Dish with an allegory of fertility
CultureEnglish
OriginLondon, Greater London, England
PeriodCharles I (1625-1649)
Dateca.1635
MediumTin-glazed earthenware (delftware)
DimensionsOverall: 6 x 48.5 x 40.6 cm (2 3/8 x 19 1/8 x 16 in.)
DescriptionOval dish attributed to the Pickleherring pottery, Southwark, London. It is decorated in high relief with a scene known as 'La Fécondité' showing a naked woman and four children. The ground is picked out in blue with brickwork, and the rim has masks in relief and depressions with stylised leaves and fruit. It is painted in a bold palette of ochre, blue, green and yellow.
English “fecundity dishes” modelled much like this one bear dates from 1633 to 1697, and were displayed similarly to prints or paintings. The central scene symbolized the owners’ hopes for the successful bearing and raising of children. Such classical motifs form a peculiarly English contrast with the large leaf elements, in the wells, drawn from the Eight Precious Things motif found on some Chinese export porcelain. Traditionally, fecundity dishes were thought to have been inspired by Bernard Palissy’s wares made in Saintonge, France, during the late mid-16th century, but no closely similar prototype has yet been identified. Other fecundity dishes possibly from the same mould survive.
English “fecundity dishes” modelled much like this one bear dates from 1633 to 1697, and were displayed similarly to prints or paintings. The central scene symbolized the owners’ hopes for the successful bearing and raising of children. Such classical motifs form a peculiarly English contrast with the large leaf elements, in the wells, drawn from the Eight Precious Things motif found on some Chinese export porcelain. Traditionally, fecundity dishes were thought to have been inspired by Bernard Palissy’s wares made in Saintonge, France, during the late mid-16th century, but no closely similar prototype has yet been identified. Other fecundity dishes possibly from the same mould survive.
Credit LineGift of George and Helen Gardiner
Object numberG83.1.488
Classifications
European CeramicsSub-classification
English Earthenware - DelftwareStatus
On view
Artist / Maker: Chantilly Porcelain Manufactory
ca. 1735-40
Object number: G19.10.1
Artist / Maker: Workshop of Piero Bergantini
1537
Object number: G83.1.351
ca.1680-1710
Object number: G01.2.69.1-2
