DERUTA
Large circular ceremonial dish in majolica, full polychrome decoration representing on the basin the Resurrection of Christ. The floor is painted bright green and dotted with brown dots. The wing is decorated with motifs of palmettes and large stylised leaves standing out against alternating blue and orange backgrounds.
The well-balanced composition shows Christ in the centre, nimbed and carrying the victorious flag surmounted by a cross, while two soldiers flee from either side of the tomb, contributing to the effect of symmetry. Two other soldiers are asleep in the foreground.
Brown glazed reverse on red earth.
Early 16th century (ca. 1510).
Diameter: 41 cm
This dish belongs to the category of large ceremonial dishes (piatti da pompa), which constitute the most important part of Deruta's production and whose most beautiful pieces were made in the first third of the 16th century. The Deruta factory played a key role in the development of historic majolica in Italy.
The theme of the Risen Christ is rare in the iconography of Italian majolica.
The painter may have been inspired by an engraving by Martin Schongauer or Israhel van
Meckenem, or by the Italian Marcantonio Raimondi after Dürer. The motif is also reminiscent of the painted composition of Hans
Memling's triptych of the Resurrection (Louvre Museum).
This dish was published in Connaissance des Arts, special issue of 1976, p. 83, article on the important pieces on sale that year. At the time, this dish had been sold for 39,000 francs excluding expenses.
A very similar model with a similar decoration on the basin is kept in the Louvre museum, inv. OA 1626.