 Do. do. 22 6. '69 Do. . 638 162. ' 69 Do. do. 22 8. '64 II. '67 Urbino . Siena . 386 134 i63to\ 1 63°' ; '69 Do. do. 20 12. '67 Caftel Durante 314 177. ' 66 Rhodian 34 i3. '67 Caftelli . 637 178. 53 Diruta 449 14. '71 Sgraffiati 7^ 179- 53 Venice 6o3 i5. '71 Do. . 72 181. 53 Caftelli 639 30. '66 Forli . 556 182. 53 Ancient Perfian 20 38. '66 Do. . 564 183. 53 Hifpano-Morefque . 64 60. '71 Caftelli . 638 185. 53 Do. do. 64 6o^ '71 Do. . 638 186. 53 Do. do. 64 69. '65 Faenza . 531 ti87. 53 Ancient Perfian 20 70. '66 Damafcus 25 187. 66 Sgraffiati 73 94. '65 Monte Lupo . 14s 192. 55 Monte Lupo . 146 loi. '53 Hifpano-Morefque . 64 228. 66 Hifpano-Morefque . 60 104. '69 Do. do. 59 243. 53 Do. do. 54 105. '69 Do. do. 59 245. 53 Gubbio 221 ii5. '69 Urbino . 393 246. 53 Diruta . 436 116. '70 Rhodian 34 259. 66 Hifpano-Morefque . 63 117. '70 Do. . 35 272. 71 Gubbio . 284 118. '70 Da. . 35 272. 71 Urbino . 398 119. '70 Do. . 35 295. 70 Hifpano-Morelque . 62 120. '70 Do. . 35 296. 50 Do. do. 62 121. '70 Do, . 36 308. 66 Do. do. . 65 122. '70 Do. . 36 314. '67 Damafcus 27 123. '70 Do. , 36 315. '67 Rhodian 34 124. '70 Do. . 36 321. '54 CafFaggiolo . 124 125. '70 Do. . 36 322. '54 Do. 125 126. '70 Do. . 37 323. '54 Do. 125 123. '69 I23\ '69 1 Pefaro 177 3^4- 326. '64 '66 Hifpano-Morefque . Do. do. 62 60 124. '69 I24\ '69 1 Do. . 177 327. 328. '66 '66 Do. do. Do. do. 60 60 125. '69 125*. '69 I Do. . 178 329- 349- '66 '64 Do. do. Sgraffiati 61 76 \ll-.}-'^^ Do. . , . . 178 351- 352. '72 '72 Forli . Urbino . 55a 390 159. '69 Ancient Perfian 21 353- '72 Do. . 391 * The numbers attached to the Specimens are thofe of the Mufcum Regifter j the t.vo following figures refer to the year when they were acquired. f Wrongly printed 126, 126'. '54. X Do. do. 187. '35. 668 Table of Reference. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. 354. 72 Faenza . 510 519- 65 Gubbio . . . 253 355 64 Pefaro . 174 520 65 Do. . 280 355 72 Gubbio . 654 521 65 Faenza . 509 356 72 Urbino . 387 522 65 Gubbio . 267 388 388 1 69 69 1 Pefaro 178 523 524 65 65 Caftaggiolo Gubbio . III 253 401 54 Gubbio . 238 525 65 Tufcany 83 413 54 Caftel Durant s 309 526 65 Gubbio . 267 #417 54 Faenza . 541 527 65 Do. . 254 424 72 Perfian . 654 528 65 Do. . 223 429 69 Unafligned 645 529 '65 Do. . 259 430 69 Savona . 63o 530 '65 Diruta . 436 432 69 Do. . 629 530 '68 Savona . 629 433 433 69 69 |-Nove . 608 531 531 '68 '65 Do. . CafFaggioIo 629 io5 436 69 Faenza . 527 532 65 Urbino . 418 478 65 Damafcus 28 533 65 Do. . 403 479 65 Do. 28 534 65 Gubbio . 2S2 482 64 Siculo- Arabia: 1 37 535 65 Do. . 266 483 64 Do. 37 536 65 Caftel Durante 3io 484 64 Do. 38 550 64 Hifpano-Morefque . 57 A84 54 Sgraffiati 77 55i 64 Faenza . 536 485 54 Rhodian 33 589 46 Siena , 141 485 64 Hifpano-Morefque . 57 590 46 Do. . 141 486 64 Do. do. 52 618 64 Siculo-Arabian 38 487 64 Do. do. 54 623 68 Ancient Perfian 21 488 64 Do. do. 54 624 68 Do. do. 21 489 64 Do. do. 53 625 68 Do. do. 18 490 64 Forll . 549 633 70 Caftel Durante 320 495 65 Hifpano-Morefque . 63 773 65 Gubbio . 259 495^ 65 Do. do. 63 836 70 Candiana 617 495"- 65 Do. do. 63 836 70 Do. 617 495'i. 65 Do. do. 63 837 70 Fori! , 555 496. 65 Do. do. 64 838 70 Rome . 468 498. 65 Gubbio . 23o 969 54 Caftelli . 638 499. 65 Do. . 23o lOOI 53 Hifpano-Morefque . 6x 500. 65 Do. . 228 1004 53 Do. do. 62 501. 65 Do. . 236 ioo5 53 Diruta . 439 502. 65 Do. . 265 1018 53 Siena 141 503' 65 Siculo-Morefq ue 65 1019 53 Urbino . 418 504. 65 Ferrara . 579 1075 '69 Damafcus 28 505. 65 Do. . 579 1133 '64 Rhodian 29 506. 65 Urbino . 392 1134 64 Do. . • 29 507- 65 Gubbio . 220 t"3s '64 Do. . 29 508. 65 Diruta . 435 1136 '64 Do. . 3o 509. 65 Urbino . 414 1137 '64 Do. . 3i 5io. 65 Do. . 415 ii38 '64 Do. . 3i 5ii. 65 Do. . 411 "39 '64 Do. . 3i 5l2. 65 Gubbio . 220 1 140 64 Damafcus 28 513. 65 Do. . 221 1141 '64 Rhodian 3o 514. 65 Diruta . 437 1 142 64 Do. . 3o 5i5. 65 Gubbio . 217 1143 64 Do. . 34 5i6. 65 Pefaro . 167 1202 64 Caftel Durante 3io 517. '65 Urbino . 406 1204 65 CafFaggioIo 108 5i8 '65 Gubbio . 223 1207 64 SgrafBati , 74 * Wrongly printed 147. '54. -j- Do. do. 1 1 34. '64. Table of Reference. 669 Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. Regifter. Number. Fabrique. Page. 1266. '55 SgraffiatI 78 1684. '55 Padua . 6i3 1267. '55 Siena 139 i685. 's^ Urbino . 395 1269. '55 CafFaggioIo 121 1686. '55 Pefaro . 174 1270. '55 Faenza . 539 1687. '55 Caftel Durante 316 1271. '55 Do, . 539 1688. '55 Venice . 601 1282. '55 Unafligned . 643 1689. '55 Urbino . 38i 1283. '71 Hifpano-Morefque . 65 1690. '55 Gubbio . 248 1342, '45 Siena . 140 1691. '55 Caftel Durante 316 1343- '45 Do. . 141 1692. '55 Urbino . 38o 1432. '56 Diruta . 444 1693. '55 Pefaro . 174 1443. '53 Gubbio . 222 1694. '55 Urbino . 379 1457- '53 Hifpano-Morefque . 61 1695. '55 Do. . 401 1457. '70 Do. do. 57 1696. '55 Do. . 400 1458. '70 Do. do. 58 1697. '55 Do. . 404 1459. '70 Do. do. • 61 1698. '55 Do. . 398 1460. 70 Do. do. 58 1700- '55. Do. . 396 1461. '70 Do. do. 62 1701. '55 Rimini . 567 1501. 56 CafFaggioIo . 124 1702. '55 Urbino . 376 1535. 54 Pefaro . 176 1703- '55 Rimini . 567 1568. '55 Diruta , 442 1704. '55 Urbino . 379 1569. 55 Siena . i3i 1705. '55 Gubbio . 273 1570. 55 Caflel Durante 320 1706. '55 Do. . 251 1571. 56 Diruta . 448 1707- '55 Faenza . 538 1572. 55 Venice . 600 1708, '55 Rhodian 32 1573- 55 Diruta , 446 i7o8\ '55 Do. . 32 1601. 55 Gubbio . 261 1709. '55 Faenza . 5l2 1606. 55 Do. . 214 17"- '55 Hifpano-Morefque . 55 1611. 55 Faenza . 526 1712. '55 Do. do. Sd 1612. S5 Do. . 536 1713- '55 Caftel Durante 304 1613. 55 Pefaro . 168 1714- '55 Forli , 563 1614. ' 56 Gubbio . 2l5 1715- '55 Caff-'aggiolo . 116 1631. 56 Sgraffiati 77 1716. '55 Do, , 120 1632. 56 Gubbio . 262 1717- '55 Do. . 119 1633. 55 Do. . 25o 1718. '55 Do. . 122 1635. 56 Hifpano-Morefque . 59 1719. '55 Do. . no i656. 53 Diruta . 437 1720. '55 Faenza . 524 i658. '53 Caftelll , 639 1721. '55 Do. . 524 1659 toT ,5, 1661 / ^^ Siena . I 32 1722. '55 ti723. '55 Urbino . Faenza . 416 519 1662. '53 Gubbio . 23l 1724. '55 Padua . 615 1664. '56 Siena 141 1725. '55 Diruta . 438 1665. '56 Do. . 140 1726. '55 CafFaggioIo . 117 1666. '56 Do. . 140 1727. '55 Gubbio . 285 1667. '56 Do. , 140 1728. '55 Caftel Durante 302 *i67i. '55 Forli . 552 1729. '55 Faenza . 520 1673. '55 CafFaggioIo . 109 1730. '55 Gubbio . 241 1674. '55 Monte Lupo . 145 1731. '55 Do. . 260 1675. '55 Diruta . 447 1732. '55 Faenza . 513 1676. '55 Caftel Durante 319 1733- '55 Venice . 601 1677. '55 Faenza . S18 1734- '55 Faenza . 5»3 1678. '55 Forli . 552 1735- '55 Caftel Durante 302 1679. '55 Caftel Durante 312 1736. '55 Do. . 319 1680. '55 Hifpano-Morefque , 55 1737. '55 Siena . 138 i6-8i. '55 Urbino , 389 1738. '55 Forli . 551 1682. '55 Venice . 601 1739- '55 Faenza . 5i8 * Wrongly printed 2597. '56. f Do. do, 1723. '56. 670 Table of Reference. 1740. '55 I74I. '55 1742. '55 1743- '55 1744. '55 1745- '55 1746. '55 1748. 55 1749. '55 1750. '55 1751. '55 1752. 55 1753. '55 1754- '55 1755- '55 1756. '55 1758. '55 1579- 55 1760. '55 1761. '55 1762. 55 1763. 55 1764. 55 1765. 55 1766. 55 1767. 55 1768. 55 1769. 55 1770. 55 1771. 55 1773. 55 1774- 55 1775. SS 1776. 55 1777. 55 1778. 55 1779. 55 1780. 55 1781. 55 1782. 55 1783. 55 1784. 55 1785. 55 1786. 55 1787. 55 1788. 55 1789. 55 1790. 55 1791. 55 1792- 55 1793. 55 1794. 55 1798. 55 1799. ' 55 1800. 55 1801. ' 55 1802. 55 1803. 55 1804. 55 Cartel Durante Urbino . Padua . Urbino . Venice . Urbino . Do. . Do. . Padua . Do. . Caftel Durante Urbino . Rimini . Urbino . Gubbio . Faenza . Urbino . Unafligned Hifpano-Morefque Unafligned Hifpano-Morefque Unafligned Sgraffiati Faenza . Caftel Durante Faenza . Venice . Pefaro . Padua . Viterbo Caftel Durante Do. Ferrara . Faenza . Urbino . Caftaggiolo Diruta . Urbino . Faenza . Urbino . Do. . Do. . Siena . Urbino . Do. . Gubbio . Do. . Urbino . Do. . Siena Ferrara . Tufcany Faenza . Do. . Do. . Diruta . Urbino . Forli Diruta . 312 414 612 378 600 405 380 396 616 614 312 407 566 402 248 530 403 641 55 643 56 644 75 516 3io 541 600 169 614 460 311 3i3 581 5i7 404 112 435 395 533 405 406 378 134 407 38o 245 246 401 405 i36 5 80 86 540 540 514 447 38i 553 441 Regifl Numb er er. Fabrique. Page. i8o5. '55 Sgraffiati 74 1806. '55 Tufcany 80 1807. '55 Faenza . 525 2410. '56 Do. . 535 241 1. '56 Caffaggiolo 126 2412. '56 Do. 126 2431. '56 Viterbo 458 2432. '56 Bagnorea 454 2469. '56 Sgraffiati 79 2470. '56 Monte Lupo 145 2541. '56 Diruta . 443 2542. '56 Faenza . 534 2543. '56 Do. . 540 2544. '56 Do. . 521 2545. '56 Rhodian 32 2546. '56 Do. 3i 2558. '56 Tufcany 84 2559. '56 Do. 85 2560. '56 Faenza . 539 256i. 56 Do. . 539 2562. '56 Unaffigned 640 2586. '56 Caftel Durant« 318 2587. 56 Do. . 3i8 2588. 56 Do. . 3" 2589. 56 Tufcany 82 2590. 56 Caftel Durant 317 2591. 56 Forli . 549 2592. 56 Do. . 560 2593. 56 Unafligned 641 2594. 56 Pelaro . T7Z 2595. 56 Do. . 171 2596. 56 Tufcany 83 2597. 56 Unafligned 643 2598. 56 Candiana 617 2599. 56 Urbino . 417 2600. 56 Sgraffiati 77 2601. 56 Gubbio . 231 2602. 56 Tufcany 87 2604. 56 Do. . 82 2605. 56 Diruta . 446 2606. 56 Tufcany 81 i6o7. 56 Caftelli . 638 2608. 56 Do. . 639 2609. 56 Gubbio . 287 2610. 56 Unaffigned 642 2611. 56 Sgraffiati 75 2612. 56 Urbino . 413 2613. ' 56 Caftel Durante 307 2641. ' 56 Rhodian 31 2S25. ' 56 Urbino . 375 2826. ' 56 Do. . 377 2891. ' 53 Modern Perfia n 25 2972. ' 53 Rome . 467 2973- ' 53 Do. . 467 2974. ' 53 Urbino . 410 2975. ' 53 Caftel Durante 314 2976. ' 53 Rome . 467 2978. ' 53 Faenza . 538 2990. ' 53 Caflaggiolo . "5 Table of Reference. 671 Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. Regirter Number. Fabrique. Page. 2991. ' 1 53 Urbino . 405 439^- '57 Urbino . 418 2997. ' 56 Gubbio . 222 4392- '57 Gubbio . 222 3026. ' 55 Urbino . 406 4400. '57 Diruta . 446 3027. ' 55 Cartel Durante 310 4406. '57 Faenza . 536 3028. ' 55 Caffaggiolo . 121 4407. '57 Urbino . 411 3029. ' 55 Faenza . 541 4422. '53 Gubbio . 240 3030. ' 55 Pefaro . 170 4431- '58 Venice . 599 3031. ' 55 Siena 138 4438. '58 Do. . 596 3032. ' 55 Diruta . 452 4487. '58 Siena . 136 3033- ' 55 Gubbio . 218 4552. '57 Diruta . 445 3034. ' 53 Do. . 214 4553- '57 Cartel Durantf 319 3035- ' 53 Do. . 215 4554. '48 San Quirico 423 3036. ' 53 Do. . 217 4555- '53 Urbino . 411 3037. 55 Siena 140 4556- '53 Do. . 394 3120*. 53 Gubbio . 252 4557- '56 Do. . 399 3266. 56 Do. . 257 4604. '58 Forli . 562 3542- ' 53 Sgraffiati 77 4605. '56 Venice . 602 3639. 56 Venice . 598 4608. '58 Diruta . 443 3762. ' 53 Modern Perfian 24 4609. '58 Do. . 444 3776. ' 53 Do. . 24 4611. '58 Sgraffiati 78 3823. ' 53 Do. . 24 4621. '58 Do. 75 3824. ' 53 Do. . 24 4622. '58 Gubbio. 223 3«43- 53 Do. . 23 4623. '58 ■ Diruta . 438 3858. 53 Do. . 23 4624. '58 Faenza . 5i4 3866. 53 Do. . 23 4625. '58 Urbino . 385 3884- 53 Do. . 23 4626. '58 Faenza . 525 3891. 53 Do. . 25 4627. '58 Cartel Durant e 3i6 3894. 53 Do. . 25 4628. '58 Tufcany 86 4037- 56 Caffaggiolo . 122 4691. '58 Urbino . 394 4078. 57 Pefaro . 169 4692. '58 Do. . 375 4231. 57 Cartel Durante 3i9 4693. '58 Ferrara . 581 4232. 57 Hifpano-Morefque . 58 4694. '58 Monte Lupo 144 4267. 57 La Fratta 457 4695. '58 Do. 144 4277. 57 Faenza . 529 4696. '58 Urbino . 417 4291. 57 Ferrara • 580 4697. '58 Do. . 394 429i\ 57 Do. . 580 4698. '58 Do. . 394 4317- 57 Forli . 563 4726. '59 Gubbio . 275 4342. 57 Diruta . 450 4727. '59 Forli . 554 4343- 57 Faenza . 526 4782. '59 Venice . 599 4345- 57 Caftelli . 637 4783. '58 HUpano-Morefque . 58 4351- 57 Faenza . 516 4784. '58 Do. do. 57 4352, 57 Hifpano-Morefque . 59 4898. '58 Caffaggiolo . 109 4353- '57 La Fratta 457 4901. '58 Unaffigned 641 4354- '57 Urbino . 409 4915 to 1.5 5386 J- 57 Siena l32 4359- '57 Monte Lupo . 145 4378. '57 Diruta . 448 5402. '59 Venice . 602 4380. '57 Siena i35 5410. '59 Urbino . 385 4381. '57 Gubbio . 286 5434. '59 Unaffigned . 645 4381'. '57 Do. . 286 5474- '59 Urbino . 388 4382. '57 Sgraffiati 78 5475- '59 Cartel Durante 303 4383- '57 Diruta . 450 5756. '59 Unaffigned 645 4384. '57 Faenza . 528 5763. '59 Ancient Perfian 17 438s. '57 Monte Lupo . 147 5865. '59 San Quirico . 422 4386. '57 Tufcany 82 6590, '60 Damafcus 27 4387. '57 Savona . 630 6655. '60 Caffaggiolo . 108 4388. '57 Monte Lupo . 147 6656, '60 Do. J22 4389^ '57 Urbino . 417 6657. '60 San Quirico . 423 4389. '57 Do. . 418 6658. '60 Caffaggiolo . III 4390. '57 Do. . 419 6659. '60 Diruta . • 441 672 Table of Reference, Regifter Number. Fabrlque. Page. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. 6662. '60 Urbino . 412 7693. '61 Gubbio . 242 6663. '60 Ferrara . 582 7839. '6i Unafligned 643 6664. '60 Caffaggiolo . "4 7840. '61 Do. 64a 6665. '60 Diruta . 441 7841. '61 Do. 642 6666. '60 Forli . 561 7887. '61 Pefaro . 178 6667. '60 Siena . i39 8385. '63 Faenza . 538 6668. '60 Monte Lupo . 147 8389. '63 Tufcany 86 6669. '60 Sgraffiati 73 8390. '63 Urbino . 391 6670. '60 Siena . 140 8398. '63 Gubbio , 276 6783. '60 Rhodian 33 8399. '63 Do. . 265 6784. '60 Do. 33 8400. '63 Urbino . 391 6785. '60 Damafcus 26 8401. '63 Caftei Durante .317 6864. '60 Gubbio . 261 8402. '63 Urbino . 415 6865, '60 Urbino . 419 8403. '63 Do. . 393 6981. '60 Tufcany 88 8404. '63 Do. . 38i 7142. '61 Caftei Durante 3ii 8405. '63 Pefaro . 177 7144. '60 Diruta . 451 8406. '63 Urbino . 408 714S. '60 Caftei Durante 313 8407. '63 Gubbio . 235 7154. '56 Caffaggiolo . 103 8408. '63 Urbino . 387 71SS. '60 Diruta . ... 45i 8409. '63 Do. . 387 7i56. '60 Urbino . 402 8451. '63 Do. . 244 7157. '60 Gubbio . , 242 8452. '63 Do. . 270 7i58, '60 Faenza . 5" 8488. '63 Rhodian 29 7159. '60 Urbino . 384 8512. '63 Venice . 598 7160. '60 Gubbio . 212 8528. '63 Forli . 562 7161, '60 Do. . 232 8529. '63 Do. . 562 7162. '60 Do. . 2l3 8819. '63 Diruta . 444 7163. '60 Do. . 214 8886. '63 Gubbio . 274 7164. '60 Urbino . 384 8887. '63 Do. . 254 7165. '60 Caftei Durante 3os 8888. '63 Do. . 274 7166. '60 Gubbio . 249 8889. '63 Do. . 258 7167. '60 Pefaro . 173 8890. '63 Do. . 237 7168. '60 Gubbio . 251 8891. '63 Do. . 243 7230. '60 Siena . i38 8892. '63 Do. . 240 7355- '61 Forli . 560 8893. '63 Do. . 255 7357. '61 Damafcus 27 8894. '63 Do. . 279 7409. '60 Do. 26 8895. '63 Do. . 270 7410. '60 Forli . 550 8896. '63 Do. . 277 7438. '61 Caffaggiolo , 106 8897. '63 Faenza . 522 7485. '61 Ancient Perfian 17 8898. '63 Urbino . 385 7495. '61 Do. 18 8899. '63 Gubbio . 277 7537. '61 Siena . 135 8900. '63 Do. . 233 7538. '61 Viterbo . 459 8901. '63 Do. . 278 7549. '61 Forli 554 8902. '63 Do. . 258 7659. '62 Hifpano-Morefque . 53 8903. '63 Do. . 267 7679. '61 Gubbio , 255 8904. '63 Urbino . 376 7680. '61 Faenza . 534 8905. '63 Gubbio . 229 7681. '61 Gubbio . 237 8906. '63 Do. . 256 7682. '61 Do. . 224 8907. '63 Do. . 282 7683. '61 Do. . 226 8908. '63 Do. . 268 7684. '6i Do. . 226 8909. ""(^i Do. . 269 7685. '61 Do. . 263 8910. '63 Do. • 271 7686. '61 Do. . 243 8911. '63 Urbino . 378 7687. '61 Do. . 271 8912. '63 Do. . 389 7688. '61 Do. . 272 8913. '63 Do. . 389 7689. '61 Do. . 266 8914. '63 Do. . 389 7690. '61 Do. . 273 8915. '63 Do. . 390 7691. '61 Do. . 262 8916. '63 Do. . 416 7692. '61 Do. . 244 8917. '63 Gubbio . 219 Table of Reference. ^IZ Regifter Number. 1 Fabrique. Page. Regifter Number. Fabrique. Page. 8918. 63 Gubblo . . .1 219 8945. '63 Gubbio . 229 8920. 63 Faenza . 525 8946. '63 Caffaggiolo III 8921. 63 Cartel Durant 3i5 8947. '63 Cartel Durante 3o8 8922. 63 Do. 3i5 8948. '63 Gubbio . 284 8923. 63 Do. 317 8949. '63 Do. . 284 8924. 63 Urbino . 379 8950. '63 Caffaggiolo 112 8925. 63 Do. . 408 8951. '63 Urbino . 377 8926. 63 Do. . 407 8952. '63 Gubbio . 264 8927. 63 Pefaro . 173 8953. '63 Diruta . 438 8928. 63 Caffaggiolo 112 8954. '63 Cartel Durante 312 8929. 63 Faenza . 528 8955. '63 Faenza . 527 8930. 63 Cartel Durantt 3i6 8956. '63 Urbino . 388 8931. 63 Diruta . 439 8957. '63 Cartel Durante 307 8932. 63 Gubbio . 238 8958. '63 Faenza . 524 8933. 63 Do. . 234 8959. '63 Rimini . 567 8934. 63 Do. . 264 8960. '63 Cartel Durante 3o8 8935- 63 Do. . 255 8961. '63 Gubbio . 272 8936. 63 Do. . 225 8962. '63 Do. . 278 8937. 63 Do. . 260 8963. '63 Faenza . 5'5 8938. 63 Ferrara . 582 8964. '63 Rimini . 568 8939. 63 Gubbio . 247 8965. '63 Pefaro . 176 8940. 63 Do. . 249 8966. '63 Urbino . 377 8941. 63 Caffaggiolo 104 8967. '63 Forli . 559 8942. 63 Do. io5 8968. '63 Hifpano-Morefque . 51 8943. 63 Diruta . 440 8969. '63 Urbino 383 8944. 63 Caffaggiolo 106 ^IS GENERAL INDEX. A. Abaquefne, Mafleot ; ceramic artift (Rouen), fuppofed to have furniftied the Conftable Montmorency with the tiled pidures for the chateau of Ecouen, 475. Agapito, Pier Paolo di ; ceramic modeller and painter of Saflbferrato, executed an altar in enamelled bas-relief, xlviii. Albarello, drug-pot, Ixxiii ; figured, Ixxv. AlbifTola, fabrique ; fee Savona. Aleflandro de' Aleflandri family; (Naples), Caffaggiolo jug with their arms, 10 1. Alhambra vafe, 39 ; defcribed, 42. Amantini ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), made reliefs in coloured bifcuit, 292. Amatorii, or gift pieces ; defcribed, xcv ; one of the oldeft fpecimens, 83. Anatolian ware ; defcribed, 11. Andreoli, Giorgio ; fee Giorgio, Maeftro. Andreoli, Giovanni ; brother of Maeftro Giorgio, y^^. Andreoli, Salimbene ; brother of Maeftro Giorgio, y^^. 'Andreoli, Vicenzio ; fon of Maeftro Giorgio ; fee Cencio. Angelus, M., and Pietro ; potters (Caftel Durante), 290. Antonibon, Giovanni Battifta ; ceramic artift, director of the works at Nove, 605, 607. Antonibon, Pafquale, ceramic artift ; director of the works at Nove, 607. Antonio da Faenza ; ceramic artift, worked at Ferrara, 573. Appoloni ; ceramic artifts (Caftel Durante), 291. Arabefques ; of Urbino, lix ; of earlier periods, ib. Afciano (Tufcany) ; probably had a fabrique, 149. Athanafius, F. ; name on a Faenza plate, 496. Azulejos, 39, 43 ; at Briftol, 47, note. Mufeum catalogue, 62. B. Bacili, of Pefaro or Gubbio, as defcribed by Pafleri ; with madreperla luftre, 1, 150, 180. Mufeum catalogue of PafTeri's typical bacili, 212. u u 2 676 General Index. Bacilli ; or difhes encrufted in the Italian churches, xxvi ; romantic ftatements of their ^derivation, xxvii ; Pifan conqueft of Majorca, tb. ; one of Arabic character, xxvi, 3 ; others, fgraffiato, xxvi, 68 ; churches where they are placed, xxviii, 151 ; may be foundation for the ftory, xxxiii j Mufeum catalogue of bowls from churches at Pifa, 72. Bagnorea, Monte Bagnolo or Bagnara ; near Perugia (States of the Church), fabrique, 453 ; Mufeum catalogue, 454. Baldafara ; fee Manara. Baldaflar, Maeftro ; potter (Pefaro), 155. Barberini family (Florence) ; Caftel Durante vafes with their arms, 296. Barcella, Stefano ; ceramic artift (Venice), 590 ; his mark, 593. Baroni, Fab^; mark on a Nove vafe, 607. BafTano (Venetian States) ; fabrique, 605 ; the Terchi family worked there, ih. ; a fubfequent fabrique at Nove, ib. Batifta, Gio. Giovanni, da Faenza ; ceramic artift (Verona), 618. Battifta, Maeftro, da Urbino ; ceramic artift ; brother of Camillo da Urbino, whom he accompanies to Ferrara, 575. Battifta ; fee Franco. Benedetto, Maeftro; ceramic artift (Siena), 128; his works, ib.\ pieces figned J. P. may be afligned to his botega, 133; errors con- cerning this fignature, 127, 134, 155 ; Mufeum catalogue, 135. Benedetto, Maeftro; potter (Ferrara), 571. Berettino ; dark blue decoration upon light blue ground, fame as *' fopra ■ azzurro," 477. Bernacchia; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 291. Bertolini ; potters at Murano, opened a fliop for the fale of majolica at Venice, 59 1 ; charadleriftics of their wares, ib. Bertolucci, Giufeppi ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante) ; fets up a fabrique at Pefaro, 161, 293. Betini ; family of ceramic artifts (Bologna) ; worked at Faenza, 474. Biagini ; family of ceramic artifts (Caftel Durante), 292. Biagio da Faenza ; ceramic artift ; diredor of the ducal pottery at Ferrara, 476, 572. Bianco di Ferrara ; brilliant white glaze, invented by Duke Alfonfo I., bcxxi, 571. Biaflini, Biaggio ; ceramic artift (Faenza), diredor of the pottery of Sigifmondo d' Efte at Ferrara, 574. Bifcioni; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 292. Bocchi, Benedetto ; ceramic artift (Florence ?), tile with his fignature, 95. General Index. 677 Bologna (The Marches) ; probably had a fabrique, 569. Bono or Boni family (Florence) ; CafFaggiolo plaque with their arms, 108. Borgia, Lucrezia ; fee Efte, Alfonfo I. Borgo San Sepolcro (Urbino duchy) j fabrique, 420. Borrelli, Jacques, and M. ; ceramic artifts (Marfeilles), worked alfo at Savona and Mouftiers, 627. Brandi, Paulus Francifcus j ceramic artift (Naples), 631. Breflau ; monument in enamelled pottery of Henry IV., Duke of Silcfia, died 1290, xxxvii. c. Caffaggiolo (Tufcany) ; Villa of the Medici ; its hiftoric aflbciations, 89 ; fabrique, ih. ; charadleriftics of its wares, 90 ; Medici arms and emblems, 91 ; various fpecimens defcribed, 92 ; thofe of the Mufeum, 94 ; marks on pieces in other coUedions, 96 j Mufeum catalogue, luftred wares, 103 ; painted wares, 106. Caffo, Giovanni Antonio ; potter, foreman to the filters Manardi, fets up an eftabliftiment at Baflano, 605. Cagli, Matteo di Raniere da, potter ; joins with Simone,y^., note ; in time of Queen Elizabeth, ib. ; ware defcribed, ib. ; lamp from mofque of Omar, 10 ; Damafcus ware proper, 10 ; Mufeum catalogue, 25 ; Rhodian or Lindus,y^^ Rhodian. Damas ware ; fee Damafcus, 9. Del Vecchio ; ceramic artift (Naples). Etrufcan wares, 632. Deruta ; fee Diruta. Diomede, Maeftro ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 288 ; had a botega in Rome, Ivii, 461. Diomeo ; ceramic painter (Viterbo), 458. Diruta or Deruta ; Caftel di (States of the Church), its fabrique, 424 ; alluded to by Paflbri, ib. ; A. di Duccio worked there, 425 ; brafly character of its luftred ware, 426 ; principal fpecimens in Mufeum, ib. ; in other colle6lions, 427 ; works of El Frate, ib. ; marks in other collections, 430. Mufeum catalogue, 435. 6 8 o General Index, Doccia ; near Florence, modern fabrique of the Marquis Ginori, Ixix. Dolci, Lucio, Bernardino, and Ottaviano ; ceramic artifts (Caftel Durante), 291. Donino, Francefco ; di Garducci, ceramic artift (Urbino), 322 \ has a commiffion for ware for Cardinal Carpaccio, 322. Donino, Giovanni ; di Garducci, ceramic artift (Urbino), 321. Doili, DofTo, and Batifta ; brothers, defigned and modelled for the ducal pottery at Ferrara, 573. Dozzinale ; ordinary wares for domeftic ufe, fold " by the dozen," cv. Duccio, Antonio or Agoftino di ; ceramic modeller (Florence), pupil of Luca della Robbia, worked at Perugia, and probably eftablilhed the fabrique at Diruta, xlviii, 184 note. Durantino, Francefco ; ceramic artift (Urbino), worked at Urbino, Caftel Durante, and Bagnorea, 297 ; Caftel Durante piece afcribed to him, 306 ; probably had a botega at Bagnorea, 453 ; his figned works, 350 ; marks in other colledlions, 368. Mufeum catalogue, 403- Durantino, Guido ; (Fontana),/^^ Fontana family. E. Enamelled or ftanniferous (tin glazed) ware, xxix ; comprifes Hifpano- Morefque, majolica, and the perfected Italian earthenware, xxx \ tin glaze to be met with on Babylonian and Aflyrian bricks, xvi, xxx ; Hifpano-Morefque, ib . ; Maiolica, fee ; difcovery of tin enamel glaze, afcribed to a potter of Alface, xxxvii ; large works executed in Germany, ib ; Lombardy, ib ; Veit Hirfchvogel and Hans Kraut, xxxviii; white enamel of Luca della Robbia, ib.; early fpecimens of enamelled wares, xl ; no dated piece earlier than Luca della Robbia, ib. ; Maeftro Giorgio, his works in relief, xlix ; ftanniferous enamel not adopted in Umbria before the end of fifteenth century, liii ; hiftoric (ketch of the rife, perfection, and decline of the manufacture of enamelled pottery in Italy, xxxiv ; modern reproductions, Ixix. Engobe, white flip ; ufed to cover the coarfe pottery previous to the invention of the tin enamel glaze, xxv ; early ufed in France and England, ib. Enrico; potter at Ferrara, 571. Efte family, Dukes of Ferrara and Modena : Ercole, I.; Duke of Ferrara, 1471-1505; married Leonora of Aragon, built the ducal caftle, and invited artifts from Faenza, 571- General Index. 6 8 1 Alfonfo I. ; Duke of Ferrara, 1505-34 ; married Anna Sforza and Lucrezia Borgia ; his imprefa of a flaming grenade, 69 note^ 70 eftablifhes a fabrique at Ferrara, 571 ; his white glaze, ib. commiflion to Titian for fpezierie vafes from Venice, 573, 586 orders a fervice from Faenza, 475 ; pledges his plate and Lucrezia's jewels, 572. Alfonfo II. J Duke of Ferrara, 1559-97 ; married Margarita di Gonzaga ; his experiments to make porcelain with M*^. Camillo da Urbino, Ixviii 575. Service made on the occafion of his marriage with Margarita di Gonzaga, bearing his device of a flame, with the motto " Ardet aeternum," 577. Francefco I. ; Duke of Modena, 1629-58 ; orders a tile pavement at Faenza, from Vicchij, 476. Alfonfo IV.; Duke of Modena, 1658-62; purchafe by his family of majolica^at Pefaro, 160. Efle, Cardinal d' ; his name on a Hifpano-Morefque vafe, 49. Efte, Ifabella d' ; notice of, 324 ; fee Gonzaga, Gian. Francefco II. Efte, Sigifmondo d' ; brother of Alfonfo I. ; eftablifhes a pottery in the Schifanoia Palace, Ferrara, 574. F. Fabriano (States of the Church) ; fabrique, 454. Faenza (The Marches), 469 ; pillage by Sir John Hawkwood, ib.\ hiftoric fketch, 470 ; derivation of the term faience, ib. ; earlieft dated pieces, 473 5 pavements,//'. ; excellence of its wares, 475 ; Roflx) di Faenza, ib. ; various artifts, ib. ; Faenza potters painted at Rouen, ib. ; orders of Henry III. for Faenza ware, 476 ; and from Duke of Modena, ib. \ productions of the Cafa Pirota, ib. ; marks, 490 ; works of Baldafara Manara, 482 ; of the painter of the fervice in the Mufeo Correr at Venice, 484 ; mark, 496 ; works of other Faenza artifts, 486 ; produced numbers of drug pots, ib. \ wares ufually orna- mented at the back, 489 ; Marks in other coUedlions, 490 ; Mufeum catalogue, 509 ; of Cafa Pirota, ib. \ moulded pieces, 522 ; Mufeo Correr fervice, 529 ; and other artifts, 535. Faenza ware ; name given to Italian pottery, xciv. Farnefe, Vittoria ; fee Urbino, Guidobaldo II. Fattori, Francefco di ; ceramic artift (Pefaro), 161. Fayence ; from Faenza, civ ; difputed derivation of the name, 470. Federigo di Giannantonio, and other Urbino artifts, whofe names are recorded from 1530-44, 352. 68 2 Ge7ieral Index, Feltrefchi ; family (Urbino), Ihield with their arms (Caftel Durante), 290. Fermo, fabrique (Neapolitan States) ; fee Caftelli. Ferrara (Northern Duchies) ; Alfonfo I. eftablifhed a fabrique, 571 j invented a white glaze, ih. ; tiles of the chapel noticed by Ariofto, ib. ; artifts from Faenza, 572 ; Ifabella d'Efte fends a plate to be mended, which is returned with a gift of Ferrara ware, 572 ; Alfonfo orders jars from Venice, 573 ; plates with imprefa of Alfonfo II., ib.; Efte fervice, 574; pottery of Sigifmondo d'Efte, ih. \ Porcelain made by Mo. Camillo and his brother, 575 ; fervice made on Alfonfo II. 's marriage defcribed, 577 ^ Mufeum catalogue, 579- Ferrara, dukes ; fee Efte. Fleur-de-lis ; emblem of the city of Florence, 286. Florence ; porcelain made there by the Grand Duke Francis I., Ixv ; its chara6i:eriftics, marks, and pieces known, Ixvi. Foligno (States of the Church) \ fabrique mentioned by Piccolpaflb, Ixxxiv, 456. Fontana ; family of ceramic artifts (Urbino) ; notice of them by Mr. J. C. Robinfon, 327 ; original name Pellipario, from Caftel Durante, 288,329; their botega, Ivii ; Guido Fontana, father of Orazio, 329 ; Orazio fets up on his own account, 330 j mark of Orazio, 332 ; Guido Fontana fame as Guido Durantino, 334 ; his works, ib, ; Orazio fends pieces to be luftred at Gubbio, 192 ; fpecimens of them in Mufeum catalogue, 280 ; Duke Guidobaldo II. fends fervices, painted by Orazio, to Charles V. and Philip II. and others, 337 ; Spezieria vafes made at the Fontana botega, ib. \ Fontana fpecimens in other colledlions, 340 ; Camillo Fontana, fee \ marks in other colledtions, 357 ; Mufeum catalogue of the Fontana botega, 375 ; works afcribed to Guido Fontana, 377 ; Orazio, 381. Fontana Camillo, brother of Orazio ; ceramic artift (Urbino), pieces afcribed to him, 383 ; probably by his hand, 343. Fontana, Flaminio, nephew of Orazio; ceramic artift (Urbino), went with Duke Francefco to Florence, 344 ; Caffaggiolo pieces afcribed to him, 95 ; Urbino pieces, 366. Fontana, Guido ; fame as Guido Durantino ; fee Fontana family. Fontana, Guido, the younger ; fon of Camillo, ceramic artift (Urbino), pieces, probably by his hand, 344. Fontana, Orazio ; ceramic artift (Urbino) ; fee Fontana family. Forli (The Marches) ; fabrique, 542 ; its pottery referred to by Piccol- paflb and Pafleri, ib. \ pieces afcribed to this fabrique, 543 ; marks in other colledions, 546 ; Mufeum catalogue, 549. General Index. 683 Francefco, Battifta di ; maker of majolica (Murano), offers his fervices to the Duke of Ferrara, 590. Francefco di Fattori ; ceramic artift, begins with Bcrtolucci, a fabrique at Pefaro, 161, Francefco Durantino ; fee Durantino. Francefco, Maeftro ; mafter of a botega at Faenza, 476. Franco, Giambattifta ; painter (Venice), died 1561 ; called by Duke Guidobaldo II. to make defigns at Cartel Durante, 292 ; and at Urbino, 338 ; defigns fervice for the Emperor Charles V., and fpezierie vafes for the Duke, Ix. Frate, el ; ceramic painter (Diruta), 427. Frate, il ; " pittore alia majolica," refided at Ferrara, 574. Frattini ; ceramic artifts (Cartel Durante), 292. Fuina, family ; ceramic artirts (Cartelli), 635. G. Gabicce ; a cartello near Pefaro, where the Lanfranchi had their botega, 151- Gagliardino, Bernardin j potter (Pefaro), 153. Galiano ; a cartello near Caffaggiolo ; plate fo figned, 94, 102, 123. Gambyn, Giulio and Domenico Tardeflir ; potters (Faenza) fet up furnace at Lyons, 476. Garducci ; fee Donino. Garofalo, Benvenuto Tifio ; painter (Ferrara) died 1559; piece with his rebus, 479, 493- Gatti, Lucio and Giovanni Tefio ; ceramic artirts (Cartel Durante) carry the art to Corfu, Ixxii, 291. Genoa ; (States of Genoa), its fabrique and mark, 625. Gentile, Maertro ; ceramic artirt (Cartel Durante), 290. Gentili family ; ceramic painters (Cartelli), 634. Gentili, Bernardino ; ceramic painter (Cartelli), 634. Gentili, Carmine; ceramic painter (Cartelli), 635. Gian-Antonio da Pefaro ; ceramic artirt, y^^ Pieragnolo. Gioanetti, M. D, ; dire6lor at Vineuf, 623. Giorgio, Maertro ; (Giorgio Andreoli) ceramic fculptor and painter (Gubbio), hirtory of his family, 181 ; his ceramic fculpture, xlix, 182; Madonna del Rofario, ih. \ his botega, Iv ; ruby lurtre, whence acquired, 1B4; lurtred the painted wares of other artirts, 185 ; earliert dated work, 187 ; rtyle of decoration, 188 ; his figncd pieces, ih. \ his finert works, 189 ; fignature in other colledlions, 684 General Index, 194 J Mufeum catalogue of pieces by his own hand, 231-51 ; his brothers, Salimbene and Giovanni, 259 ; his fon, Vincenzio, fee Cencio. Giovanni dai Biftugi ; potter (Cartel Durante), 290. Giovanni Francefco j ceramic artift (Pefaro), fettled 'in France, 160, note, Giovanni da Modena ; ceramic artift, w^orked at Ferrara, 571. Giovanni Maria ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), figned " Zona Maria," piece fo figned, 293, 298 ; may alfo have worked at the Cafa Pirota, Faenza, 482. Girolamo, Geronimo or Jeronimo, Maeftro ; fee Lanfranchi. Gironimo ; fee Jeronimo, Maeftro. Gironimo da Urbino ; ceramic artift, 352 j figned pieces, 409. Giulio da Urbino ; ceramic artift ; accompanied Camillo to Ferrara, and makes porcelain, 352 ; worked at Rimini, 566. Giuftiniani family ; (Venice), tiles with their arms, 587. Giuftiniani ; ceramic artift (Naples), 632. Gombr5n ware of Horace Walpole, Ixvi, note^ 6, 7 ; fpecimen, 654. Gonzaga family j (Mantua), Urbino difti with their arms, 348. Gonzaga, Gian-Francefco II., Marquis of Mantua; 1484-1519 ; mar- ried Ifabella d'Efte, fifter of Alfonfo I. Gonzaga-Efte fervice executed by Nicola da Urbino for Ifabella defcribed, 324 ; his cogni- zance of the crucible, ih. ; Ifabella fends a plate to be mended at Ferrara, 572, and orders plates of fine majolica from Faenza and Venice, 573. Gothic charadlers on early Faenza ware, xlvii, 559. Graffiti ; fee Sgraffiati. Grains de riz ; Chinefe and Perfian mode of decoration fo termed, 8. Green man ; ceramic artift of Faenza, known by that name, 479. Groppi ; ftyle of decoration fo termed, xci. Groftb ; painter refiding at Ferrara, 574. Grotefche ; ftyle of decoration fo termed, xc. Grue ; family of ceramic artifts at Naples and Caftelli, of thefe the following are the principal, 634 : Carl Antonio (Caftelli), the moft able of the family, faid to have painted fome of the Loreto vafes, about 1723. Francefco ; figns 1647, Caftelli. Francefco, A. ; died 1755, figns S. Grue, Naples. Francefco Saverio ; faid to have invented the art of gilding faience. Dr. Franc. Ant. Cav. ; figns 1718-37, Caftelli and Naples. Liborio ; hiftoric artift, died 1776. Saverio ; died 1806. General Index, 685 Guagni, Francefco ; ceramift or military engineer, Turin, 623. Gualdo ; (Urbino duchy) fabrique, 193. Gubbio ; (Urbino duchy), fabrique fpecially celebrated for its luftrcd pigments, 179 ; fame moft aflbciated with one artift Maeftro Giorgio Andreoli,y^^ ; Gubbio wares in other colle6lions, 185 ; marks on the fame, 194; marks and mufeum catalogue, 212. Guicciardini ; the hiftorian ; P'aenza fervice with his arms, 494. Guido Durantino ; fame as Guido Fontana,y^(? Fontana. Guidobono, Bartolomeo and Domenico \ fons of Gian-Antonio, ceramic artifts (Savona) 627. Guidobono, Gian-Antonio ; ceramic artift (Savona), 627. H. Heart transfixed, emblematic of Luke ii, xxxv ; 84, 106. Hirfchvogel, Veit ; potter of Nuremberg, 1525 (Franconia), his ena- melled pottery, xxxviii. Hifpano-Morefque pottery, 39 ; hiftoric fketch, ib. ; the work of Moorifh potters, 40 ; its metallic luftre, 41 ; fabriques of Malaga, fee \ Majorca, y^^ ; Valencia, y^^ ; others, 48 ; marks on this pottery, 49; collections, 50; Mufeum catalogue, 51. I. Imola ; (The Marches), fabrique alluded to, 570. Incifed wares ; fee Sgraffiati. Intra ; (Lago Maggiore), its fgraffiato ware, 70. Iftoriato 5 term applied to pieces with hiftoric fubjefts, whether facred, profane, mythological, or from the poets. Italian pottery j its various names, xciv ; fubjedls, ib, ; collections, xcvii. J. Jacomo, Maeftro, da Pefaro ; ceramic artift (Venice), Ivii, 588. Jacomo ; potter (Venice), whether fame as M° Jacomo da Pefaro, 602 ; drug pot fo figned, ib. Jeronimo, Maeftro ; fee Lanfranchi. Jeronimo, Maeftro ; Gieronimo or Jerolamo, ceramic artift (Forli), head of a botega, 134, 542 ; piece afcribed to him, 554. Julius II. ; (della Rovere), Pope 1503-13, Caftel Durante bowl made for him, 293. 686 General Index. K. Krautj Hans; potter of Villengen (Swabia), died 1590 ; his enamelled pottery, xxxviii. L. La Fratta (States of the Church), near Perugia ; its fabrique, 457 ; fuppofed locality of the fgrafEati wares, 70, 457. Mufeum catalogue, lb. Lanfranchi ; ceramic artifts (Pefaro), their fabrique at Gabicce, fee ; edi6ls granted by Duke Guidobaldo II. in their favour, 153 ; Girolamo or Gironimo ( Jeronimo), his fon Giacomo or Jachomo, and Giacomo's two fons Girolamo and Ludovico, 158 ; Giacomo or Jachomo obtains an edift for his mode of applying gold, 153; cup, probably a fpecimen of his gilding, 174; confufion concerning his fignature, 127, 134, 155 ; works of the Lanfranco fabrique, 158 ; and its importance, 160 ; their " iftoriati " pieces, 163; marks in other colle6lions, 162 ; Mufeum catalogue, 173. Lanfranco, Girolamo ; fee Lanfranchi. Lanfranco, Giacomo ; fee Lanfranchi. Lazzarini ; " Maeftro di pittura," attempts revival of the art at Pefaro, 162. Lazzarini ; ceramic artifts (Caftel Durante), 292. Lei, Sig. Pietro da SafTuolo 5 (Modena) ceramic painter, joins with Caligari,y^^ Leo X., Pope ; fee Medici, Giulio de'. Levi, Lazzaro ; potter (Mantua), 585. Lindus ware ; fee Damafcus. Lodi ; (Lombardy) fabrique, wares refemble thofe of Trevifo, 620, Lombardy ; Milan, y^^ ; Lodi,y^^; Pavia,y^^. Loreto, Santa Cafa ; fpezierie vafes executed by order of Duke Guido- baldo II. in the Fontana botega defcribed, 337 ; Santa Cafa cups defcribed, 339 j probably made at Caftel Durante, 296. Louis XIV. ; his offer for the Spezierie vafes, 338. Ludovico, Maeftro ; had a botega at Venice, 1540, Ivii, 588, 591 ; his mark, 594 ; piece figned by him, 597. LutI family ; (Siena) Gubbio, plate with their arms, 192. Luzi, Signori ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 292. M. Machecoul ; France (Loire Inferieure), the Ridolfi of CafFaggiolo fettle there, 91. General Index, 687 Madreperla luftre ; fee Metallic luftre. Maiolica, alio fpelt Majolica ; derivation of the term, xxxv, 43 ; Mr. J. C. Robinfon on the word, 51 ; reftridled to luftred wares, xxxvi, 1535 180 ; Piccolpafl'o's directions how to make, xci, 180. Majorca ; fabrique, 43 ; origin of term Majolica, ib. ; Scaliger, Cam- pany, and others quoted, 44 \ Inca chief fite of manufadlure, 45 ; a fabrique at Ivi^a, ib. Malaga ; centre of Hifpano-Morefque pottery, and moft ancient, of the fabriques, 41 ; mentioned in 14th century, 42 ; Alhambra vafes probably among its produdls, ib. \ decline in i6th century, 43 ; works attributed to this fabrique, lb. Malatefta family ; Lords of Pefaro ; Roberto Malatefta's prefent of pottery to Lorenzo de' Medici, 156. Manara, Baldafara ; ceramic artift (Faenza), 482 ; his works, ib. ; Duke Alfonfo orders pharmacy vafes of him, 475 ; his mark, 495 ; fuppofed mark on a piece luftred by M°. Giorgio, 200. Manfredi family ; Lords of Faenza, 470 ; their imprefa, 474. Mantua ; (Northern duchies), Ludovico IIL, Marquis of Mantua, in- troduces the art, 585 ; wares probably of inferior quality, ib. ; potters from AlbifTola eftablifhed a botega there, ib. Mantua ; fee Gonzaga. Marches, The ; Faenza, fee ; Forli, fee ; Rimini, fee ; Ravenna, fee ; Bologna, y^^; Imola,y^^; Lodi,y^^. Marforio, Sebaftiano ; ceramic artift (C aft el Durante), pieces figned, 294 ; his fignature, 298, 305. Marini J ceramic artifts (Caftel Durante), 291. A'larini, Dionigi ; ceramic artift (Venice), 590 ; fignature, 595. Marinoni ; ceramic artift, ere6ls a botega at BalTano, 605. Marnardi, fifters ; made enamelled pottery at BafTano, 605, 591. Marzacotto ; glaze oxide of lead and glafs, xxv ; how prepared, Ixxviii. Marzi, Alfonfo ; potter at Pefaro in 1718, 161. Mafaniello ; his portrait on a plate of Caftelli or Naples ware, and that of his wife on another, 635. Maflelli, Thomas (Ferrara) ; difti figned by, 582. Mafleot Abaquefne ; fee Abaquefne. Maftro, Ventura di ; potter, joins with Simone,y^i'. Matteo, Maeftro J boccalaro (Pefaro), father of M'^. Terenzio, 155. Medici family"; their villa at CafFaggiolo, 89 ; pieces of the fabrique with their arms, 95, 219. Medici, Piero de' ; fon of Cofmo Pater-Patriae, 1464-9, comm^ftions Luca della Robbia to decorate his writing cabinet, xliv. 688 General Index, Medici, Lorenzo de', the Magnificent, 1469— 1492 ; letter of thanks to Robert Malatefta for prefent of Pefaro majolica, 156. Medici, Giulio de' (Leo X.), Pope 1513-22 ; fecond fon of Lorenzo the Magnificent j Caffaggiolo plateau reprefenting him in a proceflion, 112; luftred vafe with his arms, 217 ; and difli, 218. Medici, Giuliano de', third fon of Lorenzo ; died 15 16 ; his imprefa, 92 ; on a Caffaggiolo difh, 93 ; and ewer, 116. Medici, Lorenzo de' ; grandfon of Lorenzo the Magnificent ; died 15 19, inverted by Leo X. with the duchy of Urbino, 1516, Iviii. Medici, Cofmo de'. Grand Duke of Tufcany, 1569-74 ; fpice box with his arms, 149. Medici, Francefco L de', fecond Grand Duke of Tufcany, 1574-87 ; produces porcelain, Ixv. Medici, Ferdinand L de'. Grand Duke of Tufcany, 1 584-1609 : married Chriftina of Lorraine, Caffaggiolo pieces with their arms, 124, 125. Medici, Ferdinand IL de' ; Grand Duke of Tufcany, 1621-70, married Vittoria della Rovere, granddaughter of Francefco Maria IL, and inherited the Urbino collecSlion, Ixii. Medici, Cofmo IIL de' ; Grand Duke of Tufcany, 1670-1723; the friend of Sir Andrew Fountaine, cvii. Melchibrre, Frate ; dire£lpr of the ducal pottery at Ferrara, 572. Melozzo da Forli ; piece with his head, 543 ; others after his defigns, 485, 4975 531J 550- Mercati, Gio. B. ; painter, may have executed a plate fo figned, 1649, 645- Merlingo or Merlini, Guldo; proprietor of a botega (Urbino) 351; had another at Venice, 588. Metallic luftre ; decoration applied upon filiceous pottery in Perfia and the Eafl, xxii, xxxiv ; on the lead glazed mezza-majolica, xxxiv ; its various appellations, ih. ; art communicated to Italy from Perfia, ib.^ xxxix ; Mezza-majolica or early luftred wares of Pefaro, xxxiv ; pearly, golden, and ruby attained their perfection at Gubbio, xlix, 179 ; madreperla, 1, 150; claimed by Pefaro and Diruta, ih.^ 151 ; bacili, fee ; ufe of luftred pigments confined to Pefaro, Gubbio, and Diruta, liii ; botega of M**. Giorgio centre of luftred embellifhment, Iv ; reproduction of the luftre pigment, Ixx ; manner of making the luftred pieces, xci, 180 ; metallic luftre tried at Caffaggiolo, 91. Mezza-majolica j defcribed, xxxvi, Iv, 156 ; " bacili " of PalTeri, 1, 185 ; Mufeum catalogue, 80, 212. Milan; fabrique, imitated Chinefe and other ftyles, 619. General Index. 689 Minghetci ; Angelo and fon (Bologna), modem imitations of Luca dclla Robbia, 569. Modena (Northern Duchies); fabrique mentioned by Piccolpaflb, 583 ; at Safliiolo, near Modena, a fabrique fet up, 1741 ; produced pieces in Japanefe flyle, figures, &c., 584; Reggio had a pottery, and Scandiano, 584 ; at S. Poflidonio, an experimental pottery eftablifhed by the Marquis Taccoli, ib. Modena ; fee Efte. Mollica ; ceramic artift (Naples), 632. Montefeltro ; fee Urbino, Dukes of. Montelupo ; (Tufcany), near Empoli, its fabrique, 142 ; Mufeum catalogue, 144 ; marks, 146. Monti Diacinto ; potter (Montelupo), plateau figned by him, 146. Montmorency, Conftable Anne de ; has a fervice made at Urbino by Guido Durantino, 335, 476 ; tiles for chateau of Ecouen, 475- Morcia, Ubaldo della ; ceramic artift (Cartel Durante), 291. Mufeo Correr, Venice ; its fervice of Faenza ware, 484. N. N. ; ceramic artift (Gubbio), fuppofed to be the fame as Mo. Cencio, fee. Nani, Antonio ; potter (Urbino), 622. Naples (Neapolitan States), fabrique, 631 ; wares of Capo di Monte and others, 632 ; marks, ib. Narford Hall, defcribed, cvi. Neapolitan States ; Naples, y^^ ; Caftelli,y^^; Palermo, y^^. Nicolo da Fano (Faenza), ceramic artift, 481 ; mark 495. Nicolo or Nicola da Urbino ; ceramic artift (Urbino), notice on his works, 323; painted the Gonzaga-Efte fervice, 322, 324; jug of the fame, 568 ; fuggeftion that he maybe Nicolo Pellipario, who firft came to Urbino with his fon Guido, 325 ; his ftyle, 327 ; mark on pieces in other colledions, 357 ; Mufeum catalogue of works afcribed to him, 375 ; piece probably by him, 495. Niculofo, Francifco; ceramic modeller carried the art to Seville, 1504, xlviii, 475. Northern Duchies ; Ferrara,y^^; Modena, y^^; Mantua, y^-^. Nove (Venetian States), fabrique eftabliftied, 1728, G. B. Antonibon diredlor, 607 ; produced fine wares, ib. \ fervice made for Maximi- lian Ele6lor of Bavaria, ib. \ Mufeum catalogue, 608. 690 General Index, O. Ongarefca or piadene ; cup or bowl on ftem, fo termed, Ixxiii, Ixxvi, 236. Ordelaffi family ; Lords of Forli, plaque with their arms, 549. (Dttaviano da Faenza ; ceramic artift, worked at Ferrara, 572. Padua (Venetian States), fabrique mentioned by Piccolpaflb, 608 j charadler of the wares, 609 ; marks on pieces in other collections, 610 ; Mufeum catalogue, 612. Pagani family; Lords of Faenza, 469. Palermo (Neapolitan States) ; drug pot fo figned, 639. Pantales, Andrea ; potter (Faenza), 489. Papa, Pietro ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 295. Papi, Giambattifta ; ceramic artift (Caftel Durante), 292. Paraphe ; a flourilh at the end of a fignature. Italian pottery is fome- times fo figned, having a ftroke through the capital letter, which is faid to be " paraphe ;" examples, 102, 450, &c. Pafleri, Giambattifta ; archsologift, earlieft writer on Italian pottery, lii ; his biography, 150. Patanazzi, Alfonfo and Vincenzio ; ceramic artifts (Urbino), 352; marks in other colle£lions, 369 ; Mufeum catalogue, 413. Patanazzi, Vincenzio ; ceramic artift (Urbino), fee Patanazzi. Pavia (Lombardy) ; Andreoli family emigrated thence to Gubbio ; no information of a fabrique ; Graffito produdlions of an amateur artift, 70, 621 ; Mufeum catalogue, 78. Pazzi family ; (Florence), Caffaggiolo plate, with their arms, 121. Peacock feather ; decoration, 83. Pedrinus, John ; potter at Forli, 543 ; worked at Pefaro, 151. Pelliparii family ; fee Fontana. Pellipario, Nicolo ; fee Nicolo da Urbino. Pepi, Signor ; his reprodudions at Siena, of tiles, 129. Perfian ware, i ; defcribed, 5 ; fabriques of Nahinna and Nating, ib. ; Cachan and others, 6 ; claffification of wares, 7 ; artificial porce- lain, 7, 8 ; Mufeum catalogue of ancient, 17 ; modern, 23. Perugino, Pietro; mafter of Raffaelle, died 1524; Caftel Durante plate with his portrait, 305. Peruzzi, Giovanni ; Urbino plaque fo figned, 355. General Index, 691 Pefaro j (Urbino duchy), fabrique, 150 ; native city of PafTeri, ib. ; its bacini, 151 ; Sforza edI6l in favour of its potters, 152 ; its madre- perla luftred wares defcribed by Pafleri, 153 ; mezza majolica, /'/;. ; wares fent as prefents to Pope Sixtus IV. and Lorenzo dc' Medici, 156 ; to Andrea da Volterra, 158 j purchafes of the Duke of Modcna, 160 J pieces in other collections, 157 ; Lanfranchi,ye'