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Vase: C.92.1 & A-1961

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Object information

Current Location: Gallery 7 (Courtauld)

Maker(s)

Workshop: Della Robbia, Giovanni (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Della Robbia vase with two dolphin handles decorated in blue glaze with traces of gilding. Into the mouth fits a posy of modelled flowers, fruit, vegetables and two frogs, decorated naturalistically in coloured glazes.

Earthenware, moulded and tin-glazed on the exterior and the interior of the neck; the interior and base unglazed. Glaze colours: lavender-blue with traces of gilding; the posies are green, yellowish-green, yellow, brown, manganese-purple, white, and brownish-black.
The vase stands on a circular moulded foot. The lower part of the body is gadrooned, a band of interlace ornament encircles the widest part, and the neck and shoulders are decorated with scales. The lip is moulded and slightly everted. On each side there is a dolphin handle, the head attached to the shoulder and the tail to the rim. Into the mouth of the vase fits a posy of modelled flowers, fruit and vegetables, amid which on are two frogs. One of a pair of vases

Notes

History note: Henry Harris; sold Sotheby's, 24 October 1950, Catalogue of the celebrated collection of bronzes, sculpture, paintings and works of art of the Italian Renaissance, lot 5; Louis C.G. Clarke, (1881-1960), Leckhampton, Cambridge.

Legal notes

Louis C.G. Clarke Bequest, 1960

Measurements and weight

Height: 39.5 cm
Width: 22.3 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Florence ⪼ Tuscany ⪼ Italy

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1961-04-27) by Clarke, Louis Colville Gray

Dating

16th Century, Early#
Renaissance
Circa 1500 CE - 1520 CE

Note

Label text from the exhibition ‘Feast and Fast: The Art of Food in Europe, 1500–1800’, on display at The Fitzwilliam Museum from 26 November 2019 until 31 August 2020: Ceramic tableware in the form of animals, vegetables, and fruit was intended to deceive, surprise, and amuse diners, and to create the impression of great abundance on dining tables and sideboards. These vibrant and vivacious ornamental vase-covers made by the Della Robbia workshop are early examples of naturalistically moulded and coloured ceramic fruit and vegetables that became popular in Europe.

School or Style

Renaissance

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( green, yellowish-green, yellow, brown, manganese-purple, white, and brownish-black) gold
Foot Diameter 12.4 cm
Mouth Diameter 13.4 cm
Cover Diameter 24.2 cm
Vase

Materials used in production

the interior and base unglazed Tin-glaze
Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Tin-glazing

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.92.1 & A-1961
Primary reference Number: 48200
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 3 July 2023 Last processed: Tuesday 9 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Vase" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/48200 Accessed: 2024-11-05 19:29:09

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/48200 |title=Vase |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 19:29:09|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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