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Dish: The Temptation: C.182-1932

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Dish: The Temptation

Maker(s)

Pottery: unidentified London pottery (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware painted in polychrome with the Temptation of Adam and Eve and a blue-dash border; the reverse has pale yellow lead-glaze

Buff earthenware, the front tin-glazed, and painted in blue, pale copper-green, yellow, orange and manganese-purple; the reverse, lead-glazed pale yellow. Circular with curved sides and everted rim, standing on a footring which is pierced by a single hole. Adam and Eve stand on either side of the Tree of Knowledge, around which a serpent is coiled. Eve faces front, Adam is shown in three-quarter view with a leaf growing out of the tree hiding his 'nakedness'. The Devil sits at the base of the tree trunk. On either side there is a small three-tier tree. The edge is encircled by a yellow band and blue dashes. Three very small spur marks are in the middle of the front.

Notes

History note: Unknown before donor, Mrs W.D. (Frances Louisa) Dickson, Bournemouth

Legal notes

Given by Mrs W.D. Dickson

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 43.8 cm
Height: 9 cm

Place(s) associated

  • London ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1932-10) by Dickson, W. D. (Frances Louisa), Mrs

Dating

17th Century, Late
Charles II
James II
Circa 1670 CE - 1690 CE

Note

This dish is one of many with blue dashes round the edge, known to collectors as 'Blue Dash Chargers'. The Temptation was one of the most popular subjects which appear on the dishes, but the representation on this one is unusual in having a grotesque figure a squatting at the base of the Tree of Knowledge, probably representing the Devil.

School or Style

Baroque

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( in blue, pale copper-green, yellow, orange and manganese-purple)
Back composed of lead-glaze ( pale yellow)
Front composed of tin-glaze

Materials used in production

buff Earthenware

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.182-1932
Primary reference Number: 72709
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Friday 16 February 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) "Dish: The Temptation" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/72709 Accessed: 2024-12-26 18:54:35

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/72709 |title=Dish: The Temptation |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-26 18:54:35|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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