Italian, probably Faenza, circa 1515

Property from a Swiss Private Collection

Italian, probably Faenza, circa 1515

Maiolica Ewer

ceramic

of compressed elliptical shape with a wide, flared collar and a spout of rectangular section affixed to one side, the short foot with spreading base and thin groove encircling item. Painted in shades of blue, white, yellow, ochre, turquoise and green. The collar painted with winged masks surmounted by cornucopiae and centered by the sun on an ochre ground.

The main body with a deep blue ground, a berettino, decorated with a repeating stenciled motif of foliate and dolphin scrolls, masks, stylised palmettes interspersed with small rectangular tablets, the whole enriched with a fine landscape scene below the spout showing monumental architecture, within an oval medallion framed by scrolls. The underside decorated bianco soprabianco, the foot with similar decoration to the collar. The interior of the upper rim with a frieze of blue geometric patterns on a white ground. There are two holes on top of spout indicating existence of an original metal lid.

height: 19.5cm.; 7 ¾in.