A pair of monumental vases with scenes from "Jerusalem Delivered"

Papi workshop|Pietro Papi

1670 · Tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

A pair of monumental vases with scenes from "Jerusalem Delivered" — Papi workshop|Pietro Papi

Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered, a complex tale of crusaders in Jerusalem first published in 1581, was an endless source of artistic inspiration for Italian maiolica producers, including this pair of monumental vases by the Papi workshop, based in Urbania, a town in the Marche region of Italy. The most distinctive aspect of these vases is the combination of polychrome and monochrome blue palettes in the depiction of scenes from the epic poem. By 1670, maiolica makers of exuberant, eye-catching forms such as this pair vied with the strong European demand for Chinese blue and white porcelain.

Artist
Papi workshop|Pietro Papi
Date
1670
Medium
Tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)
Culture
Italian, Urbania
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Credit line
Purchase, Wrightsman Fellows and Friends of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Gifts, 2022

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