Circular plaque with fruited wreath enclosing a shield of arms, 1532

West Building, Ground Floor — Gallery G16

Medium

tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)

Dimensions

overall (diameter): 30.2 cm (11 7/8 in.)
overall (average thickness): 2 cm (13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Widener Collection

Accession Number

1942.9.342

Artists / Makers

Faenza 16th Century (ceramist) Central Italian

Image Use

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Inscription

center, flanking the shield: 15 [shield] 32

Marks and Labels

Kann collection labels 30, 203; printed label of 1890 Seillière sale, "81"

Provenance

Edmé-Unité Jacquot-Préaux, Paris (sale, Paris, 9-11 January 1850, no. 185).[1] Adrien-Joseph Rattier, Paris (sale, Paris, 21-24 March 1859, no. 51).[2] Baron Achille Seillière, Château de Mello (Oise) (sale, Paris, 5-10 May 1890, no. 81).[3] Maurice Kann [1839-1906], Paris; purchased 1908 with the entire Kann collection by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London, New York, and Paris); purchased February 1910 by Peter A. B. Widener, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; inheritance from the Estate of Peter A. B. Widener by gift through power of appointment of Joseph E. Widener, Elkins Park, 1942.

[1] Catalogue de la précieuse collection d'objets d'art, d'antiquités et de curiosités...composant la collection de Monsieur Préaux, Paris, 9-11 January 1850, no. 185 ("Plaque ronde portant un blason dans une couronne de feuillages et de fruits avec date de 1532"--almost certainly this piece).

[2] Catalogue des objets d'art et de haute curiosité composant la collection de feu M. Rattier, Paris, 21-24 March 1859, no. 51.

[3] Catalogue des objets d'art et de haute curiosité et de riche ameublement provenant de l'importante collection de feu M. le Baron Achille Seillière au Château de Mello, Paris, 5-10 May 1890, no. 81, as Urbino.

Associated Names

Duveen Brothers, Inc.
Jacquot-Préaux, Edme-Unité
Kann, Maurice
Rattier, Andrien-Joseph
Seillière, Achille, Baron
Widener, Joseph E.
Widener, Peter Arrell Brown

Technical Summary

The plaque, which has warped in the kiln, is of buff-brown earthenware, covered on the front and much of the sides with a white tin glaze, which has run somewhat. On the reverse is a series of curving parallel grooves, apparently where the plaque was removed from the wheel. The painting is in blue, green, ocher, yellow, and white. On the rim are patches of repair and overpaint, especially between five and seven o'clock, and between nine and ten o'clock. Since the piece was made, two holes for suspension have been drilled at twelve o'clock; two more at six o'clock have been filled and repainted at the front.

Bibliography

1935: Inventory of the Objects d'Art at Lynnewood Hall, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, The Estate of the Late P.A.B. Widener. Philadelphia, 1935: 64, as Faenza.

1942: Works of Art from the Widener Collection. Foreword by David Finley and John Walker. National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1942: 14, as Faenza.

1983: Wilson, Carolyn C. Renaissance Small Bronze Sculpture and Associated Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Art. Washington, 1983: 118, no. 7, as Faenza.

1988: Guidotti, Ravanelli, C. "Maioliche faentine datatei un disco di censo con lo stemma Cattoli del 1532.2." Faenza (1988): pl. 1.

1993: Distelberger, Rudolf, Alison Luchs, Philippe Verdier, and Timonthy H. Wilson. Western Decorative Arts, Part I: Medieval, Renaissance, and Historicizing Styles including Metalwork, Enamels, and Ceramics. The Collections of the National Gallery of Art Systematic Catalogue. Washington, D.C., 1993: 129-130, repro. 129.