Due ciotole Faenza, XVI secolo,

Majolica decorated with fire colours. Dimensions: height approx. 5.2 cm; diameter approx. 12.5 cm Bowl with two sockets Faenza, workshop of Virgiliotto Calamelli, 1566-1570 Marked "VR. AF." in ochre. Conservation: broken in 4 pieces and reassembled in restoration; two additions, one to a socket and the other to the upper rim Bowl with hemispherical cap, on ring foot, with two lateral trilobed sockets, covered with stanniferous enamel and decorated in compendium style with a classical female figure, seated in front of a tree, in a landscape and with two cherubs painted on the handles The extraordinary resemblance of the figure with the one painted on the fragment of a cup belonging to the collection of the Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche di Faenza, marked "DOPI" by don Pino Bettisi, leads us to consider our piece as produced in the period 1566-1570, when Bettisi also took over the workshop of his infirm friend. See C.Ravanelli, Guidotti, Faenza. Faïence - Bianchi di Faenza, Ferrara 1996, pp.78 and 202, n. 43 Bowl Faenza, last quarter of the XVI century Conservation: some chipping to the upper rim; craquelures to the enamel Decorated with a "cupid" or winged putto, moving towards the left, holding a bunch of grapes. Very quick commas and coloured touches quote the traditional flower garland of the ornamentation. This decorative formula was very popular in the Faentine workshops of the second half of the 16th century. The figure drawn on our object shows remarkable familiarity with the one produced in the workshop of Enea Utili in Faenza, taking it up in cursive form. See for instance C.Ravanelli, Guidotti, op.cit. Ferrara 1996, pp. 244, n.56 and p. 254, n.61.