Cardinal dish in Nevers earthenware, early 17th century

Circular earthenware ‘à la Cardinal’ dish with white base decorated ‘a Compendiario’ with a coat of arms surmounted by a knight's helmet on the wing in blue, ochre and manganese.
First third of the 17th century.
Diameter 29 cm
The style known as ‘a compendiario’ was inspired by the Italian fashion for simplifying decoration, which began in Faenza and Deruta at the end of the 16th century to contrast with the rich majolica decoration of the previous century.
During the same period, the Poterat factory in Rouen also produced this type of simplified decoration, where the white background sets off the soberly painted motifs.