Name of Object:

Two-handled pot

Location:

Rome, Italy

Holding Museum:

Museum of Civilisations | Museum of Oriental Art “Giuseppe Tucci”

About Museum of Civilisations | Museum of Oriental Art “Giuseppe Tucci”, Rome

Date of Object:

Hegira 11th century / AD 17th century

Museum Inventory Number:

9769/ 8488

Material(s) / Technique(s):

Lustre-painted ceramic.

Dimensions:

Height 20.5 cm, diameter 12.8 cm

Period / Dynasty:

Production linked to Mudéjar art

Provenance:

Spain, Valencian workshop.

Description:

Two-handled long-neck pot with a foot-ring. The decoration, painted in intense red lustre on a cream-white tin glaze, consists of solid-lustre plant motifs, which was common in later Hispano-Moorish products. The dotted base of the body of the pot depicts two typical birds, known as Valencian 'pardalots', painted in a characteristic style consisting of groups of lines. 'Pardalots' and 'grotesque lions' are unusual in the decorative repertoire of this type of piece, as is the shape of the pot, the different parts of which are outlined with thick bands of solid lustre.

This pot belongs to a large group of objects produced in Valencia that were decorated with typical motifs and styles, although the birds (known as ‘pardalots’) and grotesque lions are unusual in this type of piece, as is the shape of the pot.

How Object was obtained:

Purchase.

How provenance was established:

The prototype for the pardalot can almost certainly be traced back to the eagle, which was often included on the base of Valencian plates in the first half of the 9th / 15th century. This style, which evolved over time to produce increasingly accentuated forms, became widespread in Valencian production in the 12th / 18th century.

Selected bibliography:

Ainaud De Lasarte, J., Cèramica y Vidrio, Ars Hispaniae, Vol. 10, Madrid, 1952.
Fronthingham, A. W., Lustreware of Spain, New York, 1951.
Torre, P., “Maioliche a Lustro Ispano-Moresche”, Serie Schede Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale, 7, Rome, 1987.
Torre, P., Le Mille e una Notte: Ceramiche Persiane, Turche e Ispano-Moresche, Faenza, 1990.
Torre, P., “Techniques Journeying from East to West at the Time of the Crusades”, Crusades: Myth and Realities, Nicosia, 2004.

Citation of this web page:

Paola Torre "Two-handled pot" in Discover Islamic Art, Museum With No Frontiers, 2024. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=object;ISL;it;Mus01;13;en

Prepared by: Paola TorrePaola Torre

Responsabile del Dipartimento di Archeologia e Arte Islamica e del Servizio Educativo presso il Museo Nazionale d'Arte Orientale “Giuseppe Tucci” di Roma.
Laureata in Arte islamica, ha svolto per anni attività di docenza presso l'Istituto Universitario Orientale di Napoli ed è autrice di numerose pubblicazioni e studi scientifici riguardanti soprattutto la ceramica del mondo islamico, con particolare riferimento alla produzione dipinta a lustro metallico, dalla Mesopotamia alla Spagna.
Copyedited by: Pier Paolo RacioppiPier Paolo Racioppi

Laureato e specializzato in storia dell'arte presso l'Università di Roma “La Sapienza” sta conseguendo il dottorato di ricerca in Storia e conservazione dell'oggetto d'arte e d'architettura presso l'Università di Roma TRE. Ha svolto attività seminariali presso l'Istituto di Storia dell'Arte all'Università La Sapienza di Roma e attualmente è docente di storia dell'arte del Rinascimento presso la IES at Luiss (Roma).
Ha pubblicato diversi contributi sulla tutela artistica, il collezionismo e le accademie d'arte, ed ha collaborato al Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani dell'Enciclopedia Treccani.
Translation by: Laurence Nunny
Translation copyedited by: Monica Allen

MWNF Working Number: IT 13