Albarello Tapered cylindrical albarello with fairing and almost flat shoulder,...

Albarello

Tapered cylindrical albarello with fairing and almost flat shoulder, short neck and slightly extroverted mouth.
Majolica painted in "sapphire" blue, yellow, and green.
Decoration: wide central wraparound band with leaves arranged horizontally, within lines; at the bottom geometric bands.
H. cm. 24; Øb.cm.9; Øp.cm.10.
Cond: very good (drippings during firing).
Prov.: Naples, Giovene de Girasole collection; ITALIKA collection, inv. no. M224.
Bibl.: Catalogue Auction Giovene de Girasole, Florence, Sala Galardelli, 27/2/1925, n.184.
Catalogue Auction Christie's, Rome 26,27 /4/1988, n.441.
Gardelli, 1999, n. 147.
Bertolami Fine Art, auction 32, lot 18.
FLORENCE (or MONTELUPO); 15th century, half and third quarter.
The albarello has a shape perfectly derived from the segments of bamboo cane, where the spices were introduced to be brought from the East to the West. The wrap-around carpet decoration is obtained in very interesting colours; in fact, in addition to the yellow obtained from the ferraccia and the green-branch that softens the centre of the leaves, the albarello has the very intense blue of the sapphire halfway between the diluted and the relief, with some colour drippings on the enamel. The unusual decoration, but of great visual impact, makes the majolica very rare and precious.