A Venice 'a berettino' ground maiolica albarello, second half of the 16th century
£1,625
Auction: 8 April 2009 at 11:30 BST
Description
of double gourd form, decorated in berettino with dark blue leaves and berries on a light blue ground, inscribed with a drug label ELo.LENITIVO (lenitivo elettuario) above a polychrome armorial
Dimensions
18.5cm high
Footnote
Literature:
See Wendy Watson, 'Italian Renaissance Ceramics - the Howard I. Janet H. Stein Collectin and the Philadelphia Museum of Art', (Philadelphia Museum, 2001), p.162, cat. 77A and B and page 208 for reverse, for a similar pair of albarelli with similar decoration but in this case also painted in white.
For information about contents see Rudolph E.A Drey, 'Apothecary Jars', p210 (London 1978)