Tray: C.2202-1928

Maker(s)

Potter: Unidentified Deruta pottery (Probably)
Potter: Unidentified Faenza pottery (Possibly)

Entities

• Tray
• Maiolica

Categories

• Tin-glazed earthenware
• Maiolica

Description

Maiolica tray, painted in polychrome with a shield charged with a coat-of-arms.

Pale buff earthenware, tin-glazed overall. Painted in blue, green, yellow, brownish-orange, and manganese-purple.
Rectangular with a raised moulded border, originally standing on four paw feet, of which three remain.
In the middle is a shield charged with the arms of the Lusignan Kings of Cyprus, Quarterly 1 Jerusalem, 2 Lusignan, 3 Armenia, 4 Luxemburg impaling Cornaro, per pale or and azure with a chief of the Order of St John, surmounted by a manganese-purple hat, and flanked by tassels, six on each side arranged one, two, three.

Notes

History note: John Bowden, Wardour Street, London, from whom purchased on 13 December 1898 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher (Typed Cat. 959).

Legal notes

Dr J.W.L. Glaisher Bequest

Place(s) associated

• Deruta ⪼ Umbria ⪼ Italy
• Faenza ⪼ Emilia-Romagna ⪼ Italy

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

17th Century, first half#
Circa 1615 CE - 1630 CE

Note

An alternative owner of the tray was Giorgio Corner (1613-63) in whose favour Federico renounced the Priory of Cyprus in 1629. He was appointed to the see of Padua in 1643, and was described as a virtuous and diligent Bishop.

During the late sixteenth and early seventeenth century the fashion for white maiolica spread from Faenza to other maiolica-making towns. In the seventeenth century Deruta potters produced vast quantities of white ware, much of it bearing the arms of the nobles or high-ranking clerics who commissioned it or were presented with it. The arms on this tray are probably those of Cardinal Federico Corner or Cornaro (1579-1653), who should not be confused with his uncle, Cardinal Francesco Corner (1547-98/9), nor with the earlier Cardinal Federico Corner (1530-90). Born into an illustrious Venetian family, Federico studied in Rome and Padua, before obtaining the post of chierico di Camera at the papal court in 1602. He had been Grand Prior of Cyprus since 1588 but, although he aspired to a bishopric and a cardinal's hat, he did not obtain the bishopric of Bergamo until 1623. He was raised to the purple in 1626 by the Barberini Pope, Urban VIII, and was translated successively to the bishoprics of Vicenza in 1626 and Padua in 1629, before being appointed Patriarch of Venice in 1632. In 1644 he renounced that benefice on the grounds of his age and health, and returned to Rome. When he died on 5 June 1653 he was one of the richest and most powerful cardinals in the College.