CIRCA 1460-80, PROBABLY PESARO

For an almost identical albarello, presumably once from the same pharmacy, see Joseph Chompret, Repertoire de la Majolique Italienne, Paris, 1949, Vol. II, p. 49, 369, where it is recorded as being in the Weinberger Collection. For the albarello in the Fitzwilliam Museum with related flowerhead decoration, see Julia E. Poole, Italian maiolica and incised slipware in the Fitzwilliam Museum Cambridge, Cambridge, 1995, pp. 282, no. 356.

Tall waisted albarelli decorated with registers of gothic foliage, 'peacock feather eye' ornament, San Bernardino rays and flowers have traditionally been attributed to Faenza until Berardi published the findings of excavations at Pesaro which uncovered sherds decorated with this type of decoration.1 Julia Poole notes that 'without further evidence, in the form of sherds from a kiln site, or from comparative analysis of sherds of this type with others from both centres, it is not possible to give a conclusive attribution, but Pesrao seems the most likely place of origin'.2

1. Paride Berardi, L'antica maiolica di Pesaro dal XIV al XVII secolo, Florence, 1984.
2. Poole, ibid., 1995, p. 282.