Urbino, Fontana workshop circa 1555 - 1575

Small umbilical dish decorated with grotesques
Front: La Renommée
Reverse: Warrior
After a print by Vredeman de Vries (1527 - circa 1606)
Earthenware
Diameter: 25 cm (Small chips)
Provenance: Alfred Pringsheim Collection, (1st day) June 7, 1939, p. 22, n.75 (Fontana workshop, circa 1560), bought by Sir H. Wilkinson for £6

Bibliography: Otto von Falke, Die Majolikasammlung Alfred Pringsheim in München, Tome 2, Leiden 1914, plate 148, n. 287 a-b

The discovery of Nero's Domus Aurea in Rome in 1480 led to the spread of this type of decoration, known as "grotesque" (because it was found during underground excavations), later interpreted by Raphael in Cardinal Bibbiena's Logetta in the Vatican around 1516-1517, which also earned him the name "Raffaellesche". According to Professor Timothy Wilson, grotesque decoration on a white background was introduced in Urbino around 1559-1560, and it goes without saying that Raphael was born here. Many artists were inspired by these ancient motifs. Vredeman de Vries followed this trend when he published Grottesco in diversche manieren, Antwerp 1565 - 1571, a collection of prints printed by Jan and Lucas van Doetechum, from which the decoration on this dish is directly inspired.
The figure of Renommée (Fama) is featured in a tondo corresponding to the piece's umbilicus. The grotesque decoration is also borrowed from prints and adapted to the circular format of the support. The reverse is also covered with this type of decoration, enhancing the artistic value of the dish. The high degree of finish and meticulousness characterizing the decoration has led Timothy Wilson to date the piece quite early, and in any case before 1575. Indeed, the finesse typical of the Fontana workshop (Orazio and Flaminio) would later evolve towards an increasingly dry and systematic manner, particularly after Antonio Patanazzi, who had started out as a young man in the company, took over the workshop.

The piece comes from Alfred Pringsheim's prestigious Munich collection, probably one of the finest collections of Italian Renaissance majolica.