Italian, probably Pesaro, Circa 1580

Christie's London, 2 June 2015, lot 6;

Where acquired by Aso O. Tavitian.

A near-identical two-handled jar painted with Fortuna standing on a dolphin on a ground of a trofei decoration is in the MAK collection, in Vienna.¹ Wilson notes that jar was part of a large group of pharmacy wares with the figure of Fortuna, many of which were two-handled, some of which were dated 1579 and 1580. Several of the jars had lids, which was unusual among 16th century pharmacy sets. According to Riccardo Gresta, the set is likely to have been made for a pharmacy belonging to Marco Paoli in the San Nicola district of Pesaro.²

¹ T. Wilson, Tin-Glaze and Image Culture. The MAK Maiolica Collection in its Wider Context. ,Vienna/Stuttgart 2022, no. 203. pp. 238-239

² G. Albarelli, Ceramisti pesaresi nei documenti notarili dell'Archivio di Stato di Pesaro sec. XV ‑ XVIII (Biblioteca Servorum Romandiolae 9). Bologna. (Doc. 1917); R. Gresta, Riccardo. “La maiolica istoriata a Pesaro. Il pittore della Fortuna Marina”, Accademia Raffaello. Atti e studi, nuova serie 1, pp. 57-76; R. Gresta, "Il corredo da farmacia nel segno della Fortuna", La Piazza della Provincia. Mensile d'informazione della Provincia di Rimini, January 1999, p. 1.