Manises Reflection Plate - Spain

Large Hispano-Moorish lustreware plate
Manises (Valencia), 16th – early 17th century
Diameter: 40 cm
Magnificent and rare large-format example of the famous Manises lustreware. The obverse features a ochre-golden background with intense metallic shine, decorated with delicate scrolling and dotted arabesque work that give the whole piece a nearly textile texture. In the center, framed by two concentric circles in cobalt blue, stands a mighty heraldic eagle with wings spread and strong talons.
Around the wing runs a Gothic inscription in blue characters invoking the Virgin (“Ave Maria…”), typical of the religious and devotional production of the Valencian workshops. The outer edge is finished with a fine border of dots and the characteristic “mottling” of the period.
The reverse, in natural cream color, shows the classic concentric turning rings and the annular foot, with traces of enamel and the firing marks typical of these pieces.
This is an exceptionally sized piece (40 cm), of great decorative presence and in very good condition for its age. The lustre glaze still retains warmth and golden flashes, making it an excellent example of the technical maturity of the Manises potters at the transition from the 16th to the 17th century.
A work of great charm and rarity, ideal for collectors of Hispano-Moorish ceramics and lovers of Spanish Renaissance decorative arts.