An Urbino istoriato dish

CIRCA 1550, INSCRIBED IN BLUE ON THE REVERSE TARPEA

細節

An Urbino istoriato dish
Circa 1550, inscribed in blue on the reverse Tarpea
Of Cardinal's hat form, painted in the Fontana workshop, of Cardinal's hat form, Tarpeia in the centre being crushed by the Sabines with their shields, before an arched building and a ruin, a walled town and blue mountains in the distance, ochre line rim (very minor chip to rim)
12½in. (32cm.) diam.

拍品專文

The subject on this piece is obscure and does not appear elsewhere (at least under this title) in the literature of istoriato maiolica. Tarpeia let the Sabines into Rome in return for their gold bands on their left arms but when she asked for what was on their left arms they crushed her with their shields which were also on their left arms. She also gave her name to the Tarpeian rock which was the high point in the Capitol from which murderers and traitors were thrown to their deaths.

For engravings see L. Ravelli, Polidora Caldara da Caravaggio, p. 250, nos. 357 and 358.