Storage jar (albarello) with a profile portrait

Unknown

ca. 1480–1500 · Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware) · European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

The distinctive profile of the man depicted on this storage jar might suggest that it is the portrait of a specific individual. It has been proposed that it represents King Charles VIII of France (1470–1498), who invaded Italy in 1494–95 and attempted, without success, to seize the throne of Naples.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1480–1500

Medium

Maiolica (tin-glazed earthenware)

Culture

Italian, probably Naples or Naples district

Department

European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

Credit line

Fletcher Fund, 1946