Vase - Majolica - Pharmacy Jar

Important Pharmacy Jar by Biansato – Montelupo Fiorentino, late 15th / early 16th century
Rare and important pharmacy jar (or sweetening amphora) in Renaissance maiolica, an excellent testimony to the prestigious production of Montelupo Fiorentino between the late 1400s and the very early 1500s. The ovoid body, with a slim neck and flared lip, is entirely decorated with a tapisserie-like pattern featuring the famous “archaic Persian palm” motif painted in intense cobalt blue (zaffera) and manganese brown, alternating with geometric rosettes in yellow-orange on scrolls and scrollwork background elements. On the sides stand two splendid and majestic barrel-shaped twisted handles (tortili), clad in a thick cobalt blue glaze. The interior preserves the original lead glaze that is shiny and transparent, necessary at the time for impermeabilizing the container, enriched by a splendid patina and centuries-long natural oxidation (“leopard” patina) impossible to reproduce artificially. The base is entirely biscuit-fired and finished by hand on the potter’s wheel, with the typical signs of wear and aging coherent with the artifact’s high age.
The object is presented in an exceptional state of conservation for its age: the jar has undergone no restoration of any kind. Structurally intact in all its essential parts, including the original handles. Only small, natural losses of glaze localized along the profile of the upper lip and the edge of the base are noted, historical defects that confirm the piece’s authenticity and life lived. The natural and very fine era-specific craquelé is present on the white tin-glazed surface.
Dimensions:
Height: 38 cm
Maximum width (including the handles): 43 cm