Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Getty Research Institute https://archive.org/details/historyofpotteryOOmarr .rij, r-'- ^ ^ '* ^ -. , ‘V V /'M, ' ,: />•' .,V\ J ' ■' :'. V %■ : : •. •,„ ...y 'V''"-'*''’ ' v • . '^'t ;;%C" ’ j >' /• i/’v- j;? '7^ •i-\ > !* \< . ■A . ■- 4 '' . ; ■.•■ ( . ;V. N Plate •SPEZIERIA VASE. MAJOLICA. 2.-ELEMISH STONE WARE. PLATE I. l.-SPEZIERIA VASE. MAJOLICA. Page 37 . Marryat CQllection. Height 17 inches. Purchased, with several others, from a convent at Messina, where they were to he replaced by glass vessels. 2.— FLEMISH STONE WARE. Page 127 . Marryat Collection. Height 10 inches. A good specinien of the Gres Flamand, both in form and colour. PUBLISHED BY JOHN MUBBAT, ALBEMABLE STBEET. A HISTORY OF POTTEEY AND PORCELAIN JOSEPH MARRYAT. ^wanb €bitx0n, llebheb anb giugment-cb, WITH OOLOUHRD PLATES ANH NirMEROHS WOODCUTS. LONDON: JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. 1857. The right of Translation is reserved. LONDON : PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMI ORD STREET, AND CHARING CROSS. niE GETTY CEWUS LIBRARY PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. In bringing oat a Second Edition of tins work, I must express my tlianks for the favourable reception it has met with from the Public. The late Mr. Bandinel formed the design of com- piling a complete History of Pottery and Porcelain, of which various eminent writers were to furnish the respective portions assigned to them.^ The plan, however, was not realised. In the former edition, in consequence of this project, I was careful not to en- croach upon the bounds of my supposed collaborateurs, and confined my work to the specific period assigned me. As, however, the project is at an end, and no work, with the exception of Mr. Birch’s upon Etruria and its Tottery, is announced for publication, I have thought it better to commence my description of Pottery at the period of its introduction into Spain by the Moors, and also to be more diffuse in the account of Italian Majolica, which I expected would have been taken up by an abler pen. The progressive taste for objects of the Ceramic Art has been shown by the increasing prices obtained for specimens offered for sale within the last few years. In order to render this edition more comj^lete for the ^ A History of Pottery and Force- Esq.; Modern European and Oriental lain, with a description of the manu- Pottery, by Joseph Marryat, Esq. facture from the earliest period in Illustrated with Plates and numerous various countries. Asiatic, Egyptian, Woodcuts. 2 vols. 8vo. — Copy of Etruscan, Classic, by Samuel Birch, Advert isemerd in Mr. Murray’s Cata- Esq. ; Italian Majolica, by Eev. Dr. logue. Wellesley ; British, by Albert Way, a 2 IV PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. purposes of the collector, I have carefully revised the whole of the text, and enlarged considerably many portions of it, especially the articles upon Majolica and Oriental Porcelain. In the latter 1 have extracted freely from MM. Julien and Salvetat’s excellent work, ‘ Histoire et Fabrication de la Porcelaine Chinoise.’ The monograms and marks are introduced in the text as well as colle'cted together in a table for reference. In the preparation of this Edition I have had the signal advantage of a coadjutor in my sister, Mrs. Palliser, the author of the translation of M. Labarte’s ‘ Handbook of Mediaeval Art,’ by whose assistance and supervision as Editor I have accomplished the task, ’ which my distant residence from London, and avocations else- where, would otherwise have made it impossible for me to have done by my own efforts. I have to express my obligations to Mr. A. Franks, Curator of the British Museum, as well as to Mr. Eobinson, Curator of Marlborough House, and many others too numerous to mention by name, for the very valuable assistance they have rendered me ; to Mr. Fontaine, of Narford Hall, for drawings of some exquisite specimens in his collection ; to the officers of the Museum of Practical Geology, for the use of the woodcuts published in the Catalogues of the collections ; also to Mr. Mayer, of Liverpool, for a similar favour. The liberality and taste of the Publisher is shown in the coloured drawings ^ and many additional woodcuts, and he has spared no pains or expense in rendering this work creditable to himself and acceptable to the public. ^ The author is not satisfied with purchasers as are somewhat fastidious the incongruous arrangement of the upon the matter, to divide the prints coloured cuts, or with their being upon each plate, and mount them printed in couples, but he is assured separately, so that they may be in- that such a disposition is unavoidable sorted in their proper places in the from the necessity of working speci- text. As placed at present, only one- mens similar in colour together in the half of the number are opposite the same plate. He would advise such page where they are mentioned. PEEFAGE TO THE FIRST EDITION. The origin of the present work may be briefly stated as follows. When first I became a collector of china, 1 found great difficulty in obtaining the information I desired to aid me in the pursuit. The majority of publications on the subject were either learned dis- quisitions upon the mythology of the Greek classical paintings, or, on the other hand, mere technical details of the manufacture, while a knowledge of the different kinds of Pottery and Porcelain appeared limited to the dealers. This induced me, in a tour which I subse- quently made, to visit the principal collections and manufactories on the Continent, and, conjointly with my friend Sir Charles Price, I began to compose, for my amusement, a manuscript work upon Pottery and Porcelain, to be illuminated by his pen, and illustrated by drawings of specimens of porcelain, with portraits of the principal patrons of the art, and views of the various places connected with its manufacture. The undertaking remains incomplete, but the information collected being deemed by many of sufficient interest for publication, as a Handbook of Pottery and Porce- lain, I was led to prepare it for the press. The pub- lisher appreciating my labours more highly than I do, has liberally proposed to embellish the work with wood- cuts and coloured plates, whi6h have greatly con- tributed to render it attractive. The sketch commences rather abruptly at about the fifteenth century, and concludes at the eighteenth. The VI PREFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION. history of the previous epoch has been confided to abler hands, and will form a separate volume. In this, I enter neither into erudite disquisitions nor into technical details ; my endeavour has been to pro- duce a work which may be acceptable to the general reader, and, at the same time, useful to the collector; enabling him to ascertain the nature of the specimens he possesses, and what are considered the most desirable in forming a collection. A copious Glossary is given, and fac-similes of the marks and monograms of the different manufactures. In the compilation of this work, I have made great use of the valuable Treatise of M. Brongniart, and have been much indebted to M. Biocreux, the director of the Musee Ceramique at Sevres, as well as to the late Mr. Bandinel, Sir Charles Price, Mr. Way, Mr. Ford, and others, who have furnished me with many interesting contributions. Many errors must inevitably occur in a work of this kind ; I shall therefore feel much obliged for any cor- rections or information (to be made use of upon a future occasion), which may be addressed to me at the publisher’s. UNIFORM WITH THE PRESENT VOLUME. HANDBOOK OF THE ARTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES AND Re- naissance, as applied to ' the Decoration of Furniture, Arms, Jewels, &c. By M. JULES LABARTE. Translated from the French, and illustrated with upwards of 200 beautiful Woodcuts. 8 vo., I 85 . HISTORY OF ANCIENT POTTERY AND PORCELAIN: Eoyptiaii, Asiatic, Greek, Roman, Etruscany and Celtic. By SAMUEL BIRCH, F.S.A. Illustrated with many Woodcuts. 2 vols. 8 vo. CONTENTS. CHAPTER 1. Page SPANISH POTTERY 1 Extinction of the Ceramic art in Europe — Its first revival in Spain under the dominion of the Arabs — Enamelled tiles — Azulejos of the Alhambra described by Swinburne — Those of the Cuarto Real — Collection of Mr. Ford — Azulejo pavement at Bristol — Spanish proverb — Hispano -Arabic or Moorish pottery — Jar of the Alhambra — Moorish pottery confounded with Majolica — Classification of Hispano-Arabic pottery — Specimens in the Ceramic Museum at Sevres — The Musee de I’Hotel de Cluny — Debruge- Labarte Collection — Marlborough House and the British Museum. CHAPTEE II. ITALIAN POTTERY .. 10 General History. — Majolica, or enamelled pottery of Italy — Pisan expedition against Majorca — Moorish plates brought from thence, used to ornament churches, called “Bacini” — Origin of term “Majolica” — Early Italian pottery — The Sforza Lords of Pesaro — Luca della Robbia and his family — Specimens of their works — Chateau de Madrid — Mozza-majolica — Porcellana — Dukes of Urbino — Guidobaldo’s encouragement of the art — Artists of Pesaro, Gubbio, Urbino, Castel Durante, and other localities — Decline of manufacture after the introduction of Oriental porcelain. CHAPTEE III. ITALIAN POTTERY — (continued) 30 Paintings and Forms. — Paintings in Majolica, taken from subjects by the first masters, engraved by Marc Antonio and other’s — Raffaelle da Urbino — Ware sometimes called after him — Michael Angelo — Giullo Romano — Pietro da Cortona and other painters — Forms of Majolica ; tiles, dishes, plates, pharmacy jars, pilgrims’ bottles, ewers, cups, inkstands, fountains, cisterns, amatorii, nuptial and other vessels. Vlll CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. PA.GE ITALIAN POTTEEY — {continued) 44 Manufactories, Artists, and Monograms. — General Observations — Pesaro, M. Jeronimo — Gubbio, M. Giorgio —Urbino, Xanto, Orazio Fontana, Durantino, Alf. Patanazzi and otters — Castel Durante — Faenza — Deruta ware — Other manufactories in the Papal States — Venetian States — Naples, and the Abruzzi — Unknown marks. CHAPTER V. ITALIAN mTTmX— (concluded) 72 Collections. — Santa Casa of Loreto — Collections in Italy, Paris, Ger- many, and Spain — Strawberry Hill — Stowe — Bernal, British Museum and Marlborough House — Narford Hall — Sir A. de Rothschild — Mr. Ford and the Author. CHAPTER VI. FRENCH POTTERY 86 Pottery of Beauvais — Avignon — Nevers — St. Cloud — Angenois — Sceaux Penthibvre — Rouen — Palissy ware — Notice of Bernard Palissy — Characteristics of his Pottery — Collections — Fayeuce of Henri II. — Tiles. CHAPTER VII. GERMAN, DUTCH, AND FLEMISH POTTERY 113 Pottery of Nuremberg and the Franconian district — German majolica — Specimens at Paris, Dresden, &c. — Its stove tiles — Potteries of the Rhine, Frankenthal, Hochst, and other manufactories of Lower Saxony — Pottery of Holland ; early supplied England — Dutch tiles — History of Oriental Delft ware — Collections — Tobacco pipes — Pottery of Switzerland — Stone ware of Cologne — Greybeards — Fine stone ware of the Rhine — Jacqueline of Hainault — Apostles’ mugs — Flemish stone ware, or Gr^s Flamand — Huy- vetter and other collections — Bbttcher ware. CHAPTER VIII. ENGLISH POTTERY 13o Ancient pottery — Celtic — Roman — Saxon — Paving tiles — Mediseval pottery — Scarcity of decorative wares in England — Queen Elizabeth — Lead-glazed pottery — Specimens in various collections — Flask with royal arms — Tygs — English delft — Stoneware — Its early importation into England — “ Shakspeare’s jug” — History of the Staffordshire Potteries — Their great extension under Wedgwood — His life and productions — Manu- factory at Lambeth — Fulham — Bristol — Leeds — Liverpool — Lowestoft — Nottingham — Mr. Place’s ware — Tobacco-pipes. CONTENTS. IX CHAPTEK IX. Page PORCELAIN. (Hard Paste. Oriental.) 181 Porcelain of China — Arabians visit China — Edrisi, the Geographer — Present of Porcelain from Saladin — Travels of Marco Polo — Jordanus, Bishop of India — Ibn Batuta — Barbaro, the Venetian Ambassador — Present of Porcelain to Lorenzo de’ Medici — Maritime Laws of Barcelona — Portu- guese Traders to China — Dutch Embassy — Ysbranti, the Muscovite Tra- veller — Mystery as to the Composition of Porcelain: Notions of Barbosa, Cardan, and Scaliger — Dr. Johnson and the Poet Harte — Pancirolli of Padua and his Editor Salmutti — Lord Bacon’s Ignorance — Father d’Entrecolles — First introduction of Porcelain into England — Bowls of Sir T. Trenchard and Archbishop Warham — Presents to Queen Elizabeth — English East India Company — Bottles of the Theban tombs — Antiquity of the porcelain manufacture in China — Its rise and progress — Imperial manufactory of King-te-tchin — Most esteemed kinds of ancient porcelain — History of King- te-tchin — Spurious antiques of the Chinese — Dynastic and other marks — White porcelain — Blue, crackle, eggshell, celadon, and marbled — Citron- yellow and ruby — Turquoise and lapis-lazuli — Enamelled porcelain — Painting and form — Ingenious devices — Porcelain seals found in Ireland — Chinese earthenware and stoneware — Pousa the potter martyr — Porcelain Tower of Nankin — Porcelain of Japan — Its stoneware — Teapots — Porcelain and tiles of Persia — Collections of Oriental Porcelain — Those of Queen Mary and Queen Anne — Mania for collecting in the last century — Collections : of Queen Charlotte, at Blenheim, Sir Joseph Banks’, Fonthill, Strawberry Hill, and others. CHAPTEK X. PORCELAIN (Hard Paste. European.) 241 Saxony: First European Porcelain made in Dresden — Bottcher’s discoveiy — He is removed to Meissen — ■ Precautions for keeping the process secret — Flom’ishing state of the manufactory under royal patronage — Description by Jonas Hanway — Calamitous effect of the Seven Years’ War — Decay and decline — Present state — Visit of Wedgwood — Count Briihl’s Tailor — Lace figures — Honeycomb and Mayflower China — Marks — Fraudulent wares — Collection at the Japan Palace described by Hanway and Klemm — Bernal Collection. CHAPTEK XL PORCELAIN. (Hard Paste. European) — concluded 254 Austria: Imperial Manufactory founded at Vienna — Progress under Maria Theresa and Joseph II. — Present state — Description of the Ware — Specimens — Mark. HoCHST (Mayence) : Established under Ringler — Progress, decline, and abandonment — Ware — Marks — Manufactory at Keltersbach. Bruns- wick: Manufactory established at Fiirstenburg by Duke Charles — Progress and present state — Description of Ware — Mark. Bavaria: Manufactory established at Frankenthal by Charles Theodore, Elector Palatine — Progress and final abandonment — Ware — Marks — Maximilian III., Elector of Bavaria, establishes manufactory at Nymphenburg — Progress and present state — X CONTENTS. Ware — Mark. Baden: Establishment and destruction of manufactory — Mark — Palace of La Favorite. Wurtemburg: Establishment at Ludwigsburg — Progress and present state — Ware — Marks. Hesse (Cassel) : — Supposed site of manufactory — Fulda — St. Boniface — Manufactory established by the Prince Abbot — Progress and abandonment — Ware — Marks. Prussia : Frederick the Great establishes manufactory at Berlin — Progress and present state — Ware — Marks. Thuringia ; Albert, Duke of Coburg, establishes manufactories at Rudolstadt, Gotha, &c. — Ware — Marks. Russia : Manu- factory established at St. Petersburg by Empress Elizabeth — Progress and present state — Ware — Mark. Holland: Manufactories established during the Seven Years’ War at Amstel and the Hague — Progress and abandonment — Wares — Marks. Denmark : Manufactory at Copenhagen — Nelson — Progress and present state — Ware — Marks. Switzerland : Manufactory established at Zurich— Progress and abandonment — Ware — Mark — Nions or Nyons — Unknown Mai’ks CHAPTER XII. Page ENGLISH PORCELAIN (Soft Paste) 272 Bow: Early establishment and decline — Marks. Chelsea: Account of manufactory by Lister — Patronised by William, Duke of Cumberland — Rise, progress, and decline — Experiments of Dr. Johnson — Beauty of the ware — Forms — Claret colour — Marks — Collections — Strawberry Hill. Derby : Established fi-om Chelsea — Progress, and present state — Ware — Marks. Plymouth : Manufactory of hard porcelain e.stablished by Cookworthy. Bristol. Rockingham. Worcester: Establishment by Dr. Wall — Beauty of the blue — Marks. Shropshire, Swansea, Nantgarrow, and other localities. CHAPTER XIII. FRENCH PORCELAIN 304 Manufacture of porcelain at St. Cloud — First mentioned by Lister — Alluded to by Voltaire — Privileges granted by Louis XI Y. — The minister Orry engages the brothers Dubois — A company established under the name of Charles Adam at Vincennes — Patronised by Madame de Pompadour — Per- fection of the porcelain — Manufactory transferred to Sevres — Purchased by Louis XV. — Endeavours to make hard paste — Negotiations with Haniing — Guettard discovers kaolin at Alen 9 on — Madame Darnet makes known the kaolin of S. Yrieix — Hard porcelain made — Manufactory spared in the Revolution — M. Brongniart appointed by the First Consul — Beauty of the Pate Tendre — Its most celebrated colours — Rose Dubarry, &c. — Style of decoration — Porcelain flowers of Vincennes — Exclusive privilege to gild porcelain — Historical series of forms — Fraudulent imitations of Sevres porcelain — Celebrated collections — Beau Bi’ummell — Royal Collection — Strawberry Hill — Various private collections — Stowe, Bernal, and other Sales — Plaques — Groups and Figures — Marks of the different periods — Chantilly — Villeroy — Sceaux — Orleans — Etiolles — Bourg-la-Reine — Clignancourt — Lille — Arras — Tournay — Manufactories of hard porcelain at Paris, See. — Other French manufactures — Biscuit de Nancy — Musee Cerauiitpie at Sevres — Concluding remarks on our public Ceramic collections. CONTENTS. XI CHAPTEE XIV. Page MANUFACTURES OF ITALY AND SPAIN 328 Florence : Marquis of Ginori’s Manufactory at La Doccia ■ — Noticed by De la Condamiue, Salmon, and Forsyth — Character of its ware — Repro- duction of Capo di Monte and Majolica. Venice : Bassano, at Le Nove. Turin, at Vineuf, by Dr. Gioanetti. Naples ; Capo di Monte, established by Charles III. — Chatham Correspondence — State of the Manufactory under Ferdinand — Extract from a Letter of Lord Nelson — Decline and Ruin — Character of the Porcelain — Collection at Portici. Spain: Charles III. establishes the Manufactory at Bueu Retiro — Secrecy observed — Extracts from Swinburne — Bourgoanne — Rev. J. Townsend, Don A. Ponz, and Laborde — Destruction of the Manufactory by the French — Southey — Mr. Ford — Beauty of the Ware. Portugal : Vista Allegre. APPENDIX. No. Page I. The Majolica of the Soulages Collection 345 II. Glossary of Terms used in the description of Pottery and Porcelain. . 351 III. Italian Engravers of the Sixteenth Century 412 IV. Table of Marks and Monograms of the Painters, Decorators, and Gilders employed in the Royal Manufactory of Sevres, from 1753 to 1800. Extracted from the Catalogue of the Musee Ceramique. . 421 V. The Case of the Undertaker of the Chelsea Manufacture of Porcelain Ware. From Lansdown MS. No. 829, Fob 21 430 VI. Poem on the King of Prussia. (‘ Gentleman’s Magazine,’ vol. xxvii, p. 364) 433 VII. Leeds and Yarmouth Potteries 435 VIII. List of Private Collections of China, &c. in Great Britain 436 IX. Marks and Monograms found upon Pottery and Porcelain 440 X. Analysis of different kinds of Pottery . . . . 456 XI. Analysis of different kinds of Porcelain 457 XII. Re-discovery of the Iridescent Lustre 458 XIII. Antique Porcelain of China 458 Index . . . . 461 I^ist 0f CoIo«rf’& plates PLATE I. Fig. 1. SFEZIERIA VASE— MAJOLICA „ 2. FLEMISH STONE WARE Frontispikci:. PLATE II. Fig. 3. PILGRIM’S BOTTLE . . . . . . „ 4. SEVRES VASE (VAISSEAU A MAT) j. Page 7 4 PLATE III. Fig. 5. ORIENTAL VASE „ 6. SEVRES VASE— FORM DUPLESSIS Fig. 7. EWER— CHELSEA „ 8. VASE— DRESDEN PLATE IV. 245 PLATE V Fig. 9. EWER— MAJOLICA „ 10. AMATORII JUG— MAJOLICA . . . . PLATE VI. Fig. 11. CHELSEA VASE— FOUNDLING HOSPITAL „ 12. EWER— CAPO DI MONTE of Moobrats POTTERY. ‘ Fig. Page. Countrj’. Subject. From whence taken. Height. Inches. 1 1 2 SPAIN. Morksco. Azulejo. Drawing, G. S. Ni- cholson, Esq. 5 2 square 2 3 ,, „ ,, Fork. - 3 4 JJ 59 Fragment of an Am- phora. ” - ! 4 j 5 La Jarra. Owen Jones’s Alham- bra. 4 ft. 3 in. 7 Dish, -with arms of Castile and Leon and Arragon. British Museum. 18^ diam. 6 8 55 55 Dish, with Antelope. 55 - 7 9 Biberon. 55 14 s 12 55 55 “ Bacini ” in front of Church of San Sisto, Pisa. Drawing. ■ 9 13 55 55 Facade of San Sisto, Pisa ; decorated with Moorish Plates. 55 10 17 ITALY. Dklt.a Robbia Ware. Portion of Frieze, pro- bably by A. della Robbia. Franks. - 11 18 55 55 Holy Family. Marlborough House. 26iX18L 12 19 55 55 Altai-piece, from the Church of San Mi- niato, at Florence. The thickness of the faience Ij inch. Brongniart, Atlas, xxxvi. 5. From Sauvageot Coll. 13 20 ,, Mezza-Majolica. Plate of Moorish de- sign. Marryat. 10 diam. 14 24 ,, Majolica. Pax. ,, 6X5 15 26 55 55 Apothecary’s Pot. - - 16 31 1 55 55 Vase, Triumph of Ga- latea. Marryat. 18 17 32 55 55 Vase, David and Bath- sheba. ” 18 18 1 34 1 55 Dish, grisaille on blue ground. Royal Collection. - 19 : 36 Sections of Plates. - - 20 i 37 55 55 Pharmacy Vase. - - 21 38 55 55 ! Forms of Vessels for Pharmacy. ~ - 22 39 55 55 Forms of Ewers and 1 Jugs. “ “ 23 1 40 1 55 1 Triangular Inkstand 1 (16th cent.). Col. Palliser. 24 ; 40 5 5 55 1 Sauceboat. Du SOMMERARD. — 25 40 1 55 5 5 j B^nitier (grotesque form). Marryat. 6 26 41 55 5 5 i Amatorii Plate. ,, - 27 . 43 5 5 5 5 • Ewer, Landing of Cmsar. Du SOMMERARD. XIV LIST OF WOODCUTS. Fig. Page. Country. Subject. 1 From wlience taken. Height, Inches. 28 49 ITALY. Ma.tolica. Plate by Maestro Gior- gio, with the Yitelli arms. British Museum. 8 diam. 29 51 ,, Ewer. SOLTYKOFF. i - 30 66 Plate of Siena ware (18tb cent.). Museum of Practical Geology, i 31 75 ,, ,, Oviform Vase, Formerly at Stowe. j 8 32 75 ,, ,, ‘ Cistern on tripod base. ,, 24X15 33 76 Fruit-dish, ornament- ed with “ amor ini ” trophies and ara- besques. British Museum. 1 _ 34 77 99 99 Jug (circ. 1520). Marlborough House. 15 3.5 78 ” ” Dish, an artist paint- ing the border of a plate. ” i 36 80 ” ” Dish, commemorative of the Edict passed by Giov. Sforza. Fountaine. 14^ diam. 37 82 Plate, with Madonna. »> 9 diam. 38 84 Dish, Storming of Go- leta. Marryat. 24 diam. 39 89 FRANCE. Nevers. Ewer, Bacchanalian subject. j Fountaine. I j 25 40 90 5 5 5 5 Pilgrim’s Bottle. Marryat. i 11 41 90 Bottle. 1 ,, - 42 91 Ewer. Slade. 1 _ 43 93 5, Rouen. Vase. Hope. - 44 95 ,, Palissy. Reptile Dish. SOLTYKOFF. . _ - 45 98 5 5 5 5 Stove Tile. Pourtai.es. 13 46 99 5 5 5 5 Reptile Dish. Marryat. 13 47 99 5 5 55 Saltcellar. Preaux. - 48 100 55 55 Dish. Marryat, - 49 101 Perforated Dish, with arabesques. Maiiborough House. - 50 102 i ” ” Dish, .'Allegorical Per- sonification of Fon- tainebleau. Marryat. llj diam. 51 103 j 5» 1 Vase, ovoid, fruit and fiowers in relief. Ground blue, orna- ments yellow. Brongniart, Atlas, xxxvi. 3. 19| diam. 52 104 Compotier. Sauvageot. - 53 105 ,, ,, Cistern, Fountaine. 13i 54 105 ,, ,, Cistern. 1 55 1 14^ 55 108 ,, Fayence de Henri II, Biberon. Preaux. 7 56 108 >> Ewm-. ! 55 7 57 109 55 55 Candlestick. Sir a. de Rothschild. - ■ 58 110 55 55 Saltcellar. Fountaine. - 59 111 I 55 55 Ewer. Magniac. 15 60 112 ,, Caen. Tile. Museum of Society of Antiquaries. 5X5 61 112 Tile. i » 62 113 GERMANY. Nuremberg. Tureen. Marryat. 13X6 63 114 55 5 5 Enamelled Basket. 55 1 - 64 114 Ornamented Vase. 1 Sauvageot. j - 65 115 55 5 5 Stove Tile. Barron. - 66 116 ,, Hochst. Vase. Marryat. 13 67 1 117 ,, Nuremberg, Drinking-cup, Bear, Palliser. 8 5 68 117 ,, ,, The same in profile. - 69 121 HOLLAND. Dei.ft, Vase, from Hampton Court. i Marlborough House. 38 70 122 ! FLANDERS. j Greybeard found at i Westminster. Illustrated News. 8^ LIST OF WOODCUTS. XV Fig-. Page. Countiy. Subject. 1 From whence taken. Height. Inches. 71 122 FLANDERS. Greybeard found at Lincoln. Illustrated News. - . 72 124 HOLLAND. Jacobus Kannetje. Marryat. f , 13 73 124 GERMANY. Rhine. Brown Stoneware Jug. ,, 10 74 126 Apostles’ Mug. ,, 5 75 126 Jug, enamelled. - - 76 127 ,, Gres Feamand. ,, ellipsoid. Huyvetter. - 77 127 )5 Vase. 55 - 78 128 Jug, biannular. - 79 128 ,, discoid. 1 ’’ - 80 129 ” Blue and white Pil- grim’s Bottle. British Museum. 81 131 ENGLAND. Caistor. Roman Drinking-cup. Museum of Practical Geology. - 82 131 Samian Bowl. ,, - 83 132 Saxon Urn, found in Norfolk. British Museum. i “ 84 133 ,, Bawsey. Tile,_pattern in relief. 1 ” - 85 133 „ pattern sunk. - 86 134 Inlaid Tile, from Malmesbury Abbey. ” 87 138 ,, Lincoln. Moulds for glazed ware (14th cent.). Trollope. “ 88 138 Fragment of glazed ware (14th cent.). ” “ 89 139 Green glazed Ewer, found near Lewes, j Sussex. Figg. 90 140 Jug (15th cent.) found at London Wall. Museum of Practical Geology. i 8 91 140 Jug (14th cent.) found at London. British Museum. 10 92 141 Costrel (16th cent.) Museum of Practical Geology. 10 93 141 Bottle of green glazed ware. British Museum. j 6 94 142 Three-handled Tyg. Museum of Practical j Geology. ! “ 95 142 „ - Candlestick. 55 ! - 96 143 Sack-pot, 1659. “ Shakspeare’s Jug.” CURZON. - 97 147 Mrs. Fletcher, Glou- cester. 9 98 148 ,, Staffordshire. Butter-pot. ; ! Museum of Practical Geology. 141 (61 diam.). 99 149 55 5 5 Two-handled Tyg. — 100 150 55 5 5 Dish, by Thomas Toft. _ 101 150 55 55 Group of English Pot- j tery (Crouch ware), j Illustrated News. - 102 151 55 55 Ornament (Crouch ; ware). Lady in a i Sedan-chair. j ” ' 103 152 5 5 5 5 Butter-boat, white ware. Museum of Practical Geology. - 104 153 55 55 1 Four-lobed Teapot, | Avhite ware. ” - 105 153 1 5 , White-ware Cream- jug- Marryat. 1 3 106 154 1 55 55 White-w'are Teapot. 1 107 155 1 Butter-boat, Queen’s ware. Early spe- cimen, made at Wedgwood’s Bell Works. Museum of Practical : Geology. * i 108 to 114 157 158 Chessmen, executed by Wedgwood, de- signed by Flaxman. ! 1 XVI LIST OF WOODCUTS. Fig. Page. Country. Subject. From whence taken. Height. Inches. 115 160 ENGLAND. Staffordshire. Large Vase, in black Egyptian ware, handle formed by the figure of a satyr looking into the vase. Wedgwood’s mark. Museum of Practical Geology. t 116 161 Chimaera in black Egyptian ware, with nozzle for light. Wedgwood’s mark. 117 162 n 99 Hanging Lamp. From the antique. Marryat. 118 162 99 Wedgwood Vase, blue jasper with white ornaments. ” 119 163 >> Large Plaque, de- signed by Flaxman, illustrative of Ca- meo Ware of Wedg- wood, worked upon fiat surfaces. Museum of Practical Geology. 120 163 99 Cameo ware of Wedg- wood ; grey blue with white orna- ment. Designed by Flaxman. Marlborough House. ' 121 170 Liverpool. Punchbowl made at Shaw’s works, and presented to Capt. Metcalf, 1753. Mayer. 122 171 a 99 Teapot, printed by Sadler. ” 123 172 M Punchbowl made by Pennington. Mechanics’ Institute, Shelton. 20| diam. 124 173 9 ) ** Porcelain Vases made by Pennington. Mayer. LIST OF WOODCUTS. xvii PORCELAIN. Fig.' Page. Country. Subject. From whence taken. Height. Inches. 125 193 CHINA. Bottles found in the Effvntian tombs. Sir Gardner Wil- kinson, &c. 126 210 Plate of the Yong-lo period. Palliser. - 127 213 „ Nankin. Dish, blue and white. Marryat. 17 diam. 128 214 J? Jar, blue and white. ,, 17 129 217 „ - Double Bottle. Debruge-Labarte. - 130 217 Kylin. Marryat. - 131 218 Porcelain Vessel. Debruge-Labarte. _ 132 219 Striped Bottle, white and brown. Marryat. 11 133 220 yy ~ Hexagon Vase. yy 18 134 220 Silk-winder. 16 135 221 Chinese Seal. Franks. _ 136 221 yy Characters on Chinese Seal. - - 137 224 yy ” Porcelain Tower of Nankin. Fergusson’s Architec- ture. 330 ft. 138 226 JAPAN. Saucer, ancient pat- tern. Marryat. 139 227 yy “ Gourd-shaped bottle. yy 15 140 228 yy Vessel in form of a Coifee-urn. ” 17 141 229 yy Teapot. Beckford. 142 230 PERSIA. Tomb of Sultaneah. Beek. 143 231 Tile Painting from the Palace of Astrabad. Hommaire de Hell. - 144 236 CHINA. Turquoise Match-pot. Marryat. 4^ 145 238 „ - Stork. Beckford. - 146 to 149 239 JAPAN. Teapots. Mrs. Hawes. 150 245 GERMANY. Dresurn. Grotesque Teapot. Marryat. 151 245 Vase. „ H-j 152 246 »» Vase, with cameos. ,, 5 153 247 Count BriihPs Tailor. (There is a larger size of 18 in.) yy ! 154 247 1 >> )> Tailor’s Wife. 7 155 251 ,, ,, Ape. Japan Palace. 28 156 251 1 n >> Dog. ,, 17 long. 157 252 Candelabrum. Marquis op Bath. 24 158 265 ,, Fulda. Coffee-pot. Marryat. . i 8 159 269 HOLLAND. Hague. Vase, with paintings. iH 160 273 ENGLAND. Bow. Cream -jug. Bandinel. 4 161 276 yy yy Vase. Marryat. _ 162 282 „ Chelsea. Vase, with Chinese figures. E. Ellis. 22 163 283 5» Butter-boat. Sir C. Price. „ 164 284 Cup and Saucer. Museum of Practical Geology. - 165 285 ,, ,, Pastoral Figure. ,, 166 285 „ „ Pastoral Figure. ,, _ 167 286 ,, Derby. i 1 Cup and Saucer, Chel- sea-Derby. i h XVlll LIST OF WOODCUTS, Fig. Page. Country. Subject. From whence taken. Height. Inches. 168 286 ENGLAND. Derby. Vase, blue ground, Museum of Practical — 169 287 Plymouth. with birds and flowers in compart- ments. Coffee-pot. Geology. Pride Aux. 170 288 Saltcellar. Museum of Practical - 171 288 Butter-stand. Geology. 55 171 289 >> 55 Figure of an Elephant. 5 , - 173 293 Worcester. View of Porcelain Gentleman’s Magazine - 174 294 >> s> Manufactory. Mug, with Portrait of for 1752. Museum of Practical 175 298 Shropshire. Frederick the Great. Cup and Saucer, paint- Geology. _ 176 302 99 Staffordshire. ed blue flowers, and gilded. Leek Vase. Marryat. 26 177 178 310 314 FRANCE. Sevres. 99 » Vase, stiff style. Vase, bleu de Boi. Sir a. de Bothschild. 151 179 315 99 55 Vase, bleu de Boi. Marquis of Bath. 13 180 330 ITALY. La Doccia. Vase. Marryat. 30 181 338 55 Capo di Monte. Basin. 55 - 182 338 „ 55 Vase. Falcke. - 183 339 99 55 Saltcellar. Marryat. - 184 343 SPAIN. Buen Retiro. Jardinidre. Sir Hugh Campbell.' - LIST OF WOODCUTS. XIX W00trriits m Fig. Page. Subject. Country. From whence taken. Height. Inches. 185 351 Brickmakers. Thebes. Wilkinson’s ‘ Manners and Customs of the Egyp- tians.’ - 186 352 Alcarazza. Spain. Auldjo. - 187 353 Water-cooler. Egypt. British Museum. - 188 355 Amphora. Pompeii. Auldjo. - 189 358 Bottle, Pilgrim’s. Egypt. British Museum. - 190 ,, Twin-joined. „ >> -- 191 „ Double. Chili. )> - 192 362 Mummy Cone. Egypt. „ - 193 363 Drinking Cup. Fish. Chili. Marryat. 194 364 „ „ Head. Peru. Beckford. - 195 ,, ,, ,, Greek. Museo Borbonico. - 196 365 „ „ Leg. VULCI. British Museum. - . 197 >> ,, ,, Cylixwith Eyes. ” Brongniart, Atlas, xx. 2. (from Micali). 198 369 Cooking Pot. Vellore. Sir Edward Burnes. - 199 370 Annular Vase. Campanian. Brongniart, Atl., xxxi. 10. diam. 5. 200 371 Funereal Urn (half). Corsica. Traite, t. 1, p. 456. - 201 ,, Jar of a Coroado Chief. Brazil. Brongniart, Atlas, xix. 6 (from Debret). 202 372 Coffins of Pottery, from Warka. Mesopotamia. British Museum. 203 374 Cyathus. Black Pottery of Etruria. Brongniart, Atlas, xx. 8. - 204 375 Tinaja. Spain. Auldjo. - 205 376 99 99 Musee Ceramique. 10 ft. 206 376 Koupchine. Caucasus. Brongniart, Atl., xix. 1. 207 377 Vase cercle. Antinoe, ruins. ,, ,, xxii. 3. - 208 378 Kiln, Common Pottery. Paris. ,, ,, xxxiii. 1. - 209 379 „ Hard. Beauvais. ,, „ xxxviii. 2. - 210 i> ,, Porcelain. Sevres. „ „ lii. 1. - 211 386 011a on Vase. Greece. Biitish Museum. - 212 390 Diogenes in Pithos. Villa Albani. Brongniart, Atlas, xix. 4 (partly from Winckel- mann). 213 395 Child’s Battle. Scandinavia. Drawing, G. S. Nichol- son, Esq. 214 396 Vase. Breslau. >» j> - 215 M Vase. Mecklenburg. Brongniart. - 216 Pottery, Mexican. Mexico. British Museum. - 217 397 ,, Mexican Deities. ,, - 218 1 Mexican Tomb, containing Pottery. Chunjaju. Fergusson’s Architecture. “ 219 398 99 99 Tayi. 99 99 - 220 ,, Pottery, Peruvian. Peru. British Museum. - 221 399 „ ,, - 222 Peruvian Tomb. ,, Fergusson’s Architecture. - 223 400 Head in Pottery. Bogota. William Turner, Esq. - 224 j> Honeysuckle Pattern. - Fergusson’s Architecture. - 225 402 Rhyton. Greece. Museo Borbonico. - 226 403 „ 99 9 9 9 9 - 227 406 Tumulus with Skeletons. i Germany'. Brongniart, Atlas, i. 1 (from Kruse). ~ 228 407 ,, Ashes. ,, „ „ i. 2. - 229 ,, Tomb near Nola. - D’Hancarville. - 230 408 Vases in Tombs. - 99 - 231 Tomb at Albano. - - 232 410 Vase. Greece. Dodyvell’s Greece. - 233 1 411 ” ” i Beckford. ’ ■ h 2 XX LIST OF WOODCUTS. • €^mm ( Appendix XIII. ) Fig. Page. Subject. From whence taken. 234 459 Bottle of the kind found in Egyptian tomhs. Collected hyMr. Fortune.* 235 459 Oviform Vase of rare turquoise colour. 236 459 Gourd - shaped Bottle of yellowish stoneware crackle. 5) 237 459 Very ancient Porcelain Vessel. 5 J 238 460 Porcelain Vase, enamelled with figures of animals and plants. 239 460 Curious Pilgrim-shaped Bottle, enamelled with butterflies, &c. 240 460 Vase of sea-green crackle. * From “ The Chinese, Inland, on the Coast, and at Sea,” by R. Fortune, Esq. London, May, 1857. INTRODUCTION. The Plastic or Ceramic Art is deserving of our atten- tion, as being one of those first cultivated by every I nation of the world. Its productions, though in modern times restricted to domestic use, were employed by the ancients for higher and nobler purposes. Pottery was the medium of expressing their homage for the dead, and the prize of the victor in the public games. Suc- cessful cultivators of art were honoured with statues and medals, decreed to them by the state, and their names were transmitted to ' posterity by poets and historians. Hence the potter’s was an honourable profession ; a college for its members was established by Numa, and a family of potters who worked for the king is mentioned in the genealogy of the tribe of Judah.^ The existence of pottery has proved of the highest value as an aid to historical research. From the ‘ “ These were the potters and those that dwelt among plants and hedges, there they dwelt with the king for his work.” — 1 Chron., iv. 23. The pot- ter’s art furnishes ns with many of the most heautifnl metaphors of Scrip- ture. When the Almighty would show His absolute dominion over men, and His irresistible power over their hearts, He often had recourse to the simili- tude of a potter, who makes what he pleases of his clay, sometimes a vessel of honour, and sometimes of dishonour, now forming it, and then breaking it ; now preserving it, then rejecting it. — Psalm ii. 9 ; Isaiah, xlv. 9, Ixiv. 8 ; Jeremiah, xviii. 6, xix. 11 ; Pev. ii. 27, &c. Agathocles, king of Sicily, showing his friends his vases of gold, said to them, “These vases have been made after the earthen vases which I turned formerly when a potter .” — Diodorus Hiculus, lib. xix. XXI 1 INTRODUCTION. pottery of the tombs, we learn the domestic manners of nations long since passed away, and may trace the geographical limits of the various great empires of the world. The extent of ancient Greece, of its colonies, and its conquests, is clearly to he traced through each division of the Old World by the Grecian funereal pottery, which, distinct in, its character from that of any other, long survived ther political existence of the Grecian empire.^ The limits of the Roman empire are, in like manner_, deduced from the remains of the Roman pottery ; beyond the spot where Arminius repulsed the Roman legions, no trace of Roman pottery has been found, and the frontier line of the Roman dominion in Britain is marked out in a similar manner. The extent of the Mahomedan empire in the Old World, and the Aztec dominion in the New, would alike be clearly pointed out by their pottery, if no other record of their conquests had been transmitted to us. The Ceramic art has always been an object for royal patronage. The Chinese emperors obtained, by high premiums, the unrivalled manufacture of the egg-shell porcelain, and they enrolled the potter-martyr^ in the catalogue of the deities. The Dukes of Urbino, by their liberal patronage, introduced the beautiful majo- lica ; from Henry II. and Diana de Poitiers an un- rivalled fayence derives its name, and that Prince and his consort, Catherine de Medici, developed the genius of Palissy ; Augustus the Strong, Maria Theresa, Fre- deric the Great, and other reigning princes of Germany, ^ The Grecian funereal pottery ex- ninth century hefore the Christian era isted as. a mannfacturc, perhaps, not to about 350 years after, less than 1200 years : from about the ^ Page 222. INTRODUCTION. XXlll both founded and brought to perfection, at their own expense, the porcelain manufactures of their respective countries ; ^ Russia owes the establishment of hers to Elizabeth and Catherine II. ; Charles III. founded those of Capo di Monte and the Buen Retiro ; Madame Pompadour, by her influence over Louis XY. brought the porcelain of Sevres to its unrivalled perfection ; while Dubarry gave her name to the most lovely colour Sevres has produced ; and William, Duke of Cumber- land, supported that of Chelsea, which unfortunately was abandoned, for want of encouragement, at the death of its royal patron. Even Wedgwood, who in general, courted no extraneous aid, was fain to secure a certain number of subscribers to enable him to take the copy of the Barberini vase, while his newly in- vented earthenware was introduced under the patron- age of Queen Charlotte, and bore her name. Xor is the art less associated with the names of celebrated historical characters. MRth the tale of the unfortunate Jacqueline of Hainault, it can never cease to be identified.^ The fictile career of Palissy and Bottcher entitles them to a place in the romance of history. The minister De Calonne occupied himself with the manufacture of Lille and Arras. We find Nelson, in the midst of his victorious course, engaged in collecting the china of Capo di Monte ® and Copen- ^ The effect of patronage was par- polised by crowned heads, though the ticularly remarkable in the rapid pro- community gained by the introduction gress of the porcelain manufactories of porcelain into general use, the art in Europe, where the art was only was degraded by the substitution of introduced in the beginning of the a cheap and common article for the eighteenth century, and where, in less exquisite productions of the royal ma- than fifty years’ time, it rose to its nufactures. greatest perfection. When, however, * Page 124. the manufacture ceased to be mono- ® Page 337. XXIV INTRODUCTION. hagen.'^ The partiality of the unfortunate Admiral Byng ® for china was designated in the political carica- tures of the day ; Dr. Johnson interested himself in. the manufacture at Chelsea ; and numerous other instances might he given, if more were necessary, to prove the interest that has, in all ages, been inspired by the pro- ductions of the potter’s art. ^ Page 270, note. ^ It appears that he was a great fop, and a great collector of china. In one of the caricatures of the day he is represented in the garb of a bean, with the muff, and other accessories of that character. At his side is a parcel of china, with the inscription “ China warehouse.” Allusion is also made to his being a collector of china in a metrical parody of his despatch to the Admiralty announcing his de- sertion of Port Mahon. — Wright’s England under the House of Hanover. HISTORY OF POTTERY. CHAPTER L SPANISH POTTERY. Extinction of the Ceramic art in Europe — Its first revival in Spain under the dominion of the Arabs — Enamelled tiles — Azulejos of the Alhambra described by Swinburne — Those of the Cuarto Eeal — Collection of Mr. Ford — Azulejo pavement at Bristol — Spanish proverb — Hispano -Arabic or Moorish pottery — Jar of the Alhambra — Moorish pottery confounded with Majolica — Classification of Hispano -Arabic pottery — Specimens in the Ceramic Museum at Sevres — The Mus^e de THotel de Cluny — Debruge-Labarte Collection — Marlborough House and the British Museum. During the dark ages that succeeded the subversion of the Western Empire, the manufacture of decorative pottery was entirely lost in Europe. It first re-appeared in Spain, carried thither by the Ma- hommedan invaders,^ who probably found there some traditions of the Ceramic art, for which Spain, under the Romans, had been celebrated.^ Wherever the Arabs extended their conquests, they introduced the manufacture of the tiles of enamelled earthenware with which the mosques of Persia and Arabia were adorned. By these tiles we mark their progress along the shores of Africa ; and, in Spain, the Moorish buildings at Seville, Toledo, and Granada, and, above all, the fortress-palace of the Alhambra, are alike to be recognised by this style of decoration,- and attest the unrivalled grace and refinement of Arabian art. These beautiful tiles, called by the Spaniards “ azulejo,”^ are of a pale clay, the surface of which is coated over with a white opaque enamel, upon which the elaborate designs are executed in colours. The tints employed in the early tiles are usually blue or brown ; the latter, when placed in a proper light, being iridescent. The ‘ When they overthrew the Gothic is said to have employed 1200 workmen, monarchy, a.d. 711. ® ‘^Zuleija, Zuleich, Arabic, a var- 2 Pliiiy mentions the jasper-red pot- nished tile.” — Form’s Handbook for tery of Saguntum (Lib. xxxv. c. 12). It Spain, p. 17.3. B 2 HISTOEY OF POTTEEY. Chap. I. whole of the courts of the Alhambra were probably paved with these tiles, but a portion of one pavement only now remains. This building was left to ruin and dilapidation after the fall of Granada, and received still greater injuries from the Spaniards of modern times, as well as from the French during their occupation of the Peninsula in 1812. Swinburne,^ in 1775, describes the blue and yellow tiles which covered the walls to the height of five feet from the ground, as well as the large painted and glazed tiles of the roof, some of which still remain. Fig. 1. Moorish Tile from the Cuarto Real. The Cuarto Real, a royal Moorish villa in Granada, is deco- rated with white tiles covered with the most elaborate designs of scroll-like foliage in gold lustre. They form a band beneath the springing of the roof, and are about 5^ inches square. ’ Mr. George Stewart Nicholson, in a recent visit to Granada, succeeded, after great difficulty, in obtaining permission of the authorities to make a hasty tracing of one of these tiles. He describes it “ as one of a row under the roof of a vestibule in the Cuarto Real.” The form he was not able to determine, although he believes it to be square, the top being hidden by the bracket-pendants of the roof. The pattern is gold of a greenish tint, and apparently beneath the glaze, — as far as he could judge, in the dim light gained from the few windows not blocked up. Fig. 1 is from the Travels through Spain in the Years 1775 and 1776. 4to. Lend. 1779. Chap, I. SPANISH. 3 finished drawing made by Mr. Nicholson from the above-mentioned tracing. The manufacture of enamelled tiles continued after the fall of Fig. 2. Azulejo from the Hall of Justice, Alhambra. (Ford Collection.) Granada. The Spaniards learned the art from the Moors ; and in Valencia they are made to the present day. In the Alcazar of Seville ^ specimens are to be seen of azulejos, both of Moorish and Catholic manufacture. Toledo also contains many examples of tiles of the Catholic period.® Mr. Ford procured a complete set of azulejos, chiefly from the Alhambra, when, in 1831, portions of the Moorish saloons of state were barbarously converted by the governor. La Serna, into maga- zines for the salt-fish of his galley-slaves. They are of various degrees of quality, both as to the material and the painting. The following are descriptions of some of these specimens : — 1. Moorish, very fine and most ancient ; surface plain, painted and enamelled blue ; the elaborate designs in gold lustre. The ^ Seville is very rich in azulejos. The best specimens “are the dados in the Patio of the Alcazar, of which some are Moorish, others of the time of Don Pedro ; while those in the chapel were made in 1504. Next in date comes the most curious portal of Las Monjas de Sa. Paula, then the dados in the Casa Pilatos, and after that the summer- house in the Alcazar garden (1546), . . . Those at San Augustin were designed in 1611, when yellows were all the fashion. Soon after the custom of representing monks and sacred subjects became very prevalent.” — Ford’s Handbook for Spain, p. 173, ® The Moorish tiles are generally painted, the older Catholic stamped. B 2 4 HISTOEY OF POTTEKY. Chap. I. inscription on the shield is the well-known motto of the Mussulman founders of the palace of Granada, — “ There is no conqueror but God.” The date of its manufacture may he placed at about 1300. Fig. 2 is a representation of this tile, which appears, by another specimen, to have been copied in a very inferior style in 1400. 2. Moorish, fine quality ; pattern a star, to imitate inlaid work. This seems also to have been copied and impressed, in a very inferior style, at a later date. 3. Moorish, forming part of the panelling of the dado of a wall, inlaid and fine ; as early as 1300. This tile has also been copied in the same manner as the last. 4. Of Spanish manufacture, from the Alcazar of Toledo, prior to the time of Charles V., about 1490 ; the pattern impressed, the colours white and yellow. 5. Of the same class, from Toledo, with the arms of Castile and Leon, of the time of Charles V., about 1525. The pattern is im- pressed. In the Mayor’s chapel at Bristol is a pavem.ent of azulejos, im- ported no doubt by one of the numerous Bristol merchants, who had great traffic with Seville in bottles.'^ This mode of decorating houses was of old held in high es- teem, and was considered as a mark of wealth in the possessors, whence arose the old Spanish proverb, “ Nunca haras casa con azulejos” — You will never have a house adorned with glazed tiles : that is, you will never thrive, or be a rich man. The azulejo was not the only production of the Moorish potters ; their pottery was often impressed over the whole surface with Arabic in- scriptions, and some- times ornamented with sunk arabesque patterns as richly as a lace veil (Fig. 3). The celebrated Vase of the Alhambra, of which we give a representation (Fig. 4), is the most remarkable specimen extant of their Ceramic industry. The They are engraved in Lysons’ An- tile, from Haccombe Church, Devoii- tiquities of Gloucestershire. A similar shire, is in the British Museum. Fig. 3. Fragment of an Amphora. Moorish, 1300. (Ford Coll.) Chap. I. SPANISH. 5 date of its manufacture is placed at 1320. It is of earthenware ; the ground white, the ornaments either blue of two shades, or of that gold or copper lustre so often found in Spanish and Italian pottery. This beautiful specimen of Moorish workmaiisliip, which is 4 feet 3 inches in height, was discovered, with another similar to it, beneath the pavement of the Alhambra, and is said to have been filled with gold. It was copied in 1842 at the manufactory of Sevres, from drawings made in Spain by Dauzats. Its companion was broken in the time of Montilla, who used the fragments as flowerpots, until* a French lady carried them away. The Moors appear to have con- tinued the manufacture of their ornamental pottery until the period of their final expulsion under Philip III., at the beginning of the seventeenth century. pottery long remained confounded with the Italian majolica, of which it is the recognised prototype,® until M. Riocreux, the learned curator of the Musee Ceramique at Sevres, directed attention to the subject. The enamel of this pottery is of a yellowish-white, covered with an iridescent lustre, which appears to proceed from the copper-coloured or yellowish ornaments which form the principal decoration of this ware. It is divided by M. Riocreux into three classes, belonging to different manufactures, and probably to different dates. The first has a yellow ground, with brilliant lustred ornaments, approaching to copper red; the designs almost entirely cover the ground, and consist of flowers, among which birds are sporting, in the style of the Persian fayence ; these specimens appear of a less perfect, and perhaps more ancient manufacture. ^ The question of the Spanish origin which the Italian “ bacini” are the al- of Italian majolica is discussed in the leged imitations^ are to be only found next chapter. The Moorish plates, of incrusted in the churches of Italy. This Hispano-Arabic |p: ^ 'eschiera, as these cisterns are termed, in the possession of Mr. Barker, from the Delsette Collec- tion, is 31 inches by 17 in diameter, and 13 inches high. There are several fine cisterns of the three-lobed form {vasqnes} in the Hotel de Cluny, and another in the possession of Sir Hugh Campbell. At Narford Hall there are many fine cisterns decorated by the first masters : one three-lobed, the subject. The Feast of the Gods, supposed to have been painted by Orazio Fontana. A cistern, formerly at Stowe, is figured and de- scribed page 75. ^ In the Du Sommerard Collection there is one representing a man playing upon the organ. In the collection of the writer is a snuff-box in the shape of a toad. 38 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. III. Chap. III. ITALIAN — PAINTINGS AND POEMS. 39 nary size ; figures of animals and birds of every description ; fruit- dishes laden with every kind of fruit ; wine-bottles in the form of fruits ; magic vessels, whence flowed at pleasure wine or water, and others out of which poured different kinds of wine ; also cups covered within and without with clusters of grapes in relief, out of which the wine was sucked from an orifice in the handle ; with various other ingenious inventions. a d Fig. 22. In the form of vessels for the table, saltcellars and sauceboats (Fig. 24), great variety was exhibited. The vessels, plates, basins, &c., which were not to contain meats, were decorated with ornaments in relief, not only like those of Pesaro already men- tioned, but moulded or pressed from the back like the repousse work in metal. It was the custom among the Italians to interchange presents of plates or other specimens of majolica, and these were always painted with subjects appropriate to the occasion. Of these there was one class called Amatorii, consisting gene- rally of plates, jugs, or deep saucers (hacinette\ upon which the cavalier caused to be painted the portrait of his lady. Under- 40 HISTORY OF POTTERY, Chap. HI. Fig. 23. M.ijoliru Inkstand of triangular form. ] 6th century. (In the possession of Colonel Palliser.) Fig. 24. IMajolica Sauceboat. (Hotel de Cluny.) Fhg. 25. Majolica Benitier, grotesque form. (Marryat Coll.) iieatli was inscribed her Christian name, with the complimentary addition of “ bella,” after this manner — MINERVA BELLA, CECILIA BELLA, GIULIA DIVA. -EWER. MAJOLICA. : ■ . lO.-AMATORII JUG. MAJOLICA. PLATE V. 9.-^EWER. MAJOLICA. Marryat Golleotion. Height 19 inches. Subject : Acis and Galatea. After Giulio Romano. On the other side, Galatea is riding on a sea-horse, attended by Cupid. Formerly at Straw- berry Hill. Page 41—50. 10.— AMATORII JUG. MAJOLICA. Page- 41. Marryat Collection. Height 8 inches. Mouth tri-dobed. Portrait interesting for the costume. Formerly in the Collection of R. Ford, Esq. I I Chap. III. ITALIAN — PAINTINGS AND FORMS. 41 Tliese pieces (Fig. 26) were presented as pledges of affection, and sent filled with fruits or sweetmeats. The portraits are interesting as giving the costume of the period. (See coloured plate, No. 10.) Fig. 26. Amatorii Plate. (Marryat Coll.) Sometimes, instead of the portrait, we find represented hands united and hearts in flame. 1. Thus on one, we have two hands clasped over a fire; and, above, a golden heart pierced by two darts. 2. On another, a heart transfixed with a sword and an arrow, over a burning flame, bedewed by tears falling from two eyes placed above. ^ 3. Another, a lady, and beside her a yonth bound to a tree, with Cupid, who has pierced his heart with an arrow. Che possio fare se cossi vole amove. 4. On a sancer, a youth kissing a lady and giving her a flower. Dulee est amare. 5. On another, an equestrian figure armed with a lance, with which he pierces a heart. ‘ Both of the Pesai’o manufacture in relief, described at page 21. 42 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. III. 6. A greyhound with a heart in its mouth. Per mento di mia fe in te. 7. One is mentioned by Passeri, ^ signed by Maestro Giorgio, a female head, having beneath Daniella Diva, and above a wounded heart, with Dime I 8. Passeri had one inscribed Philomena in his possession, which from some displeasure of the young lady had been bored with a hole (miser amente hucata) in the middle, and converted into a mousetrap ! 9. Sometimes, instead of the name of the lady, we have some motto or moral sentiment. Thus, a lady with a large pink : Non e si vago el fiore che non imhiacea o casca. 10. A female figure, probably symbolical of purity. CM serve Dio con purita di core vive contento e poi salvato muore. 11. A lady reading, clasping a child, and teaching it to read. Virtus in atione consiste. 12. Francesca hella a paragon di tutti. 13. Per dor mire non si acquista. 14. Per jin che vivo^ io sempre f amero. 15. Chi hien guida sua harcha sempre emporto. 16. Penso nel mio afflitto core. 17. A’ il dono e picolo e di poco valore Basta la fede, e’l povero se vedo. 18. Un hel morire e vita e gloria efama. 19. Nemo suo sorte contentus erat, 20. Non tejidar cogne pastore e lupoi^ With the Amatorii may be classed the plates {fruitier e) in which the young ladies at balls received confections: in the midst of these was painted a Cupid dancing or playing the cymbal. ^ Probably to encourage the ducal manufactory, great employ- ment was given in the making of marriage services {vasi gamelii or nuzziali), the paintings on them consisting of the Metamorphoses of Jupiter, the Marriage of Cupid and Psyche, the Feast of the Gods, and other similar subjects. On a small jug in the Delsette Collection is inscribed Per uso della cara sposa. Chap. xi. 7, 8, 17, 20 from Passeri, and the others 2 Of these examples, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, are mentioned by Mr. Dennistoun in his 10, 11, 18, 19 are from the Delsette ‘ Dukes of Urbino.’ Collection, 5 from the Hotel de Cluny, See page 46. Chap. III. ITALIAN — PAINTINGS AND FORMS. 43 Further, a service was prepared tor a lady in childbed {vasi puerperi)^ consisting of seven or eight pieces of different forms and sizes, which fitted into the largest vessel. There was a soup-basin {tazzone da zuppd), a broth-cup {tazza da hroda), an egg- cup^ (bacinetto da uova), &c. They were arranged on a little table, and after being used were replaced into their original form. These pieces were most carefully decorated with paintings, repre- senting Leda and her twins, the birth of gods, heroes, and other appropriate sub- jects. The subject on a cup in the Cava- liere Mazza’s Collection is described as “ una donna presso al parto.^^^ Utensils of all kinds were decorated with similar attention to their use. On toilet-basins, water-coolers, cisterns, or other vessels to contain water, we find Venus rising from the Sea, surrounded by marine deities, Pharaoh and his Host drowned in the Red Se striking the Rock, the Deluge, of Amphitrite, and other aquatic subjects. On fruit-dishes we have Autumn gathering Fruits, a Vintage, &c. So also were the subjects appropriate to the character of the person to whom they were presented. P"or a secular prince we find the actions of David, Solomon, Alexander, Caesar (Fig. 27), or Con- stantine, portrayed ; for an ecclesiastical dignitary, Moses and Aaron, Paul preaching before the Areopagus, Leo the Great, Heliodorus in the Temple, &c. ; and for a more humble eccle- siastic or devout person the pieces would represent St. Bruno at his devotions, St. Francis with the stigmata, St. Bernard in the midst of Alpine snows, St. Domenic, St. Vincent, or St. Jerome. a, ivioses Triumph Fig. 21 . Ewer. Landing of Csesar. (Hotel de Cluny.) ^ These were little plates about eight aud her Nymphs surprised by Actaeon, inches in diameter, nearly flat, with painted on the outside, and a lady in three little bowls or wells near the rim, bed on the inside, originally from two for eggs, the other for salt. Stowe, sold at Colonel Sibthorp’s for ® A small basin belonging to one of 15/. 15s. these services, with the subject, Diana 44 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. CHAPTER IV. ITALIAN POTTERY. Manufactories, Artists, and Monograms, — General Observations — Pesaro, M. Jeronimo — Gubbio, M. Giorgio — Urbino, Xanto, Orazio Fontana, Durantino, Alf. Patanazzi and others — Castel Durante — Faenza — Deruta ware — Other manufactories in tlie Papal States — Venetian States — Naples, and the Abruzzi — Unknown marks. It was the custom of the artists in the time of Guidobaldo II. to write the title of the subject and the date in cursive characters of a blue colour on the back of the dish, but only occasionally to affix their name and place of abode. As we have seen in the preceding chapter, the orthography made use of, being sometimes in the patois of the district, is not the most correct, and often puzzles a foreigner to decipher. When a large service was made, the principal piece {capo mazzo) only was marked, which accounts for the few instances in which it is possible to identify the painters, except by comparison with their known productions. The armorial bearings of the family for whom the services were painted are frequently introduced. The cognizance of the Sforza, and of the house of Rovere, with that of many other nobles of the period, as well as of popes and cardi- nals, are frequently met with. To make any classification of this ware, upon which the marks of the different fabrics as well as the monograms of the painters are mostly wanting, would be utterly impracticable without a long and laborious study of many large collections, in which are to be found a variety of marked pieces. By comparing these with others of similar character and style the productions of many painters might be satisfactorily identified, and some approach to classification obtained. For this investigation, however, we have neither leisure nor materials ; and leaving the subject to others who may be induced to follow it up,^ we must confine ourselves to a brief sketch of such monograms and marks of the different fabrics, and ‘ We are happy to state that the a systematic work on majolica, for task has been undertaken by Mr. Robin- which he has amassed a large amount son, the accomplished curator of Marl- of materials, borough House, who is now engaged in Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 45 of the artists who are supposed to have worked in them, as have come under our notice. But even here we are met by a diffi- culty, in the fact that many artists travelled from one establishment to another in quest of employment, and marked their works in some places and not in others, accordingly as they worked upon their own account or were employed by the manufacturer. Thus we see Orazio Fontana claimed for Castel Durante,'*^ though Passeri speaks of him as painting at Urbino. Maestro Giorgio, we know, worked at Pavia before he went to Gubbio, and Xanto may have painted at Rovigo before he settled at Urbino. Again, many of the most artistic pieces were not the production of any one celebrated manufactory. The painters, when they worked on their own account, often bought the pieces ready pre- pared for painting, executed them at home, and took them to the potter’s furnaces {fornacci) to be fired. So we often find on pieces the name of the potter as well as that of the artist - — ^^fato nella hottega di Maestro .” The custom of signing the pieces is peculiar to some manu- factories ; the greater number of specimens bearing names and monograms belong to those of Gubbio and Urbino. The pieces executed during the best period, 1540 to 1560, have all the same characteristics : the drawing highly correct, the colouring soft and brilliant, the attitudes of the figures graceful, draperies rich with well-arranged folds, the grouping well disposed, and the expression suitable to the subject.'"^ PESARO. The early ware called mezza majolica was chiefly made at Pesaro.^ The pieces are rarely marked-- none known previously to 1540 ; but Passeri mentions a tile from the Sforza palace, bearing the date of 1502. Mr. Dennistoun^ refers to an early plate at the Hague, bearing a cipher resembling C. H. O. N. ; and another, quoted by Pungi- leone, with G. A. T. interlaced. Passeri notices'^ a plate with the subject of Horatius Codes, upon which is inscribed “ Fatto in Pesaro^ 1541.” A specimen in the cabinet of M. Sauvageot, representing a flight 2 By S. Giuse] pe Raffaelli. of the Visconti Collection at Paris in ® In this sketch we have been much 1853. assisted by reference to M. Delange’s The ware is fully described, page 21. Appendix to his translation of Passeri, ^ Dukes of Urbino, vol. iii. p. 388. published upon the occasion of the sale ® Chap. ix. passim. 46 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. of women and children, attributed to the influence of the planet Mars, bears the inscription “ Fato in PesaroF A similar plate is mentioned by Passeri, with a fuller inscription : — 1. Pianetto di Marte fatto in Pesaro 1542. in hottega di Mastro Grironimo Vasaro. I. p. This is Maestro Girolamo, or Jeronimo di Lanfranco, of Gahicce, a dependency " (castello) six miles west of Pesaro.® Passeri translates the letters I. P. “ in Pesaro,” in which he may be right, and mentions having seen several specimens in which the letters occur alone. The plates so marked, however, are certainly not by Girolamo di Lanfranco, and resemble the fabric of Faenza more than that of Pesaro. These specimens are of high artistic character, and rare. There were two of them in the Bernal I T ^ Collection,® signed I. P. (M. 1) : one, the Virgin I J y praying ; the other, St. Bartholomew with figures I ' of Saints, surrounded by borders of arabesques in I blue on an orange ground, most exquisitely finished. ^ ^ The author has the two companion plates.^ Passeri also mentions^ a piece inscribed with the name of the artist Terenzio, son of Matteo. This is one of those plates called Ballata, used to hand confections to partners at balls, with a Cupid in the centre, surrounded by a border of trophies in yellow upon a blue ground ; in the middle of the border is an open music book ; under the musical notes is written a song which was sung while dancing, and therefore called hcdlate (ballad) : — 0 bel fiore ! Amor mio bello. Amor mio caro, La grisola, la grisola ! Beneath is inscribed, “ Questo piatto fu fatto in la Bottega de Mastro Baldassar vasaro da Pesaro, e fatto per mano de Terenzio fiolo di Mastro Matteo BoccalaroF Upon the same plate is written — 1550. Terenzio fecit F On other plates Passeri states Gastello also signifies a place in the neighbourhood of a larger town. ® He is thus mentioned in a register : 1560, Mastro Girolamo di Lanfranco dalle Gabice Vasaro possiede una ca- sa, &c, : 1598, gli succede Giacomo suo figlio: 1599, gli succedono Girolamo e Ludovico figli di Giacomo. For the Edict of 1567 in their favour, see page 35. ® IsTos. 1849 and 2070, I. P., in dark blue. The latter is in the British Mu- seum. * In the Hotel de Cluny is a plate marked with a P. ^ Passeri, chap. ix. Chap. IV. IT ALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 47 having seen the letter T, which may also be the mark of the same painter, who was called “ II Rondolino.” Passeri mentions a dish marked 1582, with the monogram of the potter, an O and A united by a cross. M. Delange describes one, representing a conqueror dragging a captive queen behind his car, inscribed “ Fato in Pesaror In the British Museum :■ — Circe, and the companions of Ulysses turned into hogs ; at the back, Fe Pico e de Oiree, fato in Pesaror Another : ~ Come Apollo tolse la vaca a Argano fato in Pesaro. The last two and that mentioned above as belonging to M. Sauvageot are by the same hand and of the same^date. Of the works of Pesaro in relief, already described,^ there are abundant examples. In the Delsette Collection are several fruttiere ” with various devices in the centre, a Magdalen, the Visconti arms, a six-winged seraph, the Infant St. John, and some amatorii subjects. In the Debruge-Labarte Collection (No. 1168) was a one~handled jug, ground blue, with flowers painted on a medallion of the white enamel. On the foot was engraved in the paste “ Pesaro^ 1771 r’ this specimen is one of the last productions of the manufacture of majolica in Italy. GUBBIO. The wares of Gubbio are celebrated for their metallic lustre, and appear to have but one attested signature, that of Maestro Giorgio Andreoli.'* The brilliancy of his metallic colours is unrivalled. He made great use of the ruby lustre which he is said to have borrowed from Pesaro ; and in addition to the gold and silver hues of the same manu- facture, he introduced an intermediate tint, which has all the lustre of copper. The outline in his earlier performances is sometimes hard, the figures ill formed ; but probably he was careless of every- thing but the magnificent and brilliant colouring,^ for many of his productions show great correctness of drawing. Indeed, so dif- ferent is the style and execution of the various pieces bearing his signature, that it is difficult to believe them to be the work of the same master ; and one would almost be inclined to fancy them executed by various hands, and that the M. G. was affixed to all the pieces that issued from the same “ bottega.” The decorations ^ See page 21. has a specimen from the Delsette col- Already mentioned, p, 25. lection, subject— the Conversion of St. ® So indifferent was Giorgio to every- Hubeid, in which he has painted a dog thing, provided he could introduce his of his favourite ruby colour, gorgeous colouring, that Mr. Barker 48 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IY. of Giorgio’s plates consist of yellow and green scrolls, composed of trophies, cornuacopim, flower-vases, and foliage, terminating in dolphins, eagles’ heads, &c., very different from the Rafiaellesque arabesques of a later period. They are resplendent with the ruby red and other metallic lustres which he delighted to use. His plates are generally signed at the back with the gold or ruby colour, traced with a brush in ill-shaped cursive characters (M. 2).*^ He signed in various ways : — M. G. M. G. da Ugubio. M. G. da Egubio. M. G. Guhio. His pieces date from 1519 to 1537. Besides the ordinary initials M. G., there are some with the following addition (M. 3) : — M. 2. M. 3. M. 4. A plate belonging to M. Sauvageot, having all the characters of the Gubbio fabric, fire and gold arabesques on a blue ground which is slightly raised, has a monogram (M. 4) supposed to be that of a son of Giorgio, viz. Maestro Cencio or Vicenzo. The most important specimens of Maestro Giorgio are, accord- ing to M. Delange, to be seen in the Museum at Bologna, and there are also superb examples in the Hospital of Incurables at Pesaro. In the Delsette Catalogue is described a beautiful plate, the subject — Aurora rising from the Sea, her horses guided by the Hours. M. Roussel at Paris possesses a surpassingly beautiful specimen, the subject the Three Graces of Raflaelle. This plate is remarkable for its flat surface without concavity, which shows off the painting to the greatest advantage. A collection of rare and beautiful plates of Maestro Giorgio, eighteen in number, chiefly from the collection of the Abbe Hamilton This monogram is taken from the plate, ‘Balaam Prophesying,’ described p. 50. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTOEIES, AETISTS, &c. 49 at Rome is in the British Museum, from which we give a specimen (Fig. 28), which is a good example of the kind of honeysuckle border so characteristic of Giorgio. It is signed M°. G®. da Ugubio, 1527. Fig. 28. Plate by Maestro Giorgio, with the Vitelli Arms. Ruby and yellow lustre on blue ground. (British Museum.) Diameter 8 in. The Marlborough House Collection contains nine specimens of this master. The examples of this artist that have been preserved to us are many, although Passeri, who duly appreciates Giorgio, enumerates only twenty-one as all his known works. Among these is one he mentions as having possessed himself, and which is now in the Narford Collection, having been purchased at the Bernal sale by Mr. Fountaine for 142?. It is a flat dish, 151 inches in diameter, with a rich border of oak leaves. In the centre, is an allegorical subject, styled “ the Stream of Life,’’ from an early Italian print by Robetta {circa 1505). Youth is represented by two lovers about to put their feet into the stream ; middle age by another pair more mature in appearance ; and between these groups E 50 HISTORY OF POTTERY. -Chap. IY. stands old age, personified by an aged woman, who is looking towards a child seated upon the ground playing with a bird. W e give the signature ^ at the back of the plate, with the ewer (M. 5), precisely as described by Passeri.® Mr. Fountaine has also a fine bold specimen of Giorgio, signed and dated; subject “ Ba- laam prophesying.” The plate is IO 5 inches diameter, “bacino” form.® The figure of the prophet, which is 9 inches high, fills the whole area. The drapery is one complete mass of the richest ruby lustre, which shines out most brilliantly in the sun. The prophet’s right hand is extended ; his left rests on a tablet upon which is inscribed his name. Blue hills and a river, probably the Jordan, form the landscape, which is picked out with lustre, and the sky is also in metallic colour. From this specimen it may be seen that the ruby lustre is transparent, and that when the artist wanted to make it very deep and rich he put blue under it first. This is proved by several portions in this specimen not having been covered. To Gubbio may also be assigned a very beautiful plate, in Mr. Fountaine’s possession, 9 inches in diameter, bearing date 1519 ; in the centre, a tree or standard, in the middle of which is a head with wings, terminating in a scroll at the top of the plate. On the scroll pens A el fine. Ground blue. On each side of the base is a large winged monster or griffin, terminating in winding branches and scroll-work up to the top of the plate, from which are suspended trophies and fruit. This plate is almost entirely in ruby and gold lustre, with a small portion of delicate green in the branches : the ruby on the blue ground gives at a little distance the effect of the richest violet. From the Delsette Collection ^ Mr. Barker has a plate {tondino), yellow ground, with trophies in blue chiaroscuro of the cha- racter of the Gubbian plates. In the centre is a curious escutcheon, on a field per pale argent and sable, two storks counterchanged. It bears the date 1540, and at the back it has this mark (M. 6 ). The annexed signature (M. 7) is given by M. Delange as found 7 Reduced. without rims — giving a continuous cir- “ Dietro in color rosso e dipinto un cular section, saucer-shaped, boccaletto all’ uso antico.” — Chap. xi. * No. 166. ® We so designate the hollow plates Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 51 upon a plate of which the painting appertains much to the style of Maestro Giorgio or Xanto. The name has not been deciphered. URBINO. The productions of Urbino form a very considerable portion of the speci- mens of majolica extant. A number of celebrated artists worked there, whose names do not appear upon their productions. The paintings are generally without metallic lustre, and well executed. The wares of Urbino are said by Passeri to have been painted at Fermignano, a village at three miles’ distance on the Metauro, the alluvial washings of that river furnishing the finest sand ^ for the purest white glaze. To this manufacture are assigned all those pieces with coloured arabesques, after the designs of Rafiaelle and Giovanni da Udine, painted on the white ground (marzacotto) of the ware. If they were all made at Urbino, they are the work of difierent potters and painters ; for, while the glaze of some has the rich creamy colour and consistence of the pate tendre of Sevres, others, on the contrary, appear to be covered with little better than a coarse varnish. Nothing can be more exquisite than the finest examples of this style of painting ; and this decoration is frequently employed to ornament the rims of dishes, in the centre of which are some of the best productions of the Urbino School. Towards the end of the fifteenth century Giovanni and Francesco di Donino must have been working at Urbino, for we find that in 1501 Francesco received a commission for some vases for the Cardinal di Capaccio ; but nothing more is known of these artists except that in a register of Urbino, 1477, we find the name of the said Giovanni designated as a potter of Urbino. Fig. 29. Fwer of Urbino. (Soltykoff Coll.) ” “The Herra’ mentioned by Pas- tiary or subapennine formation, except seri is the sand used in the glaze. The at Castel Durante, where I suspect the Metauro only carries down calcareous clay used was procured from a disaggre- boulders, gravel, and sand. The ma- gated rock of the cretaceous or even jolica, when manufactured, has been oolitic period.” — J. B. Pentlaud. from the argillaceous marls of the ter- E 2 52 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. The manufactory of Urbino is noted for the productions of a celebrated master, whose monogram and date are usually upon all his pieces — Francesco Xanto Avelli, of Rovigo. As we have before mentioned,^ he is the last artist upon whose works we find the ruby- red and gold colour. His drawing is very correct, his colouring rich, and his pieces command high prices. His carnations yel- lowish, heightened with bianchetto ; the hair of his ladies light, often composed of plaits fastened in front ; the foliage of the trees better than any other of the period ; he executed it in a bluish green, with the lights of a pale green, and the trunks black, hatched with yellow, which produce a very good effect. This was so favourite a style of colouring with Xanto, that he introduced it into his ornaments, draperies, and similar parts of his pictures. The draperies are soft, with large folds. The vestments are gene- rally blue or yellow, varied with a purplish or violet colour, and there is invariably some garment of the greenish blue already mentioned. Where water occurs, he always gives the reflection of the trees. The writing at the back is usually in the same cha- racter, sometimes in blue, and often of a greenish copper colour. Xanto’s subjects were generally taken from the A^neid, ancient history, or mythology. Passeri ^ seems to have made some confu- sion about him, and appears not to have known his real name. He gives as his signature — Fu facto da Rovigiese da Urbino, 1532. Fii fatto da Rovigo de Urbino, 1534. In the Bernal Collection were many specimens of this master ; he signed in various manners : F. X. A. R. 1530 (on a large plate, not metallic, in the Brunswick Collection).^ Francesco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo in \ Urbino pinse 1531. Fra Xanto Av: Ro : in Urbino pi. 1531. F. X. A. R. in Urbino 1531. Fran Xanto A. Rovi. 1532. Fra Xanto A. da Rovigo in Urbino 1532. F. Xanto A. da Rovigo in Urbino. 1532. Fra Xanto A. Rovigiese in Urbino 1533. F. Xanto A. Rovigi in Urbino. 1533. ) Bernal Collection. N. 1535. F. X. R. F. X. 1535. F^^^ X. Rovi. 1536. X. 1540. X. 1541. F. X. 1538 (on a fine plate in the Debruge-Labarte Collection). In the Narford Collection there is a dish by Xanto, 19 inches in ^ See page 25. ■* Chap. xii. signed and dated 1537 ; subject, the ■' In the same collection is another Battle of Marathon. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 53 diameter, signed in front, on a tablet, date 1532 ; also four tiles of Scripture subjects, and many other specimens. The most celebrated master of Urbino is Orazio Fontana,*" the principal painter of the vases of the Spezieria, and specially em- ployed by Duke Guidobaldo II. for the services he sent as presents to foreign princes. He was of a noble family from Castel Durante, whence his father, Guido, son of Nicolb, emigrated to Urbino. Guido himself also exercised the profession of a potter. In the Narford Collection is a dish, 17 inches in diameter, representing a combat or passage of arms before the Castle of St. Angelo at Rome, between the Orsini and Borgia factions, on which is inscribed ‘‘^fatte in Urhino in Botega de Mo. Guido Foiitana Vasaio.^’ Orazio Fontana is said to have painted at Pesaro'^ and other places, but he does not seem to have marked any of his productions except those of Urbino, and these are highly esteemed. The mark (M. 8) attributed to him by Passeri has never been found.® His pieces are inscribed — ORAZIO FONTANA URBINATE FECE, or — FATTA IN BOTTEGA DI ORAZIO FONTANA. FATE + IN BOTEGA +DE ORATIO + FONTANA. One of the serpent-handled vases from Straw- berry Hill, now belonging to Mr. Montagu Parker, is signed as the last, in deep blue letters on a light blue ground round the pedestal of the vase. In the Musee Ceramique at Sevres is a vase, round the pedestal of which is written “ Orazio Fontana,” in capital letters. Passeri describes** a plate, upon which is painted the story of Horatius Codes, on which is inscribed — • Orazio solo contra toschana tutta Fatto a Pesaro 1541 P which has been considered a challenge thrown out by Orazio Fontana to the rival manufacturers of Tuscany, and to prove that he worked at Pesaro. The inscription, however, applies so well to the story of Horatius Codes, that unless stronger evidence is pro- duced, we should doubt whether Orazio ever worked at Pesaro.^ Orazio Fontana died about 1 560. His pieces date from 1540. Orazio was associated in his labours with his brother Camillo, ® See page 27. ^ Passeri, chap. xii. ‘ Mr. Franks has seen a plate with ® He quotes it from an inventory of this inscription, which is certainly not the gi’anducal effects. by Orazio. ® Chap. ix. ^ See No. 218, Delsette Coll. M. 8. 54 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. who carried the art to Ferrara, and his nephew Flaminio, who settled at Florence. One of his pupils was Raffaelle Ciarla, who painted a service, after designs by Taddeo Zuccaro, which the Duke presented to Philip II. He worked from 1530 to 1560. Battista Franco, the Venetian painter, appears also to have painted himself in majolica ; some vases of the Spezieria of I^oreto bear his signature, B. F. V. F., Battista Franco Urbinas fecit, Guido Durantino is another artist of Urbino. In the Bernal Collection was a plate by him ; subject Jupiter and Semele-— “ Nella hotega di M. Guido Durantino in Urbino ,, 1535” — now in the British Museum. M. Riocreux mentions a plate inscribed — “ In botega di M. Guido Durantino in Urbino^ 1535,” and in the Soane Museum is one with the Fates, signed in the same manner, but with no date. M. Delange quotes another, inscribed — “ Her cole mazza hydra in Botega di Mo. Guido Durantino in Urbino, 1533.” An ewer about 14 inches high, by Durantino, is in the Bruns- wick (Collection ; the subject, men threshing corn, with sheep, peasants, &c. ; and a candlestick by him at Narford Hall. Most of these specimens bear the arms of Montmorency, and appear to be portions of a service made for the great Constable. We also find at Narford Hall the signature of Francesco Durantino, vasaro, 1553, upon a cistern 194 inches in diameter, upon both sides of which are painted subjects after the cartoons of Giulio Romano. Mention is likewise made of Giulio of Urbino, who worked for the Duke of Ferrara about 1530, and of Cesare of Faenza, then employed in the shop of Guido Merlini of Urbino. This Merlini appears to have been a potter of some celebrity. A dish, the centre with a deep blue ground, and with the Signs of the Zo- diac round the rim, is inscribed at the back, ^Hate in botega di Guido Merligno vasaro da Urbino in San Polo adi 30 di Marzio 1542.” In the Brunswick Museum is a large dish, the subject Mark Antony fighting a Naval Battle ; softer than Durantino, but painted with the same carnations; the inscription in botega di Guido de Herglino.” In the same collection is a large dish, hollow centre, the subject Moses and Aaron entreating Pharaoh : this dish has a very rich border in four medallions, representing the four first Months of the Year, gods and goddesses between the medallions, inscribed — 1568 ZENER DOMENIGO DA VENECIA EECI IN I.A BOTEGA AL PONTESITO DEL ANDAR A SAN POLO. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 55 The companion, which is not signed, represents the next four Months, with the subject, in the centre, of the Egyptians drowned in the Red Sea, Moses and Aaron in the distance conversing. In the foreground are women playing music, and rejoicing at their deliverance. The reverse of both of these dishes is decorated with a magnificent scroll border on a rich blue ground. In the Marlborough House Collection is a plate with Raffaellesque arabesques upon the white ground, signed — GIRONIMO URBIN FECCIE 1583. Among the latest artists of Urbino is Alfonso Patanazzi. He was born in that city, and belonged to a noble family ; his works, which have little artistic merit, are signed either with his initials ^ (M. 9), or in full, Alfonso Pata- nazzi fecit Urhini in Botega di Jos. Batista Boc- cione, 1607. TJrhini Alfonso Patanazzi fe. Passeri ^ mentions two plates signed by his precocious son Vin- cenzio, who painted at twelve years old ; the employment of so young a child is of itself sufficient evidence of the decline of the art : — Vincentio Patanazzo de anni dodeci ; and on another, with a figure of Africa, after a print of Sadeler : — Vineenzio Patanazzi da TJrhino di eta Janni tridice del 1620. There also appears to have been another artist of the same family, for in the Narford Collection is a large triangular cistern signed “ Urhini ex Figlina Francisci Patanati% 1608,” and in the Delsette Collection a plate signed “ F. P. 1617.” It was probably in Urbino that the service was painted given by Guidobaldo to the Frate Andrea da Volterra, perhaps his preceptor or confessor. Whoever he was is not known, but, as Passeri ^ ob- serves, he must have been very dear to the Duke to have been the recipient of so princely a present. Passeri mentions two pieces of this service : on one, Coriolanus appeased by his Mother ; on the other, the Deluge. M. Delange notices two more, one of which is in the possession of Baron Rothschild at Paris. From the Delsette Collection Mr. Barker possesses two large dishes, 20 inches in diameter, forming part of the same service,® of surpassing beauty. The subject of one is the Sacrifice of Jacob at Beersheba ; the other the Incendio di Borgo of Raf- faelle. Both have, precisely as described by Passeri, the arms of AP. M. 9. ^ 111 the Delsette Coll., No. 355. ■* Chap. xii. ^ Chap. xiv. « Nos. 259, 260. 56 HISTOEY OF POTTERY. Chap. 1Y. Urbino surmounted by three Metoe^ or goals, as a crest, being the cognizance of Guidobaldo II., with the same inscription : — G. V. V. D. MUNUS. F. ANDREAE. VOLATERRANO, signifying the gift of Guido Ubaldo, Duke of Urbino, to Fra Andrea of Volterra. Another piece is in the Museum of Practical Geology ; the design, Mutius Scsevola before Porsenna. The arms of the Duke are painted on the rim of the plate. On the back is inscribed, “ G. V. V. D. Munus F. Andrea, Volaterrano . — Mutio ih la sua destra erante eocie^ There is also a fluted dish by the same hand, and with the same arms, in the British Museum (Franks Coll.). There are many monograms to be found upon pieces bearing the character of the Urbino ware, the artists of which are not known. M. Sauvageot has a plate, the subject, part of the Parnassus of Raflaelle, of which the drawing is correct and the colouring flue, with this mark (M. 10), and another, which from its fine colouring may be attributed to Urbino, the subject Diana and Actseon, with this monogram (M. 11). M. de Rothschild possesses an ewer, apparently of Urbino, blue ground with yellow scrolls, having on the body a pelican encircled by this inscription, “ vmasque de buona cana ” — the mark (M. 12) being placed on the stem. M. 10. M. 11. M. 12. In the Debruge-Labarte Collection was a vase, subject the Israelites gathering manna, the design good, colouring feeble ; the mark “ Fatto in Urbino^ 1587. T. R. F.” M. Delange has a small plate representing St. Luke on horse- back. At the back, San Luca in Urbino Fco. In a recent sale at Christie’s was a plate, white ground, with arabesques, glaze coarse, signed G + B+F-p. In the Narford Collection is a dish, 21 inches in diameter, most 7 No. 1162. Chap. IV. ITALIAN -MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 57 carefully painted, of the highest possible finish and softness, subject the Conversion of St. Paul, with the letters L V on a tablet in front, Urbino on the back. Two small plates in the same collection, subjects taken from Amadis de Gaul, bear Spanish inscriptions. Mr. Barker has a splendid vase of the same service, and Sir Antony de Rothschild possesses a pair of large oval dishes, with raised ornamentation. The rims are painted in fine arabesques, and the ground (in compartments) with subjects from Amadis de Gaul in the finest Rafiaellesque style. The explanation of the subjects is, like the plates of Mr. Fountaine, and the vase of Mr. Barker, given in Spanish — a most unusual occurrence, and which leads to the surmise that all these pieces were presents from the Duke of Urbino to some Spanish potentate. These fine specimens were purchased from the collection of M. de Monville. These two Greek letters (M. 13) occur upon a pair of bacino-shaped dishes, 13|- inches in diameter, also in the Narford Collec- tion. The subject of one is St. Paul preaching at Athens ; , of the other, David standing on the body of Goliath : both from Rafiaelle’s Cartoons, with some slight deviation. Those who have seen signed pieces by Orazio Fontana think that these are by his hand : if so, the signature may mean “ O. (Orazio) crossed by F. (Fontana) A (Delineavit, or ‘ Durante,’ as Orazio Fontana is said to have come from that city),” or if might be the monogram of Francesco di Donino.® The colouring is very rich, and the painting very masterly, but at the same time highly finished ; and there is a peculiarity in the shading of some of the draperies, that where the light catches them they are a different colour — for instance, blue with green in it, and green with crimson (almost lilac) in it, orange with pale blue into white for the lights, and so on ; but it does not strike the eye at first sight, beyond giving a very rich and highly finished effect. A large dish in the Hotel de Cluny, representing the Rape of Helena, after Raffaelle, has on the reverse an ornamented tablet, “ V. rato dJ Elena fato in monUr Though this specimen is de- scribed in the catalogue as the production of Monte Feltro, we see no reason for the assertion, the style being that of Urbino. CASTEL DURANTE. As we have before observed, the death of Battista Franco, Raf- faelle dal Code, Giacomo Lanfranco, Orazio Fontana, and the M. 13. ° See p. 51 . 58 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. Duke Guidobaldo himself, caused the decline of the manufactures of Pesaro and Urhino from the middle of the sixteenth century. Not so with the manufacture of Castel Durante, which flourished under Duke Francesco Maria II. (1574 to 1631), who resided chiefly there and took great interest in its majolica fahrics. On the death of Francesco Maria the manufacture followed the fate of those of the other cities, and in 1700 made ware of the commonest order. Shortly after 1730 Cardinal Stoppani restored the manu- facture, which again sent forth works of some excellence. The characteristics of the Castel Durante majolica are very uniform. The drawing (except in the decline of the art) is good, and in some specimens of unequalled correctness ; the colouring soft, hut in general less brilliant than that of the best epoch of the other manufactures. The carnations are sometimes of an olive tint (a distinguishing mark of this fabric), and, in the draperies, blue and an ochreous yellow are predominant colours. This ware is also distinguished for its flne brilliant glaze. Little is known of the artists of Durante. The Cavaliere Piccol- passo, in the time of Guidobaldo II., was also an artist himself, and, according to Signor Giuseppe Raffaelli, the proprietor of a “ bot- tega.” From the account of Passeri, many of the Durantine artists carried their art to other countries — Giovanni, Tiseo, and Luzio Gatti to Corfu, and Guido di Savino or Selvaggio to Antwerp. This last artist is much praised by Vasari, and the Museum of the Louvre possesses a dish signed “ Cruido Selvaggio^ The earliest specimen of the Castel Durante ware, with a date affixed, is in the British Museum (Bernal Collection, No. 1841), it is a large vase, highly coloured and decorated with arabesques, &c. On a tablet is inscribed “ Ne la Botega d' Sehastiano d' Mar- forio and on another, “ A. Jz xi. de Octobri fece, 1519 at the base, “ In Castel DiiraC In the same collection is a dish ; subject. Dido and Ascanius. “ 1526 in Castel Durantel M. Sauvageot has a plate, by the same hand, representing the death of Marsyas, on the back of which is written in yellow “ 1525 in Castel Durante! Castel Durante furnished a large portion of the pharmacy jars of Loreto.^ One, in the possession of the author, is inscribed ^1 de sei d’ maggio, 1550, a faro in studi Burantias. M. Signol " Described p. 72. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTOEIES, AKTISTS, &c. 59 brought from Italy several vases of this description decorated with trophies and arabesques upon a blue and yellow ground. One of these is inscribed Fato in tera Durantin apixso a la cita F Urhino. On the other, In castello Duranti apreso a Urhino miglie 7, 1555. A vase with trophies on a blue ground in the Hotel de Cluny has a similar inscription. In the Delsette Collection are three fine vases, with allegorical subjects, one after the designs of Agostino Caracci, all bearing the letters G F, and two others of equal merit representing the Four Elements, signed G. F. F., all apparently by the same unknown master. Also in the same collection we find a fine cistern for holy water, with figures of St. Peter and St. Paul in relief, with the initials C. S., apparently, from the spiral columns represented, the work of the seventeenth century. A picture {guadretto) , with landscape, has written in ink upon it, “ Griovanni Peruzzi^ dipinse 1693 the execution is evidently of that period. To Castel Durante, Signor Frati ascribes the cups of the Santa Casa of Loreto.^ ' The artists of this manufacture painted from the works of the later engravers ; from those of Sadeler after Martin de Vos, the Caracci, Bassano, &c. ; the battles of the Old Testament, and the sporting subjects, “ Caccie varie,” of Tempesta, Ripa’s Iconologia, M. Abraham Bosse, Goltz, and others ; and the painters of Durante, after the revival of the art, painted also from Berghem, Coypel, Lairesse, M. Dorigny, Verelli, Carlo Maratti, &c. The blue and yellow draperies, so common in the first period of Durantine art, became its distinguishing characteristic after its revival in 1730: we find occasionally in addition a washy green. The drawing is good, the colouring soft, the landscapes especially are excellent, aerial perspective better understood, the foliage carefully finished. On one piece in the Delsette Collection,^ a very large dish, the subject Acis and Galatea, are the initials V. R°., the only mark recorded of this period. FAENZA. Having described the four great manufactories of the duchy of Urbino, we now come to those of the adjacent states. Of these, Faenza appears to have been the most important. This city was ‘ Described p. 72. No. 885. 60 HISTOKY OF POTTEEY. Chap. IV. anciently a bishop’s see in the province of Ravenna, and was early subject to the Bolognese. It was afterwards ruled by the Manfredi family, to the end of the 15th century, at which period the last lord, Galeotto, was murdered by his wife, and his two children carried by Caesar Borgia to Rome, where they were cruelly put to death. Faenza was in 1501 annexed to the Papal States. The manufacture was no doubt established by the Manfredi family, as their cognizance is found upon some pieces of early date. Though Passeri does not mention particularly the fabrics of Faenza, we are not therefore to suppose they were unimportant, or even secondary. The name of Faenza ware, given to majolica in general, is a proof to the contrary. They were early established, and continued till a late period. The date of 1475 appears upon a piece evidently of this ware, which is easily recognised by its peculiar colours, the style of decorations, the reverse of the dishes, and system of ornamentation. The painting of the arabesques is as characteristic in Faenza as it is in Urbino. In the latter the ground, as already mentioned, is simply the marzacotto, or opaque white covering of the clay. In Faenza, on the contrary, the ground is dark blue or orange, with yellow arabesques, or blue and orange alternately. This blue often rivals in brilliancy the cele- brated bleu de Roi of Sevres. M. Louis Fould has a small plate, representing in the centre the subject of Mutius Scsevola, with a border of arabesques on a blue ground ; this has Faenza inscribed on the back. Also a deep saucer of similar style, subject the Mocking of Christ ; on the back is inscribed in faenca. Another mark is a single F (M. 14). The backs of the plates are generally decorated and painted in yellow and blue, with various ornaments, small foliage, concentric circles, whorls, M. 14. imbrications, and zigzags. The fluted {scannellato) or crinkled plates, which were impressed in a mould, are considered to be peculiar to this fabric, but they often occur with the Urbino arabesques on the white ground. Faenza likewise produced bas-reliefs, after the man- JL ner of Luca della Robbia. One mentioned by M. Delange, an Entombment, bears the date of 1487, and 9 Si B 9 marked with a Gothic G (M. 15), which may be the mark of an artist, or the initial of the sacred name “Gesu.” A specimen in the Hotel de Cluny bears the date 1475 ; another “ m.cccc.lxxxvi and in one belonging to M. de Sellieres we have 1487, these being three of the earliest dated pieces of Faenza ware probably known. Chap. IV. ITALIAN —MANUFACTOEIES, ARTISTS, &c. 61 In the Marsigli Chapel in San Petronio at Bologna is a pavement of hexagonal tiles, with the flower and zigzag decoration, on four of which is inscribed “ faventcie on another the year 1487 ; and on another belini. fecit.” In the Delsette Collection^ is a pharmacy jar, with similar decoration, marked (M. 16). In the Narford Collection is a dish, deep blue ground, with arabesques, &c., marked “I. R. 1508.^^ The Delsette Collection^ furnishes us with another 'monogram on two pharmacy jars, which are supposed to be about 1513, decorated with wreaths of flowers in blue camaieu, supported by two boys, between which is a heraldic escutcheon. At the back of the jars, in a circle, is the annexed monogram (M. 17). Another pharmacy jar, in the same collection,^ on which is painted, within a circle, two dogs seizing a wild boar, has at the back this monogram (M. 18) between the letters E F, and the year 1548. Another pharmacy jar,® in the same collection, m. is. m. i9. 1450-1500, of a coarse, dull, yellowish glaze, painted in dirty, pale blue, is marked (M. 19). yVl: Two plates,^ also of the same early date, have this monogram inscribed (M. 20). The following mark (M. 21) is taken from a fine plate in the British Museum (Bernal ColL), the back of which is ornamented in blue and orange colour. The mark is orange. A similar mark occurs upon a slab mentioned by Delange, the subject from a cartoon of the school of Albert Durer, evidently of Faenza. We give another curious mark (M. 22) furnished to the author A M. lY. (! 3 Nos. 53 and 54. ^ No. 142. ^ No. 272. ^ No. 60. ^ 135 and 136. B2 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. by Mr. Bernal from a specimen in his possession dated 1515, but which was not seen among the pieces at the sale of his collection. Another mark or signature (M. 23) communicated by M. Delange appears to belong to the same fabric. It is in a dish repousse at the back, and forming festoons of different colours, orna- M. 23 . mented with arabesques. In the British Museum (Franks (Joll.) is a small round tile representing some celebrated captain of Ferrara, and on the back is inscribed. Milk cinque cento trentasei a dj tri de luje^ Baldesara Manara faentin faciebat. Zani says the same name, inscribed baltasare manara fan, occurs on a “ sottocoppa ” painted with the Triumph of Fame, in the col- lection of majolica at Parma, belonging to the Dottor Medico Marchini, and thereupon he places Mannara or Manara as of Fano not Faenza. Upon another, in the British Museum, decorated at the back with reddish fish-scale imbrications, upon a yellow ground, is— M.DXXXiiii F. ATANASIVS — B : M. ^ A plate of the same set, with precisely the same signature, is in the Museum of Practical Geology. M. Delange mentions a plate, the back of which is ornamented with light yellow, orange, and blue circles; in the centre ^‘‘Apollo et Marsio fat. in la Bottega di Maestro Vergillio da Faenza f and beneath, “ Nicolo da Fano^ Maestro Vergillio is mentioned by Passeri. Upon another Faenza plate, painted with a wreath of light green , leaves and yellow fruit upon a blue ground, appears V. R. T. united. In the Brunswick Collection, on a plate, i* 7 \ faenca oh opus fecit a diV^ de ahrile 1543, ^ \ I storia de lena. A plate belonging to the author, of which y \ ^ the subject is Samson about to pull down the y Pillars of the Temple, has the back covered ^ with coloured ornaments, and the signature M. 24. (M. 24). The accompanying mark (M. 25) frequently occurs on plates and ® tiles, evidently of Faenza workmanship. They are generally of a pale blue colour, with arabesque borders in dark blue and bianchetto. In the centre are coats of arms or other devices. There are specimens in tlie British Museum dated 1525 and 1527. ]\I. 25. Chap. IY. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, fee. 63 DERUTA. We now proceed to notice the fabrics of the Papal States, viz. Deruta (or Diruta), Nocera, Rimini, Forli, Imola, and Spello.® At Castel di Deruta, a dependency of Perugia, according to Passeri,® was made a beautiful ware, remarkable for the white- ness of its paste, and generally different in its style from that of the Metaurian or Neapolitan fabrics. M. Delange mentions a plate in the Museum at Bologna marked with the name of this manufactory, and one belonging to M. Piot, on which is inscribed febo.dafne in dervta. 1544. Mr. Barker has a plate, on the back of which is, deruta fe el frate pensi, and a small flower, the ground blue. Signor Raff, de Minicis, of Fermo, mentions, among others in his collection, one containing the following legend : — 1545. dl parlamto di corvo E dlia cornice, i. druta El frate pensit. At Narford is the fragment of a plate with grotesques on a blue ground, similar to the Faenza products, inscribed Fatta in diruta^ 1525. In the same collection is another beautiful specimen of Deruta ware, a plate inches diameter, with sunk centre (tondino), in which is the portrait of a lady in profile, flesh shaded with light blue, ground dark blue, hair and drapery light gold lustre ; a rich scroll border with medallions of Roman emperors, white, shaded with pale blue, and heightened with light gold lustre. On the reverse a blue imbricated pattern on the white ground of the plate. The Visconti Collection also contained a good specimen, a female bust in the centre, upon a blue ground, with the letter S, and the rim decorated in relief with arabesques, masks and animals, in yellow lustre heightened with blue upon a gray ground. To Deruta may probably be assigned a plate 12 inches diameter, at the Hotel de Cluny, with the following mark (M. 26) ; the subject Diana surprised at her Bath by Actseon, painted in blue camaieu, heightened with gold and metallic lustre. To this manufacture also is ascribed by Mr. Franks a dish, subject from the Orlando Furioso, bearing at the Near Foligno. Chap. xiii. 64 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IY. back this inscription and monogram (M. 27), a D with a stroke through it (parafe) in blue — “ La morte di Zer- hinor (Palliser Coll.) 1 j/§ A ^ curious brown “ graffito ” ware, not majo- I Italian fayence, is attributed to Deruta. f Of this there were four dishes in the Bernal Collection.^ M. Delange mentions this ware, 27- a specimen of which, a trilobed cistern {vasque), is in the Museum of the Louvre, another in that of the Baron de Sellieres. These vasques are on pedestals, formed by three lions, and are covered with decorations, more or less in relief, formed of a yellowish white paste (engobe), which has been removed or hatched (“ graffito ”) in places with a sharp iron, and shows as a ground to the ornaments, the deep yellow of the earth itself. NOCERA. A branch of the Gubbio manufacture is said to have been seated at Nocera, on the Via Flaminia ; and several pieces with bright red and blue tracery on a gold metallic ground, dated 1537-8, in the cabinet of Signor Serafino Tordelli, at Spoleto, are supposed to be of that fabric.^ The mark attributed to this fabric is N. RIMINI. In the Hotel de Cluny (No. 2098) is a plate, subject, the Expulsion of Adam and Eve, signed — In RiminL 1535.” In the British Museum is a plate, subject, the Fall of Phaeton, inscribed 1535 De fetonte. In arimin. FORLI. Passeri states,^ on the authority of Piccolpasso, that Forli manu- factured majolica. Mr. Barker has from the Delsette Collection '' a magnificent plate, 16 inches in diameter, painted in colours ; subject, the Marriage of Alexander and Roxana, after Raffaelle. The back of the plate is decorated with various circular lines, in the centre of which is written, in capital letters, — LEOCIIADIUS SOLO imiNQS PICSIT FOROLIVIOM ECE W.D.L.V. That is, “ Leucadio Solombrino of Forli painted. 1555.” ' Described page 79. ^ Dennistoun, ‘Dukes of Urbino,’ vol. iii, p. 894. 8 Chap. xiii. ^ No. 279. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 65 In the Delsette Collection * is a fruttiere of pale colours ; subject, an Old Man pouring the molten gold down the throat of Croesus, with the legend “AURUM srns, aurum bibe.” At the back — “ FATA IN. FORLI.” IMOLA. Imola manufactured, not majolica, but a fayence, which is beautifully modelled after the style of Palissy. Of this there are good specimens, both at Sevres and Dresden. SPELLO. Piccolpasso ^ also cites Spello, and a number of places in the March of Ancona, as having manufactures of majolica. FLORENCE. In Tuscany we find manufactures existed at Florence, Caffaggiolo, Pisa, and Siena. Of the earlier Florence ware few specimens have been preserved ; it is said to have been worked in relief, after the style of Luca della Robbia. The later fayence of Florence is generally modelled in relief. The monogram F I (Firenze) (M. 28) occurs on a soup tureen in the form of a cabbage, with a snail for the ^ knob, in the Museum at Sevres, where we also find another soup tureen in relief, decorated with flowers in the Chinese style, a lemon for the knob, mark F in blue. CAFFAGGIOLO. This manufactory is not mentioned by Passeri, but its existence is sufficiently proved by its signed productions. It was no doubt situated at the village of that name, on the road from Florence to Bologna, and was probably near the favourite palace of the Medici, which acquired so unenviable a notoriety from the murder there of Eleonora of Toledo by her husband Pietro dei Medici, in 1576. M. Delange mentions two large dishes of this manufacture : on the back of one is inscribed. In Chaff aggiolo fato adj 21 di junto 1570 ; the other differs a little in the orthography; it is a large dish, 164- inches diameter, preserved in the Hotel de Cluny, subject Diana surprised at the Bath ; it has on the reverse “ in Chafagi- zotto,’’^ between two P’s. Another is in the British Museum. The celebrated plate in the Bernal Collection, representing an ® Passeri, chap. xiii. F ^ No. 1131. 66 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. Artist painting upon Majolica,’^ has the following mark (M. 29), which Mr. Franks supposes, from com- parison with another plate in the collec- tion, to be that of an artist of Caffag- giolo ; but on this we have not had an opportunity of forming any judgment. Another plate, with the same monogram, is in the British Museum (Franks Coll.). Mr. Fountaine possesses a very pretty specimen of this ware, a plate (tondino) 8 inches in diameter, with deeply sunk cen- tre, in which is well painted a Cupid seated playing the flageolet. The ground of the rim of the plate is dark blue, with a border of masks and scrolls in orange shaded with red. On the border is the date 1531. The outer part or W reverse of the plate is painted with an imbricated pointed pattern, blue and orange ; in the centre is a trident (M. 30). The jug (Fig. 34) from the Bernal Collection is probably of this fabric : under the handle is a double Y. M. 29. M. 30. PISA. The vases of Pisa are mentioned by Antonio Beuter and Passeri ; few specimens, however, have been preserved to us. In the Collec- tion of M. Alphonse Rothschild, at Paris, is a large vase of fine form with serpent handles. It is covered with ara- besques on a white ground in the style of Urbino. On tablets under the handles is inscribed pisa. SIENA. Mr. Dennistoun men- tions seeing at Florence a tile on which Anni- bale Caracci’s Galatea Fig. 30. Majolica Plate of Siena ware, ISth century. , i •.-i (Museum of Practical Geology.) WHS represented With ^ Described and figured p. 78. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTOEIES, ARTISTS, &c. 67 great accuracy, but poor and hard in colour, signed “ Ferdinand Campani, Siena, 1736.” A plate in the British Museum (Franks Coll.) is inscribed Ferdinando Maria Campani Senese dipinse^ 1733. In the Kunstkammer at Berlin is a specimen signed by Terenzio Romeno, of Siena, 1727. VENICE. In the Lombard States, Venice, Padua, and Pavia appear to have been the only sites. In the Narford Collection is a dish 21 inches in diameter, subject the Destruction of Troy, the painting of Urbino charac- ter, with the inscription “ Fatto in Venezia in Chastello, 1546,” probably painted by Urbino artists sent for by the reigning Doge. The peculiar character of the later Venice manu- facture has been already described.® The mark of this ware is supposed to be the anchor. In the Musee Ceramique at Sevres are three dishes, 19 inches in diameter, the enamel of a bluish white. In the centre of each dish is a landscape, painted in blue and brown, tinted with pale yellow, surrounded by a border of arabesques executed in relief, like the repousse work of metal. On the reverse is the mark of the anchor, with the letters A F. Our engraving (M. 31) is taken from a specimen in the British Museum (Franks Coll.). If these specimens be Venetian, the pieces with the monogram [M. 32), are also. It occurs, among other examples, on a fine dish in the collection of the late Mr. H. Belward Ray, which has an embossed border of scrolls and masks on a brown ground. In the centre, Judith and Holofernes in brown, with the signature.® PADUA. A plate, belonging to Mr. Barker, from the Delsette Collection,^ colouring coarse, subject Adam and Eve and the Serpent, has inscribed on the back — “ Adamo eva 1565 a padoa^ Another in the British Museum is inscribed “ 1564 a padoa^ The enamel is generally a grey lilac. Majolica was also manufactured at Treviso and Vicenza, accord- ing to Van Keiss. Page 28. ® Mr. Robinson considers this to be the monogram of Grue, ‘ No. 1132. F 2 68 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. PAVIA. In the Delsette Collection ^ is a plate decorated on both sides, with leaves slightly in relief, of a tawny colour upon a ground of the same copper colour. On it were the following inscriptions in capital letters : — “ presbyster antonius maria cutius papiensis PROTHONOTARIUS APOSTOLICUS. FECIT. ANNO DOMINICAE 1695.” On another part, “ solamente ^ ingannato chi troppo si fida ; ” and in the centre, “ papiae. 1695.” This plate is curious, as re- cording the name of a person who, though not an artist by profes- sion, made works in majolica in a different style from any other described. SAVONA. Savona stands alone in the Sardinian States. Its earliest productions appear to have been wall tiles and other mural decorations. The manufacture of majolica vessels appears to have been in full activity at the commencement of the 17th century. At this time Gian Antonio Guidobono, a native of Castel Nuovo in Lombardy, settled at Savona, and applied himself to painting majolica. He had two sons, Bartolomeo and Domenico Guidobono. The former, though a priest, ultimately took up his father’s profession. In addi- tion to these artists, who appear to have been of con- siderable merit, we hear of Gian Tommaso Torteroli and Agostino Ratti, the latter of whom painted a speci- men in the Kunstkammer at Berlin, in 1720. The principal mark of Savona appears to be the shield of arms of the town (M. 33), the rude marks on the chief intended for the upper part of an eagle. This mark occurs accompanied with various letters, probably the initials of the artist ; thus, in the collection of the Rev. Thomas Stani- forth, Storrs Hall, Windermere, are two finely painted specimens, which have in addition to this mark the letters G S and G ^ G. The latter may be the initials of Gian Antonio Guidobono. Another mark is a lighthouse (M. 34), generally painted in blue. The borders of the Savona ware are occasionally moulded in very low relief or pierced.^ M. 33. M. 34. No. 1133. Marchese d’Azeglio for a copy of this ^ See ‘ La Majolica Savonese di Tom- pamphlet, as well as for having oblig- maso Torteroli,’ Turin, 1856. The au- iugly identified the marks referred to thor is indebted to his Excellency the above. Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 69 NAPLES. The characteristics of the Naples ware have been already given.^ At Narford there is a pair of large vases, richly gilded, with architectural drawings and landscapes, both fine specimens. An ewer, with hunting subjects on white ground, from Strawberry Hill, is in the possession of the author. Passeri quotes^ Antonio Beuter, a Spanish writer of the six- teenth century, who speaks, among the celebrated manufactories of majolica in Italy, of those of “Li Castelli*^ della Valle Siciliana d’Abruzzo.” The later productions of these manufactories are easily recognised by the style of drawing ; the subjects generally consist of landscapes, many after Pietro da Cortona, hunting and sea pieces, animals and flowers. The paste is good, and the ware carefully made. Francesco Antonio Grue, the most celebrated painter of this school, is said to have executed some of the vases of the Spezieria at Loreto. In the possession of the author is an oval plaque, subject the Adoration of the Magi, with his name inscribed in full — “ Franc Ant" Cav^ Grue P. and another, with the initials of another Grue, S. G. In the collection of Signor R. de Minicis, at Fermo, are sy)e- cimens signed — F, AGrua eseplai, 1677 ; and another — F. Grue P. D. D. Gentile is also mentioned as an artist of this school. Mr. Dennistoun " saw at Mr. Redfearn’s, of Warwick, an Abruzzi tile, subject after the manner of Watteau, signed-— “ Gentile P.” Specimens of this ware are numerous. On some are the word Terchi. “ Bar : Terchi BomanT is on some large vases, partly enamelled and painted, and partly in terracotta gilt. A crown (M. 35) is on some of the pieces. Fermo sent forth many of the small plates, cups, and saucers abounding in Lower Italy, ornamented with landscapes, tolerably designed, but tinted in sickly yellow and blue, and devoid of style. The following marks are given by Brongniart, as occurring M. 35. tello, see page 46, note, 7 Dukes of Urbino, vol. iii. p. 385. See page 28. ® See page 27, note. ® Foi’ the meaning of the term Cas- 70 HISTOEY OF POTTERY. Chap. IV. on specimens of Neapolitan ware at Sevres, decorated in the Chinese and various manners (M. 36, 37, 38).® I-IF M. 36. M. 37. M. 39. M. 40. UNKNOWN MARKS. In the Delsette Collection ® are eight pharmacy jars, of the later period, 1560, which have the annexed mark (M. 39) ; two of them have the additional mark of the letters D G, placed one on each side of a cross upon three hillocks, the arms of the family. In the same collection^ a plate (tondino) with grotesques, cornuacopiae, &c., in red and yellow on a blue ground. In the hollow a Cupid bound, in grisaille. At the back of the plate a D. From the Narford Collection we have this mark (M. 40) in yellow lustre on the reverse of a small shallow cup {bacinetto\ 5 inches in diameter, apparently of Gubbio ware. The ground inside is white, streaked with blue and dark yellow lustre ; in the centre, slightly raised or embossed, are the Virgin and Child outlined in blue, flesh white, draperies of lustre. Also, a dish, 21 inches in diameter, dated 1525 ; subject, Diana and two nymphs at the bath, Actseon turning into a stag. The figures, which are coarse, are surmounted by a bold border 41 inches wide, composed of monsters ending in scrolls, with Cupids at various pastimes ; outline in blue. The monsters are blue, the ground yellow. On the border two Cupids sup- port an escutcheon, three fleurs-de-lis in chief, and a Sagittarius bending his bow. The signature (M. 41) is on the reverse, which is entirely covered with the most elaborate patterns of various colours. Also, a fine plate {bacino), subject St. Jerome kneeling be- fore a crucifix, the lion at his feet, after Albert Durer ; > landscape, with a stream, of the richest deep blue. On a rock at the riffht is the signature F. R. in white ^ ( M. 42). KILIC, UUlllJJUOCl. 1/ M. 41. ■F.\. M. 42. ® These marks are doubtful; and, in * No. 170. the opinion of M. Riocreux, are pro- ^ A plate by the same artist, and with bably Delft. the same monogram, is in the British ^ Nos. 312-19. Museum (Bernal Coll., 2047). Chap. IV. ITALIAN — MANUFACTORIES, ARTISTS, &c. 71 Another plate [bacino)^ 101 inches in diameter ; subject, appa- rently, a Cavalier about to be arrested. He has placed his right hand on his breast, as if asserting his innocence. Another cavalier, with drawn sword and chain armour under his doublet, appears on the point of attacking him. They have both three ostrich feathers in their bonnets. A shepherd in a round hat points to an old man coming from the castle with a written scroll in his hand. From one of the trees hangs an escutcheon with armo- ^ rial bearings. On the reverse it is signed, in blue ^ (M. 43), with the date 1543. The costumes belong to that period. The painting of this plate is admirably finished, and the expression of the countenances most carefully given. The ancient Roman letters S. P. Q. R. are often found upon subjects taken from classical history, as well as others with which they have no connexion, as in the Goleta dish (Fig. 38). The subject represents the capture of that fortress by the Spaniards ; but the original drawing was the taking of Carthage, and the artist copied the letters upon the Roman banners without regard to their incongruity. With reference to the marks and monograms upon majolica as upon pottery and porcelain in general, it should be pre- mised that, though a genuine mark will enable a person at once to decide upon the locality of the ware, the absence of it by no means discredits the originality of the piece. The Ceramic collector gene- rally observes if the mark lies under the glaze ; but this test does not apply to majolica, in which the mark, from the peculiar nature of the enamel, is always in and not under or on the glaze. In concluding this sketch, we may remark a circumstance which may sometimes enable a collector to distinguish the productions of the more ancient fabrics of majolica ware from the modern imita- tions, by the mode in which some of the ancient manufacturers placed their plates in the furnace, certainly with great risk of injury to the perfection of the painting. They were there supported on three points, the face downwards ; so that a close examination may detect three small spots where the enamel is wanting and the clay visible ; but this must not be taken as an invariable rule, for sometimes the plates were supported on the margin or rim, and then no such spots are to be seen. This took place before the invention of seggars, in the sixteenth century, when the plate rested upon the edge. 72 HISTOKY OF POTTERY. Chap. Y. CHAPTER V. ITALIAN POTTERY. Collections. — Santa Casa of Loreto — Collections in Italy, Paris, Germany, and Spain ■ — Strawberry Hill — Stowe — Bernal, Biltisli Museum and Marl- borough House — Narford Hall — Sir A, de Rothschild — Mr. Ford and the Author. Duke Francesco Maria IL, as we have already stated,^ pre- sented to the Santa Casa at Loreto the collection belonging to the Spezieria attached to his palace. It consists of three hundred and eighty vases, painted from the designs of Michael Angelo, Raffaelle, Giulio Romano, and other great masters. They are arranged in two rooms ; the finest are placed in the first saloon. The subjects are the Four Evangelists,^ the Twelve Apostles,^ St. John, St. Paul, Susannah, and Job. The others represent incidents of the Old Testament, actions of the Romans, their naval battles,"^ and the Metamorphoses of Ovid. On eighty-five of the vases are portrayed the games of children, each differing from the other. These vases are highly prized for their beauty as well as for their variety. They have been engraved by Bartoli. A Grand Duke of Florence was so desirous of purchasing them, that he proposed giving in exchange a like number of silver vases of equal weight ; while Christina of Sweden was known to say, that of all the treasures of the Santa Casa, she esteemed these the most. Louis XIV. is reported to have offered for the Four Evangelists and St. Paul an equal number of gold statues.^ The sacred cups of Loreto should be also mentioned. When the chapel is swept, the dust shaken from the dress of the Virgin, or scraped from the walls, is carefully collected, and mixed with the paste, out of which are made small cups, about four inches in dia- meter and one and a-half inch high. They are rudely painted in blue and yellow, with the effigy of the Virgin and Child, and some- times a representation of the Santa Casa, the inscription Con pol. di S. C. * See page 28. By Battista Franco. ^ By Battista Franco. ® Relazione istorica della Santa Casa ^ By Orazio Fontana and his asso- in Loreto, dall’ Arciprete D. Lugio Gra- ciates. nuzzi, primo custode. Loreto, 1838. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 73 Con polvere della Santa Casa ’') being placed round either the exterior or interior of the cup. Besides the public collections in Italy may be mentioned those of the Cavaliere Mazza at Pesaro, Signor Tordelli at Spoleto, and Signor Mavorelli at La Fratta, near Perugia— all noticed by Mr. Dennistoun. Signor Geremia Delsette at Bologna possessed a large collection, of which he published a catalogue raisonne, consisting of above 1100 specimens, including 600 plates and dishes ; but sixty of his choicest specimens have lately been purchased by Mr. Barker. The celebrated collection of the Hotel de Cluny and that of the Louvre are too well known to connoisseurs visiting Paris to need par- ticular description, as well as that of the Musee Ceramique at Sevres. The private collections at Paris are that of M. Rothschild, one of the finest in Europe, and those of M. Sauvageot, M. Roussel,® whose Gubbio dish we have already mentioned, and Prince Soltykoff. The Prince has formed in a short period a very fine collection of fayence, enamels, armour, &c. &c. Among these is a remarkable specimen of majolica, a large dish, with the arms of one of the three Popes of the House of Medici, tiara and keys, with Cupids on a dark blue ground ; this belonged to the Debruge-Labarte Collection. There is a large collection of majolica in the Ducal Palace at Brunswick,'^ removed thither from the Castle of Saltzdahlum at Wolfenbiittel. Many of the pieces are cruelly broken. There are two specimens' of Xanto, one ewer by Guido Durantino, and only one specimen of metallic lustre, a plate dated 1524 ; a curious early dish — -Vulcan forging a spear, another the Murder of the Innocents, and a basin with Pharaoh’s dream of the Fat and Lean Kine. ® M. Roussel, alarmed at tlie state of public affairs in 1848, sent over to Eng- land at that time most of his collection for sale. It consisted chiefly of ma- jolica, Palissy ware, and enamels, and was sold by Phillips in June. The majolica contained some fine specimens, and sold at what would now be con- sidered low prices. The Palissy was of great variety — figures of Tritons, bag- pipers, and hurdygurdy women; bottles, dishes in relief, with various classical subjects, and reptiles ; a bust of the Emperor Galba, carefully modelled workbaskets, and a fine candlestick, with perforated work and heads in relief, which fetched 20/. An extraordinary large vase, with boys in relief, support- ing garlands of fruit, and masks, on a fine blue ground, with ormolu handles, sold for 57/. 15s. ^ This collection was formerly con- sidered the finest in Germany, It un- fortunately attracted the notice of Na- poleon I., who caused it to be transported to the Louvre. At the Restoration it was returned, but much diminished in value, many of the finest specimens hav- ing disappeared in the transit. When the writer saw it in 1 846 it was in a state of great confusion and disorder. The collection is stated by a recent visitor to consist of about 1000 pieces, the greater proportion of which are of the late period, and very poor. There are several good vases and candlesticks, and about twenty specimens of fine Urbino dishes, date 1535 to 1540, but mostly broken. 74 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. V. M. Kestner has bequeathed to the Hanover Museum two Giorgios, and some other pieces of the finest character. The Royal Museum at Berlin contains a good collection, and there is another of some celebrity at Ludwigsburg, which is men- tioned by Gothe in his posthumous works. There are a hundred pieces of majolica of the best style and period, forming part of the Gothe inheritance, which has been offered for sale by his grandson with the other collections of that great man to his native city Weimar. In the Japan Palace at Dresden are a hundred and eighty pieces of majolica, dating from 1532 to 1596, the subjects taken from Scripture history or Greek mythology. Among the most remark- able are a vase, with the Ascension of our Saviour, after Raffaelle, and three large fonts, with angels for supporters, the broad rims of which are painted in arabesques. Coats of arms have been painted over the original paintings, which are scarcely discernible, though St. Mark’s Palace can be just recognised. In Spain, besides numerous specimens scattered about, there is a fine font or basin for washing glasses in the Dispensary of the Escurial ; the subject of the painting is the Judgment of Solomon. Strawberry Hill was rich in specimens of this ware, many of great beauty and extreme rarity (see coloured plate, No. 9). A pair of fine triangular-shaped cisterns, painted from the designs of Giulio Romano, was sold for 160 guineas.® There was a great variety of pilgrims’ bottles, many of them very fine (see coloured plate. No. 3.). One specimen in particular was curious, as having the arms of Duke Ferdinand de’ Medici, and his consort Christina of Lorraine, married in February, 1589.^ There was likewise the fine pair of vases ^ with serpent handles, painted by Orazio Fontana from the designs of Giulio Romano. On the one with the signature ^ mentioned is painted the Rape of Dejanira ; on the other, the Death of Nessus. Both these vases are mounted in ormolu of the period of Louis XV. They are in the possession of Mr. Montagu Parker, of Chudleigh. Other specimens might be named as having adorned this celebrated collection, which has now unfortunately been dispersed. Stowe, the seat of the Duke of Buckingham, contained a vase which was formerly, among other fine specimens, in the collection ^ Miss Burdett Coutts was the pvir- of that fayence.” chaser. In Horace Walpole’s catalogue ^ Sold for 23/. 4s. The pilgrims’ these are described as “two Fontana bottles sold for 10 guineas to 15 guineas cisterns, presents from the Earl of Exe- each, ter, and which had belonged to Jervas ‘ Sold for 110/. the painter, who had a fine collection ^ See page 53. r •: :‘y -w - f't '* ✓-- ,v ’'■v‘ 7 j.^%^'-*^*.",^ ',^/. ^ •"■’ •■■ ’■* ^ " ' ’ -* ^ ‘ - S' ■ - ^ S M '-' ^ fnl v-'^c " *,V “"S ■ ’^H- ;;; -iJfffll^jtillg^ ■ ss:sys^¥. - ' ^ i ' ^ ' / ■^- ' ^•- - -■' ~" ‘ ' . ' ■ - -. A" ' ■ f ^ l ■ \r - ;._ .• •; AOiaDlATvi * > -‘ ■'"^-‘i • "' ■■'' • , ' './• • ■ .S^ffOXII ^jir ■'t^gX9K ■_ .nottOC^^^^J '-^i-x'^ • -f^ -rrlaf-fT o ntKii U ' A-'.' •■ .Tx\M A UA'iSaiAV" ai--f.:>'I .aaAV 3aHVi:IS-,i- f -* yt, *■■ ■ ' ■ fi PLATE 11. 3.- PILGRIM’S BOTTLE. MAJOLICA. Page 74 . Marryat Collection. Height 14g inches. Form elegant. A fine specimen of Raflaellesqne ornamentation. Of Urbino manufactnre. Formerly at Stra-wberiy Hill. 4.-SEVRES VASE. Form “ VAISSEAU A MAT.” Described at page 313. Collection of Charles Mills, Esq., Camelford House. FI eight I5| inches. -PILGRIM’S BOTTLE. 4.- VASE. VAISSEAU A MAT. SEVRES. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 75 of the late Mr. Gray, at Harriiiger House, in the county of Mid- dlesex. It is extremely curious, as being an instance of enamelling over earthenware, in the style of Luca della Rohhia. The ground of the vase is lapis lazuli blue, and it is exquisitely painted from designs by Giulio Romano, with figures in white ; the top and foot are in arabesque upon the majolica. This gem (Fig. 31) was sold at Harringer House for 35?. : it subsequently fetched at the sale at Stowe 51 guineas. The silver gilt handles, which had been added before ‘the vase was transferred to the Stowe Collection, can hardly be considered as an improvement. At the same sale an oviform vase for sprinkling scented water, painted with arabesques, sold for 27?. IQs. 6c?. ; a single salt of grotesque form for ten guineas and a half, and a pair of the same sort for 12?. 12s. The plates were knocked down at fi’om 5 to 10 guineas each. But the most inter- esting specimen was a cistern (Fig. 32) from the Borghese Palace, which, although much broken, sold for 64 guineas. Of the celebrated collections that are now dispersed, that of the late Mr. Ralph Bernal was the most extraordinary and unrivalled, em- Fig. 31. Oviform Majolica Vase. (Formerly at Stowe.) bracing, as it did, the choicest specimens of every variety of the Fig. 32. Cistern. (Formerly at Stowe.) majolica ware — plates of Gubbio by Giorgio, specimens of Xanto, of Guido Durantino, and a fine series of Raffaellesque products 76 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. V. of Urbino and Faenza (Fig. 33), all of which rendered this col- lection not only an effective display, but a most interesting study. There was also a large assemblage of dispensary and other vases, of beautiful or grotesque forms, some bearing the arms of the great Italian families ; one, a basin, those of Leo X., having probably formed part of the toilet equipage of that Pope. Fig. 33. Majolica Fruit-dish, ornamented with “ amorini ” trophies and arabesques. (British Museum, Bernal Coll.) The sale of this collection was one of the most remarkable on record, from the enormous prices obtained, which arose from various causes. Mr. Bernal was known to have been a collector of unrivalled taste and judgment. No forgery could pass his keen eye without detection. A specimen therefore forming part of his collection was a guarantee of its being choice and genuine ; and as most collectors do not possess sufficient confidence to buy on their own judgment, but rely on the experience of others, this sale afforded them an occasion in which they might indulge their taste without the risk of imposition. They consequently bid Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 77 with confidence, and were prepared to pay very high prices for their purchases. Another circumstance which caused these enormous prices was the knowledge that Government had made liberal grants to the British Museum and Marlborough House for purchases, and it is well known that when the Government becomes a competitor, the prices rise pro- portionably, and the sums bid were almost beyond belief.^ Three- fomdhs of the majolica was purchased by the Government alone. While therefore we give a few instances of the prices obtained, we must say they can be considered as no criterion of the value of the ware under any ordinary circumstances of sale."^ The two Pesaro plates (described page 46) sold for 41?. each, Mr. Bale and the British Museum being the purchasers. Of the Gubbio plates, that by Maestro Giorgio, described by Passeri, was bought by Mr. Fountaine, as we have before mentioned,^ for 14'2?. Some of the inferior examples of the same master ranged in price from 11?. to 21?. A fine specimen of Gubbio ware, the subject Cupid blinded, the border dark blue, with coloured ara- besques, sold for 40?. Of the fabrics of Urbino there was a great variety. The finest specimen of Xanto, a dish 18 in. in diameter, the subject Pompey and Cleopatra, was bought by Marlborough House for 80?. 17^. ; the other specimens of the same master sold from 81. to 33?. A deep plate of Cafiaggiolo ware, with a griffin in the centre, was bought by Baron Rothschild for 90?. The vases and pilgrims’ bottles of these and the Castel Durante manufactures sold for high sums. A vase, 15 inches high, decorated with sphinx and masks, subject the Brazen Serpent, was bought by Mr. Barker for 220?., and another similar for 200?. The pilgrims’ bottles sold for 31?. to 35?. Fig. 34. IMajolica Jug, circ. 1520. (Marlborough House. Bernal Coll.) The statement that these two bodies Two specimens purchased by Col. were bidding against each other has been Sibthorp at this sale for 16/. 16s. and authoritatively contradicted, and it ap- 12/. 10s,, at the late sale of his collection pears that they were employing the same produced only 4/, 17s, 6d. and 6/. 6s. agent. respectively. 5 Page 49. 78 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. V. Ihe jug (Fig. 34), 15 inches high, of brilliant colours, vigorous but not coarse, was purchased for Marlborough House for 80^. It bears an escutcheon with the arms of Leo X.,® accompanied with his device, the yoke ; in other parts are badges and devices of Giuliano de’ Medici, for whom the piece was in all probability made. Of the laenza fabrics, there was a large collection of dishes, which realised from 50^. to 70^. each. The plate (Fig. 35) was bought for Marlborough House for 120/. — a price which, in our opinion, the quality of the painting did not justify, though it is considered by the curator as one of the most masterly pieces in the collection. It is supposed to have been painted at Caftaggiolo.® The subject was said, on no authority whatever, to represent Ralfaelle and the For- narina in the studio of an artist. In the Stowe Catalogue it is described as “an Interior, with an Artist painting the AlajolicaWare,” and it appears simply to represent an artist painting the arabesque 111 the woodcut all the “ palle ” are charged with fleurs-de-lis, which is a mistake. 7 No. 1848. 8 See p. 65. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 79 border upon one of the perhaps “ amatorii ” plates, which a lady and gentleman are sitting to witness ; or possibly it might be Duke Guidobaldo himself,® either at the artist’s, or in his own studio. His seat indicates a person of rank. This plate was bought by Mr. Bernal for 5?., from a dealer who had purchased it at the Stowe sale for 4?. Mr. Bernal also possessed some good specimens of the “ graffito ” ware. Two' dishes, 20 inches in diameter, one of an orange ground representing a Lady and two Cavaliers, the other of a buff ground with similar subject, were bought by the British Museum and Marl- borough House for 40?. and 45?. The British Museum possesses a fine collection of majolica, numbering about 160 specimens, chiefly remarkable for the artists’ names or monograms which they bear, or the historical interest attached to them from their subjects or owners. The collection of majolica at Marlborough House has been extensively enlarged, and now contains above 400 specimens. But the collection of majolica almost unequalled in Europe is that of Mr. Andrew Eountaine, at Narford Hall, in the county of Norfolk. It was principally formed by the late Sir Andrew Eountaine ^ while resident at Florence in the beginning of the eighteenth century. Sir Andrew was known to have been in much favour with Cosimo de’ Medici, and family tradition states that many of the finest speci- mens (especially enamels of Limoges, and majolica of Nevers) were purchased from the Duke, which may account for some pieces in this collection bearing royal escutcheons, they probably having been presented to the Grand Duke by the Sovereigns of France. The finest specimens of the collection are displayed in a lofty octagonal room lighted from above, which communicates with the drawing-room by a door formed of a sheet of plate glass. The fine specimen of Della Robbia ware- is placed high up, opposite the door. Upon the floor are large vases, and several fine cisterns of majolica and Palissy ware. Above these are shelves, at the ^ See p, 25. ‘ '^Narford Hall was erected by the father of the late Sir Andrew Eountaine, who has rendered himself and the place noted by cultivating the friendship of Pope, and of some other literary cha- racters of the time when he lived. The house was not only the rendezvous of living genius, but a repository for works of art and learning. “ Sir Andrew Eountaine travelled over most parts of Europe, where he made a large and valuable collection of pictures, ancient statues, medals, RafiFaelle ware, &c., and while in Italj^ acquired such a knowledge of virtu that the dealers in antiquities were not able to impose on him. At this period he enjoyed the friendship of Swift in particular, who repeatedly mentions him in the Journal to Stella in terms of high regard. Died in 1753.” — Chalmers’s Biog. Die. Bowles’ ed. Pope, vol. v. p. 302. Swift’s Works: see Index. ^ Described page 19. 80 HISTOKY OF POTTERY. Chap. V. back of which are arranged dishes and plates of majolica, inter- spersed with Limoges and Palissy ware, which harmonize admirably with each other : the smaller specimens, such as ewers, jugs, &c., are ranged in front of the dishes. On the right are three remarkable examples of Henri II. ware, viz. a candlestick, biberon, and salt- cellar. The room is painted straw colour, which sets off the brilliant tones of the pieces. The effect is very grand and im- pressive. Besides the contents of this room, valuable specimens are scattered over the different apartments of the house. Narford Hall is in fact a complete museum of paintings, books, manuscripts, sculptures, pottery, enamels, gems, ivories, bronzes, and other articles of virtu, of unappreciable value, and so numerous as to defy descrip- tion. Of majolica there are seven cisterns,^ several vases of the largest size and finest painting, eleven pilgrims’ bottles (two of them of Nevers ware), some of which have the original earthenware stoppers, which screw on, and many large dishes. All these spe- cimens are of fine artistic beauty. Many have been noted in the Fig. 36, Dish commemorative of the Edict passed by Giovanni Sforza. (Fomitaine Coll.) ^ Four of the cisterns are triangular, to these are one of JSTevers and two of two round, and one oval. In addition Palissy ware. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 81 preceding pages. The beautiful Gubbio dish,'^ with several other choice specimens from the Bernal Collection, has been lately added, as well as the Sforza dish (Fig. 36). It is supposed that this remark- able dish was painted to commemorate the passing of an edict in 1486 for the protection of the manufacture of majolica at Pesaro. In the centre are portraits of the youthful Giovanni Sforza, Count of Pesaro, and Camilla da Marzana, his father’s widow, who granted the edict, which is represented on the dish by a white scroll in the background, behind the heads. ^ This dish, from its historical in- terest, and from the carefulness and beauty of the painting, for so early a period, may be considered as one of the most remarkable specimens of majolica yet known. The background is in indigo ; the faces are outlined, and slightly shaded with blue ; the hair gold lustre, outlined with blue ; the dresses and head-dresses of both are partly of ruby and partly of gold lustre, outlined with blue ; the slashings are white, tied with blue ; the scroll white, turned up with ruby at the ends ; the inner and outer borders are of ruby, gold, and blue, outlined in dark blue on a white ground. The diameter of this dish is 141 inches. The pattern on Giovanni’s collar, the spots on the head-dress of the lady, and the lacing on the front of her dress, are in blue. Mr. Fountaine has also recently added to his collection a dish * Described p. 49. ® This edict, in Latin, still exists at Pesaro, and may be translated thus : — “Be it enacted, that, whereas our illus- trious Lady Camilla, and most illustri- ous Signor Giovanni Sforza d’ Arragona, Count of Pesaro, are desirous to benefit the city of Pesaro, and to favour the citizens in all just demands ; and whereas the art of vase-making was formeidy practised in the said city, and carried to greater perfection than in any other part of Italy, and is still extensively manufactui’ed at Pesaro, attracting the admiration of all Italy and other coun- tries : By the command of these most illustrious potentates, it is forbidden, both to citizens and foreigners (be their station what it may), to import any earthen vases whatsoever, whether for ornament or otherwise, manufactured beyond the city and territory of Pesaro, with the exception of oil and water jars ; and that a fine of ten livres of Bologna be imposed for every infraction of this law, besides the forfeiture of all or any such foreign-made ware,” &c. &c. Gio- vanni Sforza w’as an illegitimate son of Constanzo Sforza, who had no issue by his wife Camilla. He succeeded his father in 1483, through the intervention of Pope Sixtus IV., on condition of his paying an annual ti’ibute of 750 crowns to the Papal See. His father’s widow, Camilla, was generous enough to receive him as her own son, and used her influ- ence with his subjects to induce them to acknowledge him as their sovereign. As soon as he attained maturity, he re- paid this lady’s kindness by depriving her of all authority, and banishing her from Pesaro. He married Lucrezia Borgia, daughter of Pope Alexander VI., and was soon afterwards driven from Pesaro by Caesar Borgia, his wife’s bro- ther. He returned after the death of Alexander VI., and died at Pesaro in 1510, leaving (by his second wife, Gi- nevra Tiepolo) a son, Constanzo II., who died in 1512 at the age of three years. (See Moreri.) G 82 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. Y, 15^ inches diameter, of a very early period. Ground pale blue; centre, a monster with outspread wings and leopard’s legs, and spotted back ; face and bust of a woman ; all over the rest of the dish is a bold flowing pattern of scrolls with monsters’ heads ; all in pale gold lustre, except the woman’s flesh, which is white, shaded with pale blue. In four places, where the ground is entirely enclosed by the pattern, it is of pale ruby, and appears to be quite in the com- mencement of its use, there being nothing under it to enrich and deepen it.*^ Fig. 37. Madonna Plate. (Fountaine Coll.) Mr. Fountaine possesses also another plate of early but uncertain date (Fig. 37), of thick, clumsy manufacture. The dish is nearly 9 inches in diameter ; the figures on a dark-blue ground ; nimbus and hair yellow, outlined with blue ; head-drapery of Virgin blue ; upper part of dress emerald green, with yellow borders crossed with blue ; sleeves of a bright reddish tint of brown, or very dark shade of yellow ; front of dress, on which the infant is seated, green ; flesh This dish has beeu copied by Freppa of Florence. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 83 shaded with brownish yellow, outlined with blue. At the back, in dark blue, is the following curious signature (M. 44) : — In addition to the splendid Urbino dishes already described,'^ ’Sir Anthony de Rothschild possesses many choice specimens. Mr. Ford, at Heavitree, near Exeter, passing from his early love of plates and dishes to books, has parted with most of his collection, but still retains some exquisite specimens, particularly a large dish, the subject of which is Raffaelle’s Judgment of Paris, most beautifully painted, and two matchless specimens of Maestro Giorgio. Mr. Barker has a collection of the highest order. In addition to his acquisitions from the Delsette and Bernal Collections, he has a vase by Giorgio, after designs by Raffaelle, containing twenty-seven figures, and many others of exquisite form. The collection of the writer also contains some choice examples from Strawberry Hill and fi'om Mr. Ford’s Collection, besides others procured in Italy. A plate by Xanto, from Mr. Ford’s Collection, date 1533, the subject of which is a Sea-nymph, Cupid, shells, &c., is a good specimen of the gold metallic lustre so highly prized by collectors. There is a dish (Fig. 38), 24 inches diameter, the subject of the painting being the Storming of Goleta, on the coast of Africa, by Charles V.® The Roman eagles and Page 57. It was attacked by Charles V. with a ® “ Goleta, an island on the coast of fleet of 500 vessels and an army of Africa, was the stronghold of the cor- 30,000 men, and carried by storm, on sair Barbarossa, and strongly fortified, the 25th of July, 1535. By this vic- G 2 84 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. V. letters s. p. q. r. are introduced upon the banners. The coat of arms of the Gonzaga family is painted on the obverse rim Fig. 38. Majolica Dish. Storming of Goleta. (Marryat Coll.) of the dish. The inscription on the reverse is singular : it is as follows : — M- D- XXXXI- Da Carlo d’ Austria Imperator potente L’alta Goletta inespugnabil tanto Astretta, e prese con furor repente. Jn Urbino nella botteg di Francesco Silvano The subject of this dish is taken from an engraving of Georg Pens, 1539, after Giulio Romano, representing the Taking of Carthage.^ tory, and the subsequent surrender of corsairs.” — Robertson’s ‘Charles V.,’ Tunis, the emperor liberated 20,000 Book v. Christian captives, and effectually bri- ® See Bartsch, vol. viii. f. 344, No. 86 died the depredations of the African in the Print Room of the Brit. Museum. Chap. V. ITALIAN — COLLECTIONS. 85 The author has also a fine vase, with handles, Hi inches high, of the form h, fig. 21, p. 38, of the lustrous Gubbio or Pesaro ware. The ground, which is blue shaded to white, is almost entirely covered with patterns in yellow lustre, picked out with ruby red. On the neck is an oval shield, with a coat of arms ; the under part of the vase is “ godronne.” This interesting specimen came from the collection of Prince Poniatowski at Florence. Mr. Bale possesses several fine specimens of majolica, some of which have been noticed in the preceding pages. We should also notice the collection of Mr. Henderson, which includes about six plates by Maestro Giorgio : one of them is a carefully executed plate, with armorial bearings and arabesque border ; it is peculiar in having a deep ruby-red ground. He has likewise a dish of very high quality, representing the Triumph of Galatea, after Raffaelle. Its drawing and execution are very supe- rior to those usually found on majolica. It appears to be of the workshops of Urbino. Mr. C. E. Fortnum, of Stanmore, has an interesting series of this ware, among others a fine graffito dish. The Ceramic collections of Mr. Octavius Morgan, M.P., at the Friars, Newport, include several remarkable specimens of majolica ; among others, a large dish by Xante, a plate by the artist I. P., and a fine portrait plate signed N. In the museum of Mr. Joseph Mayer, at Liverpool, are several cabinets of this interesting Italian pottery. The collection of M. Soulage, of Toulouse, which has been re- cently brought over to this country, is rich in Bafiaelle-ware of the highest interest ; but as we have not yet seen the collection, we can only speak of it fi:om the report of Mr. Webb, who states that it contains specimens of most of the celebrated potteries of Italy, among which are fifty-two plates and a vase, all reputed to be by Maestro Giorgio. One of the Giorgio plates, of unusual size and beauty, represents a portrait of Pietro Perugino, after a drawing said to have been furnished by his great pupil. The collection con- tains 115 plates and 50 vases, all described to be of great beauty and excellence. 86 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. YI. CHAPTER VI. FRENCH POTTERY. Pottery of Beauvais — Avignon — Nevers — St. Cloud — Angenois — Sceaux Penthievre — Rouen — Palissy ware — Notice of Bernard Palissy — Charac- teristics of his Pottery — Collections — Fayence of Henri II. — Tiles. BEAUVAIS. As early as the 12 th century there was a manufactory at Beauvais of pottery which appears to have been highly esteemed, for we find specimens described in the royal inventories as mounted in silver gilt. “ Un godet ^ de terre de Beauvais, gamy d’ argent ” — {^Inv. of Charles FT., a.d. 1399) ; “ godez de Beauvez et autres vaisselles a boire .” — {Comptes Royaux^ a.d. 1416.) Rabelais likewise mentions “ une saliere de terre et ung gouhelet de Beauvoys.”— 1542.) He also cites ^ the “Poteries azurees ” of Beauvais, so celebrated as to be fit to be presented to the kings of France, and this ware was held in high estimation at the time of Francis I. It had also a proverbial reputation. “ On fait des godes a Beauvais et des poales a Villedieu .” — {Leroux de Lincy^ Proverhes Frangaisf In the Museum at Sevres there is a flat-shaped pilgrim’s bottle of this ware, bearing the arms of France on each side. It was found in the bed of the Somme, and was probably made at Beauvais. From the form of the fleur-de-lis, and that of the Gothic letters of the inscription, charle roy, which is upon the bottle, M. Brongniart places the manufacture at the reign of Charles VIII. In the Imperial Library at Paris there is a large dish (17 inches diameter), of tolerably fine, hard, white paste, overlaid with a glaze of a copper-green colour. It is enriched with ornaments in relief of every kind, among which are the arms of France and Brittany of the time of Charles VIII., and the instruments of the crucifixion of the Saviour. The style of this dish, though certainly French, resembles that of the Nuremberg or Franconian manufacture. It bears the date 1511." ‘ A drinking- vessel — a kind of ^ Brongniart, Traite des Arts Cera- goblet. miques, pi. Ivii. fig. 13. He erroneously ^ Pauurge, edition de Valence, 1547. gives the date as 1411. Chap. VI. FllENGH POTTERY. 87 AVIGNON. In the collection of the Hotel de Cluny there are specimens of glazed pottery, called “Poterie d’ Avignon,’’ of the 16th and 17th centuries. It was supposed that this fabric might have been intro- duced from Italy when the Popes resided at Avignon •, but its little resemblance to the mezza majolica discountenances any such idea. It is of a dark brown metallic lustre, resembling tortoiseshell, with ornaments perforated or in relief. An ewer at Sevres is of fine form, though somewhat loaded with ornamentation about the lip and handle. We are inclined to believe that the site of the manu- factory was at Valence, as in the inventory of the effects of the Duke of Burgundy, A.D. 1467, is mentioned “une petite escuelle de Valence.” There were other early manufactories in the south of France, and one also at Pontaille in Burgundy, near Dijon.^ NEVERS. Nevers has the credit of being the earliest site of enamelled pottery in France, though the fabric may be considered as merely a description of Italian majolica, the imitation coming far short of the original manufacture. The introduction of majolica into France, and the establishment of its manufacture there under the name of “ Fayence,” took place in the time of Catherine of Medicis. Brought up at Florence, and daughter of a Duke of Urbino, there can be little doubt that upon her removal to the French Court she was desirous of introducing those elegances and luxuries to which she had been accustomed, and which could with difficulty be obtained from Italy, owing to the constant wars between that country and France. This queen, however, did not succeed in establishing any manu- factory of majolica until the arrival from Italy of her kinsman, Louis Gonzaga, who, upon his establishment in the dukedom of Nevers," sent for artists from Italy, and, finding suitable materials, succeeded in making a fine description of pottery similar to the majolica. ^ M. de Laborde, ^ Glossaire.’ The fiefs and family estates of the Dukes of Nevers, by failure of male issue, came to be divided among the three surviving sisters, who were prin- cesses of such exceeding beauty, that at the court of Charles IX. they were called the Three Graces. Henrietta of Cleves, the eldest, obtained for her share the duchy of Nevers and county of Rethel, with which she endowed Louis Gonzaga, on lier marriage with him in 1565, and by royal ordinance he assumed the title of Duke of Niver- nois. This prince was a great patron of the fine arts, but he was almost constantly occupied by the wars of the period, until his death, which took place at the Chateau de Nesle in 1595. 88 HISTOKY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. The introduction of fayence into Nevers by this prince is men- tioned in the epistle dedicatory which Gaston de Clave, native of the Nivernois, addressed to the “ Illustrious Prince Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nivernois and Rethel,” in his work entitled ^ Apologia Argyropoeise et Chrysopceise,’ dated “ ex tua metropoli vrbe Niurnensi, Calendis Aprilis, 1590.’’ In this dedication the intro- duction of the manufacture of fayence (called figulinse encausticae) is mentioned as one among many other reasons why the book should be dedicated to such an illustrious prince, patron, and benefactor to Nevers. The writer ends with imploring the Deum opti- mum maximum ” to grant a long life to his local Maecenas, and that he himself might live to see it. The work is quaint and odd ; Gaston is evidently a believer in the philosopher’s stone, and gives learned reasons why gold and silver will not burn to a cinder.® The civil and religious wars which devastated the Nivernois, and carried fire and sword into every habitation, probably soon after- wards destroyed the original establishment, and dispersed the foreign workmen. The Nevers pottery was perhaps the earliest instance of the introduction of the manufacture of majolica by Italian workmen into a foreign country. As long as Italian artists were employed, this pottery partook of the character of its Italian origin ; but when native artists took their place, the classical forms a.nd paintings were by degrees superseded by ornaments of the Gallic school, till at length the manufactory descended to ordinary fayence. This circumstance has caused some difficulty in identifying the locality of this ware, many specimens of Nevers being considered as real majolica. The same remark will apply to the Flemish and German pieces manufactured by Italian artists, though these are not so easily mistaken. It must be borne in mind that the foreign manufactories of majolica were not established till the decay of the art in Italy and the consequent discouragement of the manufacture had induced the workmen to emigrate to foreign countries in quest of employment. ® The portion of the dedication re- admiranda subministrant. Sed et novis- lating to fayence is as follows • — simis hisce diebns topographum et sculp- “ Sunt etiam ex genere eorum, quae tores ingeniosos multis tuis sumptibus preeclaras urbes effichmt, ingeniosi mul- hue appellere iussisti, sic viris conspicuis tarum artium artifices. Hinc vitrariae, civitatem tuam ornatam, sedificiisquoqiie figulinae et encaustics artis artifices perpolitam esse voluisti ; prgesertim qu5d egregii, iussii tuo accersiti et immunitate et lignorum lapidfl calcis et arenae, quae tributorum alliciti, praestatia opera civi- ad ea construenda sunt necessaria, multa bus tuis commoda magisque exteris esset copia.” — P. 9. Chap. YI. FRENCH POTTERY. 89 When thus removed from Italy, they of course had no longer the advantage of the designs and drawings of their great native masters, but were obliged to copy those of the country in which they were located. Thus, in the early pieces, we find all the Urbino feeling they carried with them from Italy,’ but soon the Nevers artists struck into a new path, and founded a style of majolica peculiar to themselves, formed upon the school of the Renaissance. The col- lection at Narford offers a fine study of the pottery of Nevers, differing essentially from its Italian original. We have the handles in the form of dragons, and the lips of the ewers in that of leaves, the colouring different irom the Italian majolica, especially in a bluish green peculiar to Nevers. In the Narford Collection we find a beautiful little pair of bottles, blue ground, with Cupids riding upon swans.® A pair of magnificent ewers, 25 inches high, with dragon handles,' satyr or goat's masks, and leaf (or frond) like lips (Fig. 39). Bacchanalian subjects, and the ground blue, seme of swans. Also a fine dish, 22 inches in diameter ; in the centre Perseus and An- dromeda, with a fine bold scroll border, in which the peacock, eagle, turkey, hippo- campus, &c., are introduced. A pair of pilgrims’ bottles, 15 inches high, with goats’ heads, the subjects hunting and bac- chanalian. T\T T? X, * i_ 1 Fig. 39. Jsevers Ewer. (Fountaiue Coll.) Mr. bountaine has also a noble cistern, 28 inches in diameter, supported on turkeys’ legs, with handles formed of the head of the same bird. ^ In the Narford Collection is a set early Nevers. of dishes representing the history of The swan is the badge of the house Joseph, in the Urbino style, but with of Cleves. French inscriptions. These are probably 90 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. Fig. 40. Pilgrim’s Bottle. Nevers. (Marryat Coll.) In the Musee Ceramique there is a large pilgrim’s bottle, with goats’ heads and fruits in relief, with figures and ornaments painted in the Italian style of the sixteenth century, of which it is evidently a copy. It is attributed to the potter Cus- tode, who flourished about 1640 at Nevers. In addition to the imitations of majolica, .Nevers produced, contemporaneously with Rouen and St. Cloud, earthenware with blue patterns like the Delft, and also another de- scription with polychromatic ornaments closely resembling in form, colouring, and enamel, the Chinese porcelain. But the most characteristic ware of the Nevers manufacture is that overlaid with a rich dark lapis lazuli blue, with rude yellow or white ornaments in close imitation of the Persian fayence, and which yields in colour and brilliancy to no other pottery. Of this we give two specimens (ligs. 40, 41) from the collection of the author. Mr. Slade has a specimen of this ware of exquisite form, the dark blue with white ornament, of which we give a representation (Fig. 42). In the Bernal sale (No. 479), a pair of dark blue pilgrims’ bottles decorated with white birds and flowers, in the Persian style, six- teen inches and a half high, were sold for 53/. A pair of marbled mazarine vases of this ware from the collection of Mr. Angerstein,of Northwold, Nor- folk, were recently sold at public sale for 10/. 10^. All the finest pieces of the early kinds of Nevers ware are attri- ^ . buted to the potter Custode, whom we have already mentioned. In the 18th century lived Jacques de Senlis, another celebrated potter, who painted in the Chinese style. His monogram (M. 45) is on a blue and white piece in the Museum at Sevres. In the same collection, which contains many specimens of Nevers ware, is a large round dish of the M. 4.5. Chap. YI. FRENCH POTTERY. 91 17th century, painted after the Oriental in blue, upon which is the 1 ^ initial of Never s (M. 46). W The introduction of porce- I lain superseded the use of I y this as well as of all the fine M.46. enamelled wares. This pot- tery has been celebrated in heroic verse by Pierre Defranay ; his poem, “ La Fay- ence,” ’ is characteristically French, as may be seen by the following extract - “ Que vois-je ? j’apergois sur nos lieureux rivages L’Etranger chaque jour afFrontant les orages, Se chargeant h. I’envi de Fayence h, Nevers, Et porter notre nom au bout de TUnivers. Le superbe Paris, et Londres peu docile, Payent, qui le croira ! tribut h, notre ville.” ST. CLOUD. St. Cloud had a celebrated manufacture of enamelled pottery before it became the parent of the porcelain manufactures of France. This ware is painted in blue on a white ground, in imitation of the Oriental, lil^e most others of this period. Specimens at Sevres are dated from 1688 to 1722. Fig. 42. Ewer. Xevers. (Slade Coli.) ANGENOIS. In this department in the 17th century were made in coloured fayence services for the table, the different pieces of which were modelled in the form of hares, rabbits, poultry, and other animals.^ SCEAUX PENTHIEYRE (Dep. Seine). Sceaux Penthievre, near Paris, in the second part of the 18th century had a manufacture which produced pieces of fine form and good painting. Of these there are several specimens at Sevres, consisting chiefly of dishes with coloured ornaments in relief ; in the centre are painted marine subjects or landscapes. The mark of this fayence is an anchor with Sceaux underneath (M. 47). X SCEAUX. M. 47. ‘ Published in the ‘Mercurede France’ ten in Latin verse, of which this is a for August, 1734. The poem was writ- translation. ^ Brongniart, t. ii. p. 38. 92 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. ROUEN. Francis I. founded a manufacture at Rouen, which, at the close of the 17th century, was much celebrated.^ The style of its ornaments distinguishes it from the contemporary productions of Nevers : the colours of the Rouen blue are of a faded tint, while those of Nevers are of a very full blue. In 1713, when Louis XIV. sent his silver plate to the Mint to defray the expenses of the war, he had a service of this ware made for his express use, and in the col- lection at Sevres are pieces marked with the royal fleur-de-lis (M. 48). The letter C which accom- panies the mark is probably the initial of the painter. The predominant colours of this ware are blue or sometimes brown upon a white ground. The pieces often are of a very large size, fountains, vases, &c. We give a characteristic specimen (Fig. 43) of this fayence. The Museum at Sevres is very rich in specimens of Rouen ware. Among others it contains a magnificent vase-shaped fountain with its basin, painted in arabesques and armorial escutcheons, a barrel- shaped mustard-pot* with the arms of the Duke de Penthievre, and also a covered pitcher, dated 1774, with coloured decorations, and, in the front, a painting representing the Triumph of St. Romain, Archbishop of Rouen, over the “ Gargouille,” the celebrated monster which desolated the city. M. 48. 3 M. Andre Pettier, conservateur de la Bibliotlieqne de Rouen, has paid n^uch attention to the fictile manu- factures of that city, and the history of the manufacture generally. He states that by documents preserved in the archives there, it appears that a kind of porcelain was made at Rouen prior to the German discoveries. One of these documents cites the letters patent of Louis XIV., dated 1673, to Louis Poterat, Sieur de St. Etienne, who had discovered processes for fabricating por- celain similar to that of China, and wares resembling those of Delft, and authorising the establishment of works at St. Sever, near Rouen. It seems, however, that certain manufacturers, then settled at or near Rouen, regarded this enterprise as an intrusion upon their rights, and attacked Poterat. His porcelain appears to have been shown at Paris, and to have excited much ad- miration. If so, it was not a mere project, but a manufacture in actual operation. M. Pottier possesses among his Rouen specimens some which he regards as Poterat’s poi’celain. It re- sembles the white oriental, opaque from the thickness of the substance, but is rather more vitrified. As, however, M.Brongniart, who ought to be well acquainted with the subject of the French Ceramic productions, makes no mention of this porcelain, it was probably merely a fine fayence. Chap. YL FRENCH POTTERY. 93 There are four splendid terminal busts of the Four Seasons at Hamilton Palace. H. R. H. the Due d’Aumale pos- sesses, at Orleans House, Twicken- ham, two remarkable pictures formed of the Rouen tiles {carreaux de re- vetement). They are each about 5 '3 by 6*4, consisting of 238 tiles, enclosed ill a frame and affixed to the wall. One represents Mutius Scffivola, the other Curtius jumping into the gulf. The colours used are blue, yellow, green, and white. One piece is marked in front- — A Rouen, 1542. These curious specimens originally came from the Chateau of Ecouen, and formed part of the Lenoir Mu- seum. The late Mr. Bandinel possessed two beautiful brackets of this ware from the collection of M. Roussel. The following are among the numerous marks found on the Rouen ware, in addition to which M. Brongniart gives P. A. and P. P. M. 49. M. 50. M. 51. M. 52. M. 53. M. 54. In each of the three following monograms is an O crossed by an L, the mark of the manufacture, the other signs being probably those of the painter. Fig. 43. Roaen Vase, from the Collec- tion of Mr. Hope, of Paris. M. 55. M. 56. M. 5?. HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. 1)4 PALISSY WARE. The next description of ware peculiar to France is that which has immortalised the name of its maker, Palissy, whose life affords a bright example of patience and perseverance under difficulties, and of unshaken piety and constancy under persecution. Bernard Palissy was born about 1510 at La Chapelle Biron, a small village between the Lot and Dordogne, in Perigord. His parents were too poor to give him any education, but he learned to read and write, and began his career as a workman in glass, that art comprising at that time not only the manufacture of glass, but its arrangement, cutting, and painting for the windows of churches. The better to qualify himself for his profession, Palissy employed his spare time and money in the pursuit of knowledge. He acquired geometry, drawing, painting, and modelling. In the search of subjects for his glass painting he copied the works of the great Italian masters, and studied sacred and profane literature. Glass painting was thus the means of his becoming a man of letters, as pottery in after life rendered him a philosopher and an author. Having made himself master of his profession, he began to travel, and visited the chief provinces of France, Flanders, and the banks of the Rhine. During this period he gained his livelihood as a glass- painter, draughtsman, and land-measurer, and at the same time studied natural history, geology, and chemistry. In 1539 Palissy married and established himself at Saintes. Some years later, seeing a beautiful cup of enamelled pottery, the idea struck him that if he could discover the secret of the composition of the enamel used, the application of it would enable him to maintain his wife and children, and also to raise the potter’s art to an eminence hitherto unknown. From that time his mind was solely directed to this one object. He began to search for enamels without knowing of what materials they were composed. He set about making earthen vessels without having ever learned the manufacture. He built a furnace for his ware, although he had never seen one fired. He soon spent all his savings in useless attempts, but having been employed in 1543 to make a survey and plan of the salt-marshes of Saintonge, this work brought him a small sum of money, which he did not hesitate to devote to new M. Erongniart is of opinion that this having much greater resemblance to enamelled cup was not the production the latter in the relief and colour of the of Italy, as has been generally supposed, ornamentation, but of Nuremberg, the Palissy ware Chap. VI. FliENCH POTTERY. 95 experiments. These, however, did not succeed better than the first. The recital of his labours, his trials, his disappointments, should be read in his own pages, ^ where they are described with great pathos and simplicity. Neither the complaints of his wife, who reproached him with neglecting an employment which would secure his family from want, nor the representations of his friends, could deter him from continuing his experiments. He borrowed money to construct a new hirnace, and, when wood failed him, he actually burned the tables and boards of his house for fuel to melt his composition. The new experiments succeeded but little better than the former ones. He discharged his only workman, and for want of money to pay him he gave him part of his clothes. Palissy now became so wretched that he dared no longer to show himself ; he met with reproaches at home from his starving family, and his neighbours said he was a madman. Although oppressed by anxiety, he affected a cheerful air, and persisted in following up his experiments. At length his efforts were crowned with victory : he obtained the glorious result, to the attainment of which they had been so long and so patiently directed ; and glory and wealth rewarded his labours. Fig. 44. Reptile Dish. (Soltykoif Coll.) After sixteen years of experiments, he discovered the composition of this long-sought enamel, and his rustic pottery (Fig. 44) and ^ De 1 Art de Terre, p. 311 — (Euvres de Palissy, Paris, 1844. 96 HISTOKY OF POTTEKY. Chap. \ 1 . other beautiful productions soon obtained him fame and patronage. Henry II. and the nobles of his court ordered from him vases and figures to ornament their gardens ; he was patronised by Catherine de’ Medici, and the Constable de Montmorenci engaged him to decorate his chateau at Ecouen. Many beautiful fragments from this place have been preserved from destruction ; among these are some painted tiles, and also some painted glass, representing the history of Psyche, after the engraved designs of Rafiaelle, both supposed to have been the work of Palissy. The last are in the possession of the Due d’Aumale at Orleans House, Twickenham ; as also two glass windows — one representing the Constable, the other his wife, kneeling with their children —which also came from Ecouen. Palissy had embraced the principles of the Reformation, and when the Parliament of Bordeaux, in 1562, ordered the execution of the edict of 1559 against the Protestants^ the Duke of Mont- pensier gave him a safeguard, and desired that his establishment should be exempted from the general proscription : notwithstanding this special protection, he was arrested, his workshop destroyed by order of the judges at Saintes, and it was necessary for the King himself to claim him as his own special servant in order to save his life. He was called to Paris, and Catherine de’ Medici gave him a site for his workshop on a portion of the ground now occupied by the palace of the Tuileries, where she used to visit him at his work. It was here he executed most of his finest pieces, and that he gave lectures upon natural history and physics, which were attended by all the learned men of the day. The protection of the Court saved him fi^om the massacre of St. Bartholomew. But Palissy found no favour in the eyes of the Leaguers. In 1588, at the age nearly of eighty, he was arrested by order of the Sixteen, confined in the Bastille, and threatened with death. Henry HI. went to visit him in prison, and, desiring to give him his liberty, said, “ My good friend, you have now been five and forty years in the service of my mother and myself ; we have allowed you to retain your religion in the midst of fire and slaughter. Now I am so pressed by the Guises and my own people that I am constrained to deliver you up into the hands of your enemies, and tomorrow you will be burned unless you are converted.” Inflexible in the faith of his fathers, the old man replied, “ Sire, I am ready to resign my life for the glory of God. You have told me several times that you pity me, and I, in my turn, pity you, who have used the words I am constrained. It was not spoken like a king, Sire ; and these are words which neither you nor those who constrain you, the Guisards and all Chap. VI. FRENCH POTTERY. 97 your people, will ever be able to make me utter, for I know how to die.” « Henry III., however, from respect to the memory of his mother and admiration of Palissy’s talents, would not give him up to his enemies ; but he suffered him to linger in the dungeons of the Bastille, where he terminated, in 1589, a life rendered illustrious by his genius and piety. France may, indeed, be as proud of his noble and independent character as of the credit attached to his name for having brought the art of enamelling on pottery to a perfection till then unattained in that country. The writings of Palissy are little known in England. They consist of philosophical, religious, and artistic meditations,"^ which he occupied the hours of his captivity in composing, and which appear most singular as emanating from the pen of a work- man. The autobiography of his fictile career is excessively curious ; but, from want of precise and definite details, his writings give little information as to the processes he employed, and after his death, and that of his brothers or nephews who succeeded him, the art of producing his pottery was lost. The fayence of Palissy is characterised by a peculiar style and many singular qualities. It is not decorated with flat painting. His figures, which are generally pure in form, are, with his orna- ments, his historical, mythological, and allegorical subjects, all executed in relief and coloured. Palissy’s colours are usually bright, but not much varied, being generally confined to yellows, blues, and grays, though sometimes we find him using green, violet, and brown. He never succeeded in attaining the purity of the white enamel of Luca della Robbia, or even that of the fayence of Nevers. The enamel is hard, but the glaze is not so good as that of Delft. The back of his pieces is never of an uniform colour, but is generally mottled with two or three different colours, such as blue, yellow, and brown.® The natural objects which are placed upon this fayence are very true in form and colour ; for, with the exception of certain leaves, all were moulded from nature. The choice he has made shows ® The courtiers exclaimed he was potter one of the greatest writers of the parodying the words of Seneca — “ Qui French language. Montaigne is not mori scit, cogi nescit.” more free and flowing, Jean-Jacques ’ M. Lamai-tine says they are “ real Rousseau is scarcely more graphic ; treasui’es of human wisdom, divine neither does Bossuet excel him in po- piety, and eminent genius, as well as of etical power.” great simplicity, vigour, and copious- ® “ Divers esmaux entremeslez en ness of style. It is impossible, after maniere de jaspe,” the first result of reading them, not to consider the poor his experiments. H 98 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. that this potter was a skilful naturalist, for the fossil shells with which he has ornamented his different pieces are the tertiary shells of the Paris basin, and their species can be clearly recognised.® The fish are those of the Seine ; the reptiles and plants ^ those of the environs of Paris. There is no foreign natural production to be seen on his ware. The moulds were probably formed from living specimens, after the manner described in a MS. of the 16 th century, quoted by M. Pottier.2 Tiles for the overlaying of the walls, stoves, and floors of houses (“ carreaux de revete- ment”) were also made in great perfection by this cele- brated artist. A specimen of one of Palissy’s stove -tiles, from the collection of the Comte de Pourtales, is here given (Fig. 45). The Montmorenci Chateau at Ecouen, as we have before mentioned, was ornamented with these painted tiles.^ A great portion of these still exist at Ecouen, where one large room is entirely paved with them, and a considerable number may also be seen in the chapel. The devices on them are those of the Constable Fig. 45. Stove Tile (Palissy). (Pourtales Coll.) 9 M. Brongniart gives a list of them. ' These generally are the water-cress, hart’s tongue, maiden hair, and other small ferns, acorns, and oak-leaves. “ On se servait, pour preparer le motif de la composition, d’un plat d’^tain, sur la surface duquel on collait, a I’aide de te'rebinthe de Venise, le lit de feuilles it nervures apparentes, de galets de riviere, de petrifications, qui constitue le fond ordinaire de ces com- positions ; sur ce champ on disposalt les pcOYs hestions, comme dit le manu- scrit, qui devaient en former le sujet principal ; on fixait ces animaux, rep- tiles, poissons, et insectes, au moyen de fils tr^s fins, qu’on faisait passer de r autre cote du plat en pratiquant h ce dernier de petits trous avec une aRne ; enfin 1’ ensemble ay ant re§u tons ces perfectionnements par Texecution d’une foule de details variables suivant les circonstances, on coulait sur le tout une couche de platre fin, dont I’em- preinte devait former le moule ; on de- gageait ensuite avec soin les animaux de leur enveloppe de platre.” — Monu- ments Fmngais in^dits, t. ii. p. 69. ^ Brongniart, Traite des Arts Cera- miques, tom. ii. p. 100. Chap. VI. FEENCH POTTERY. 99 Fig. 46. Eeptile Dish. (Marryat Coll.) de Montmorenci ; the colours are bright and effective. In exe- cution they bear much resemblance to the Spanish tiles, but the design is wholly French ; there is no imitation of aziilejos per- ceptible in its character, which is altogether original. The most remarkable of the works of Palissy are his “ pieces rustiques/’ a designation given by him to dishes ornamented with fishes, snakes, frogs, cray-fish, lizards, shells, and plants, a admi- rably true to nature in form and colour (Fig. 46). These dishes were not for use, but merely served as “ pieces de parade,” to be placed upon the “ dressoirs ” of the period. Other favourite productions of Palissy appear to have been large stands or flat basins, having a rock in the centre, sometimes with a fountain : the ground, which was supposed to represent the bottom of the sea, was loaded with ob- jects in relief in the same style of decoration. There were also “ rustiques figulines ” for the ornamentation of gardens, none of which now remain. The productions of Palissy were most various : he made vases with elaborate ornaments in several different styles, ewers and basins, cups, saltcellars (Fig. 47) in many curious patterns, inkstands, candlesticks, incense-burners, and baskets. A great many statuettes, the work of Palissy, have been trans- n 2 Fig. 47. Palissy Saltcellar. (Prdaux Coll.) 100 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VJ. mitted to us, some of them full of life and truthfulness. Among these is the Girl with a litter of puppies in her pinafore, their little heads peeping out from the sides, while the anxious mother seizes the skirt of the dress of the little girl, who turns smiling towards her.4 The dishes are very varied — some have simple ornaments in relief (Fig. 48) ; others arabesques, in some cases curiously per- forated (Fig. 49) ; others have five or six hollows (a godets) round the rim. On many we find represented subjects from sacred and profane history or fable, from domestic or rural life. In sacred subjects his favourites appear to be Adam and Eve (Fig. 52), Esther and Ahasuerus, the Sacrifice of Isaac, the Bap- tism in the Jordan, the Decollation of St. John, and the Holy Family. Fig. 4«. Dish of Palissy ware. (Marryat Coll.) In mythology we have the battle of the Centaurs and Lapithae, Perseus and Andromeda, Venus surrounded by Cupids, Neptune and his Sea-horses, the Judgment of Paris, the Birth of Bacchus, Pomona, and Diana, as well as the Elements. To this class belongs the curious subject (Fig. 50). We finish our catalogue of dishes with domestic subjects, such as the Vintage, the “ Belle Jardiniere,” and other specimens well known to collectors. Palissy had two assistants, who were either his brothers or his nephews ; they worked with him, and continued the art until the time of Henry IV. There exists a plate of their workmanship, representing that prince surrounded by his family, a subject which has been several times repeated. In a manuscript in the Royal Library at Paris containing an account of the expenses of Catherine A fine and large figure of a beggar, 15 inches high, was sold at public sale for 13 guineas. Chap. VI. FRENCH POTTERY. 101 Fig. 49. Perforated Dish with Arabesques. (Marlborough House.) de’ Medici, dated 1570, the following passage occurs: — “ Qu’on a delivi’e a Bernard, Nicholas, et Mathurin Palissis, sculpteurs en terre, une ordonnance de la somme de 2600 livres tournois pour tous les ouvrages de terre cuite emaillee qui restaient a faire pour parfaire les quatre pans an pourtour de dedans de la grotte coni- menqee pour la reine en son palais lez le Louvre a Paris ; suivant le marche fait avec eux.’’ These successors of Bernard Palissy contributed much to degene- rate the art. In their hands all the talent and taste of the inventor disappeared ; the spirit of the work, and often its truth, vanished. They gave but a meagre outline and monotonous repetitions. Many other pieces of fayence, nearly in the same style as that of Palissy, with analogous colours and ornaments of reptiles, &c., in relief, are to be seen in various collections, and resemble his, but are easily to be distinguished by the practised eye. As we have before mentioned, Palissy moulded the reptiles, plants, and shells of Paris only, while his imitators introduced recent shells and other objects of natural history. An ancient ware of rare occurrence, the colour of which is gene- rally of an uniform brown maroon, very different from that of Palissy, is supposed to have been made in the South of France. Another fayence, much resembling Palissy ware in external form and in the brightness of its colours, was made in Germany about the same period, but it may be distinguished by the dirty red colour of the paste, which is evident, although covered with a very thick coat of enamel. 102 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. The more modern imitations of Avisseau, the self-taught artist of Tours, can never be mistaken for the works of Palissy ; but, though the pieces are always overloaded with ornament, they possess much talent and originality. | France is rich in examples of Palissy ; extensive collections exist in the Louvre (Fig. 51), the Hotel de Cluny, and at Sevres. These magnificent specimens have been eagerly bought up by the French Government, from a just appreciation of the merits of their country- man. j Perhaps the most complete series of the works of Palissy is j possessed by M. Sauvageot (Fig. 52), in whose collection is likewise 'i the plate already mentioned of Henry IV. and his family, executed j by Palissy’ s successors. Prince SoltykofFs Collection will also afford much gratification to the admirer of this ware. Among other specimens, he possesses a large circular dish or salver, the subject of which is the Four Elements, cast from the pewter vessels of Francois Briot. The ewer that matches this dish is in the collection of Mr. Fountaine. Prince Soltykoff has likewise specimens of the Birth of Bacchus, Fig. 50. Allegorical personification of Fontainebleau.^ (Marryat Coll.) ® Nymph reclining among the reeds: her arm rests upon an urn, from which issues a stream of water. By her side, the dog Bliandus discovering a spring {Fans). Fons Bliandi, or Blandi, the ancient name of Fontainebleau, derived, according to tradition, from the disco- very there of a spring by one of the hounds of Louis VII. This king dates, in 1169, a charter from '‘Fontaine Bleaud,” and he built a chapel there, which was consecrated by Thomas 5 Becket. This dish is after a design of Rosso (Maitre Roux), who was em- ployed by Francis I. to superintend the works of the Palace of Fontainebleau. Diameter 11^ inches. Chap. VL FRENCH POTTERY. 103 Venus surrounded by Cupids,® Diana at the Chase, and other fine subjects, all in perfect preservation." Masterpieces of Pa- lissy also adorn the col- lections of M. Rattier and of M. de Sellieres. In England the Nar- ford Hall Collection stands pre-eminent ; the specimens here are very numerous, and are not to be equalled by any even iiT France. We give re- presentations (Figs. 53 and 54) of a pair of gi- gantic oval cisterns orna- mented with masks, fo- liage, acorns, and shells, full of fine character, and we believe perfect- ly unique. In addition to these cisterns, Mr. Fountaine possesses the exquisite ewer already mentioned, 11^ inches high, of highly finished workmanship, with the initials of F. Briot. Also a large tablet, or plaque, 20 J inches by 17, upon which is represented a river-deity in a recumbent posture, pouring water from two melon-shaped vases, the background with hills, rocks, mountains, and landscape scenery ; round the tablet are stamped verses in French, which set forth that the subject portrayed is “Water.” This piece is one of a set representing the Four Elements, of which the others are not extant. The Fountaine Collection also contains a splendid candlestick, 20 J inches high, blue, in the form of a Corinthian column, of fine colour and correct proportions, and a pair of perforated candlesticks of the softest gray, and most elegant in design. Likewise a cannette 6 A curious copy in delft of this 7 For one of these dishes, which was subject, dated 1659, was in the Bernal purchased at a stall for 30 francs. Collection, and is now in the British 3000 francs were offered the next day. Museum. 104 HISTOKY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. and two jugs of similar form, one of the same lovely gray, with maroon border and coloured masks ; the other of maroon ground, coloured with masks and medallions, and a gray border. A similar jug is in the Soulage Collection. The dishes at Narford are of the highest excellence. Among the most remarkable is a reptile dish on a white ground, a specimen of most rare occurrence.® Another dish of circular form, 21 inches in diameter, with fishes, and in the centre an eel coiled round, form- ing the stand to an elegant ewer with snake handle. An oval dish, 13 J inches diameter, has pebbles introduced in its decoration. Another, 10 inches diameter, with a blue ground, and the green leaves arranged round the centre, as fresh and sparkling as if gathered from the brook. Among the perforated dishes, one is decorated with a border of daisies, probably in allusion to some of the celebrated “ Marguerites ” of the time. Another dish, 11 inches in diameter, is marked with a fleur-de-lis, showing it to have been royal property. A dish, 19 inches in diameter, represents Diana and her stags. On others we have the Rape of the Sabines, and various subjects. Scriptural and mythological. The two largest have both the subject of the Woman and our Saviour, 24 J inches by 19, with a rim “a godets.” The inferiority of Palissy’s family is here clearly shown by a comparison of their works, of which there are several examples. Sir Anthony de Rothschild pos- sesses some choice specimens — a fine vase of bold form, ornamented with festoons of fruit and flowers in relief ; also a portrait of Bernard Palissy,the frame decorated with arabesques.® The principal specimen in the Bernal Collection, a circular dish with a lizard in the centre and a very rich border, was purchased by Baron G. de Rothschild,' who has ® There is another specimen of the white ground at Sevres. ^ These were shown at the Exhibition of Works of Mediaeval Art in 1850 at the Society of Arts. The latter is engraved in Shaw’s Decorative Arts, ^'C, ^ This dish, which sold for 162^., was originally purchased at Paris at a stall for 12 francs, and, after being restored, was Fig. 52. Palissy Compotier. (Sauvageot Coll.) to Mr. Bernal for 4^. Chap. VI. FRENCH POTTERY. 105 some fine specimens from the Roussel Collection, a large vase enriched with boys supporting fruit and flowers, on a fine blue ground with snake-handles, and a curious candlestick with heads in relief and perforated work.^ Fig. 54. Palissy Cistern.'* (Fountaine Coll.) ® They were sold at Phillips’s ; the vase for bll. 15s., the candlestick for 20 /. ® Fig. 53. — Faces and draperies white, fringe yellow, hair soft neutral tint, wings dark yellow, small feathers red, yellow, and blue; fruit white, gray, or yellow ; strawberries white ; the thick folds of the inner drapery of the heads at the end rich blue. The ground, of rough rustic” work, is composed of green, maroon, and blue, not very deep in colour, and at a little distance it has the effect of soft gray. The whole is a marvel of harmonio us effect and beauty. Though so large a piece, every detail is as delicately modelled as in Palissy ’s small dishes. Dimensions : extreme length 2 ft. inches, width 17^ inches, height 13p inches, ^ Fig. 54. — The head is that of a marine deity ; the ground of the scroll upon which it is placed is of a grayish blue, and is indented with wavy lines to represent water. On the other side of the cistern is the head of a female with wild hair (two locks of whicli are tied together under her chin), and a row of beads in her hair. In the festoons are flowers instead of fruit. The rustic ground is of an extremely rich dark blue, of a larger character than the other cistern. Dimensions : 3 ft. inches long, 2 ft. wide, and 14^ inches high. lOG HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. The following mark (M. 58) is stated by M. Brongniart^ to be on the statuette known under the name of the “ Nourrice de Fran 9 ois I.”® He gives it interrogatively as the monogram of Bernard Palissy ; and though there is a similar signature on a statuette in Marlborough House 5 its occurrence is so rare as to make it questionable whether it be really his mark. Upon a piece of Prince Soltykolf’s are some initials resembling V B, roughly scratched in cursive characters, probably affixed by one of the workmen employed by Palissy. M. 58. FAYENCE OF HENRI II. That mysterious and unique manufacture of the “ Renaissance,” called the Payence of Henry H., though strictly a hard-paste ware, yet being coeval with the soft enamelled pottery of that period, is here described among the wares of the Renaissance, instead of being classed with the fine fayence of a much later date, to which it bears no resemblance either iil style or ornamentation. Its manufacture, which was at once carried to a high degree of per- fection, seems to have been suddenly and unaccountably lost, without leaving any record of where or by whom it was produced. By many it is supposed to be of Florentine manufacture, and to have been sent by some of the relations of Catherine de’ Medici as a present to Henry H. ; but it differs too essentially from Italian majolica, both in the paste of which it is composed and in the style in which it is decorated, to warrant such a conjecture. Italy does not possess in its museums a single specimen of this ware ; and of the thirty-seven pieces extant, twenty-seven have been traced as coming from Touraine 'and La Vendee."^ Many anti- quaries, therefore, infer that the manufacture was at Thouars, in Touraine, although the fayence may have been the work of an Italian artist. But if the place of its manufacture is unknown, the pieces extant clearly attest the period of its fabrication. The salamander and other insignia of Francis I. are met with on the earlier specimens of this pottery ; but upon the majority of pieces, upon those more pure in ® Description du Musee Ceramique de represents the wife of Palissy. Sevres, par MM. Brongniart et Riocreux, ^ Brougniart. Probably many more p, 1G8. pieces have since been discovered. ® According to another version it Chap. VI. FKENCH POTTEEY. 107 design and more beautiful in execution than the preceding, we find the arms of Henry II., with his device, the three crescents, or his initial H, interlaced with the two D’s of the Duchesse de Valen- tinois. Indeed, so constantly do her emblems appear upon the pieces, that the ware, though usually designated as “ Faience de Henri Deux,” is sometimes styled “ Faience de Diane de Poitiers.” Even her widow’s colours, black and white, are the two which are employed in some of the finest pieces.^ From these circumstances we must, therefore, conclude that the manufacture of this ware began at the end of the reign of Francis I., and was continued under that of Henry II. ; and, as we find upon it the emblems of these two princes only, we may naturally infer that it is of French origin. The paste of which this fayence is composed is equally distinct from majolica and Palissy ware. The two latter are both soft, whereas this, on the contrary, is hard. It is a true pipeclay, very fine and very white, so as not to require, like the Italian majolica, to be concealed by a thick coating of enamel, and the ornaments with which it is enriched are simply covered with a thin, transparent, yellowish glaze. The style of decoration of this ware is unique. M. Brongniart considers the patterns or arabesques to have been engraved on the paste, and the indentures filled with coloured pastes, so as to present an uniform smooth surface of the finest inlaying, or resembling, rather, a model of Cellini’s silver work, chiselled and worked in niello. Hence it is sometimes styled “ Faience a niellure.” After a careful examination of the pieces, we differ from M. Brongniart, and consider it beyond doubt that the pattern was printed or sten- cilled upon the paste. These patterns are sometimes disposed in zones of yellow ochre, with borders of dark brown, sometimes of a pink, green, violet, black, or blue ; but the dark yellow ochre is the predominant colour. In addition to these elegant niello-like decorations, this beautiful fayence is enriched with raised ornaments, in bold relief, consisting of masks, escutcheons, lizards, frogs, shells, garlands, &c. ; in all of these the pink colour predominates. The forms of the pieces are always in the purest style of the Renaissance, and are so finely modelled and so exquisite in execution as to be compared with the ® These were the fashionable colours fell. Her impresa, the crescent of of the court ; Henry wore no others Diana, is conspicuous on his palaces, during his life, and was attired in them and he even caused it to be engraved at the fatal tournament in which he upon his coins. 108 HISTOKY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. chiselled and damascened works of the goldsmiths of the 16th cen- tury. They are usually small and light, and consist mostly of orna- mental pieces — cups, ewers, and that vessel for drinking of peculiar form to which the French have given the name of “ biberon.” Of the latter we give a specimen (Fig. 55) from the cabinet of Fig. 55. Fayence de Henri II, Biberon. (Preaux Coll.) Fig. 56. Fayence de Henri II. Ewer. (Preaux Coll.) the late M. Preaux, whose collection was dispersed at his death. It was the richest known in this description of fayence, of which he possessed six pieces.® The biberon here figured is only seven inches high ; the upper part is white, the ornaments yellow, and the lower part black with white ornaments. On the shield underneath the spout are the three crescents interlaced. A small ewer (Fig. 56), seven inches high, ornamented with brown arabesques, inlaid upon a white ground, with lizards and frogs enamelled in green, the handle and spout enriched with masks of great delicacy of execution, was bought by Mr. John Webb. But the most choice specimen in the cabinet of M. Preaux was the candlestick of which ^ These six pieces were sold for francs ; a vase with a cover for 1560 the enormous sum of 12,248 francs francs. (nearly 490/.) ; the biberon for 2461 Chap. VI. FRENCH POTTERY. 109 we give a figure (Fig* 57), and which was purchased by Sir Anthony de Rothschild for the sum of 4900 francs.^ The surface is exquisitely enriched with arabesque patterns, either in black upon a white ground, or in white upon a black. The form is monumental, and in the finest style ; three figures of genii support es- cutcheons, bearing the arms of France and the double D. These genii stand upon masks, which are united by garlands enamelled in green. The top of the candlestick terminates in the form of a vase, on which appear the arms of France and the monogram of our Saviour. This piece, for deli- cacy of detail and beauty of execution, is unsurpassed by any specimen known of this exquisite fayence. Sir An- thony de Rothschild also pur- chased at M. Preaux’s sale a small cup, decorated in the same style, with the crescents interlaced, for which he gave 1300 francs. He therefore is fortu- nate in now having the largest collection known of this ware, as, in addition to the specimens already mentioned, he possesses two exquisite ewers of the same fayence. One he purchased at the sale of the Comte de Monville for 2300 fi^ancs ; the other, with a curious handle of elaborate workmanship, he bought for 1 9 guineas at Strawberry Hill, where he also purchased a tripod saltcellar, supported with scroll ornaments, for 2H. These two pieces were described in the catalogue as majolica and Palissy ware. Narford possesses three specimens of this celebrated fayence, viz. a biberon, a saltcellar, and a candlestick. The biberon is of fine quality, and has a border formed of the letters A M, the Fig. 57. Fayence de Henri II. Candlestick. (Sir A. de Rothschild’s Coll.) Amounting, duty included, to about 220(. 110 HISTORY OF POTTERY. Chap. VI. initials of the Constable Anne de Montmorenci, with the monogram of Diane de Poitiers and arms of France ; the saltcellar (Fig. 58) has a border below, formed of cocks’ heads. The candlestick, though not exactly similar in form, resembles in decoration that already described as belonging to Sir A. de Rothschild.^ In addi- tion to the monogram of Diane de Poitiers and the arms of France, it has the escutcheon of Anne de Montmorenci. The letter A occurs frequently in the ornament, and the pattern of the lowest border is so arranged as to form the letter H all round. Another choice specimen (Fig. 59) is in the possession of Mr. Hollingworth Magniac, of Colworth, near Bedford, who procured it from the collection of M. Odiot of Paris. It is an ewer fifteen inches high, of perfect form, ornamented with masks ; the surface entirely covered with arabesques in black and white, in which is constantly repeated the letter G, the meaning of which is not known. Possibly it may be the initial of the Duke of Guise, the other great political leader of the day. The handle is formed by a human figure reversed, the legs terminating in serpents’ tails, which twine round the shell that forms the mouth of the ewer. There are five pieces of this ware m the cabinet of M. Sauvageot. One, a saltcellar of pedestal form, at each corner of which stands a little genius supporting the arms of France. There are also two specimens in the Louvre, two in the Musee Ceramique at Sevres, Fig. 58. Fayeiite de Henri II. Saltcellar. (Fountaine Coll.) We have lately heard of a third candlestick of the same form. Chap. VI. FRENCH POTTERY. Ill two in Prince Soltykoff s Collection, two in that of Baron Lionel Rothschild, and one in the possession of Mr. George Field. TILES. Our sketch of the pottery of France would be incomplete without some notice of the glazed tiles (carreaux de revete- ment) with which the pavement and walls of the groundfloors of most of the resi- dences, palaces, and chapels were orna- mented. Of these the most ancient are probably not earlier than the 12th century. In the Musee Ceramique at Sevres are some from the Abbey of Voulton near Provins, founded by Queen Blanche, mother of St. Louis, in the 13th century, the ground of which is red, with ornaments in yellow, some having a lion, some a cross, with a fleur-de-lis in each angle of the form of the time of St. Louis. Tiles of similar style were found in taking up the floor of one of the rooms at Fontainebleau OCCU- Fig. 59. FayencedeHennll. Ewer. (Magniac Coll.) pied by that monarch. A prior date to these is claimed for the Norman tiles described by Lord Henniker^ as forming the pavement of the guard cham- ber^ of an ancient palace of King William the Conqueror, at Caen, built in the 11th century. “The floor is paved with tiles, each near five inches square, baked almost to vitrification. Eight rows of these tiles, running from east to west, are charged with different coats of arms, generally said to be those of the families who attended Duke William in his invasion of England. The intervals between each of these rows are filled up with a kind of tessellated pavement, the middle whereof represents a maze or labyrinth. The remainder of the floor is inlaid with small squares of different colours, placed alternately and formed into draught or chess boards for the amusement of the soldiery while on guard.” ^ Two letters, addressed to the So- ^ This chamber is now wholly de- ciety of Antiquaries, on the origin, an- stroyed. It was first noticed by Du- tiquity, and history of Norman tiles carel in his Tour in Normandy, pub- stained with armorial bearings. lished in 17