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Source Description
The center medallion of this dish portrays the profile of a man wearing a traditional ancient Roman toga and laurel wreath. The name “CHASIO” is inscribed in the background, probably referencing Gaius Cassius Longinus (87-42 BCE), one of Julius Caesar’s (100-44 BCE) assassins. The profile was likely adopted from a Roman coin, though not one of the many coins issued in the name of Cassius as his coins do not bear his portrait, but typically the head of Liberty veiled to symbolize the restrictions on liberty under Caesar. The outer ring of this dish is decorated with palmettes, acanthus leaves, and scrolls, painted in a bluish-white tin glaze on a dark blue background. This decorative color scheme, known as “berettino,” became a specialty of Faenza potters during the first half of the sixteenth century. The back of the dish is painted with blue concentric circles alternating between dark and shaded bands, and a small dark blue spiral is at the center. The Faenza workshop that most likely produced the present dish is that known as the Casa Pirota Workshop. For other works from this workshop, click on the name in the creator field; for another maiolica dish with a Roman profile, see 48.1321
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
23895
label
Dish with Roman Profile Head ""Chasio""
core
obj
dtoType
object
citationUrl
pageCount
2
Source metadata
id
23895
sourceUrl
contentType
object
stage
normalized
title
Dish with Roman Profile Head ""Chasio""
description
The center medallion of this dish portrays the profile of a man wearing a traditional ancient Roman toga and laurel wreath. The name “CHASIO” is inscribed in the background, probably referencing Gaius Cassius Longinus (87-42 BCE), one of Julius Caesar’s (100-44 BCE) assassins. The profile was likely adopted from a Roman coin, though not one of the many coins issued in the name of Cassius as his coins do not bear his portrait, but typically the head of Liberty veiled to symbolize the restrictions on liberty under Caesar. The outer ring of this dish is decorated with palmettes, acanthus leaves, and scrolls, painted in a bluish-white tin glaze on a dark blue background. This decorative color scheme, known as “berettino,” became a specialty of Faenza potters during the first half of the sixteenth century. The back of the dish is painted with blue concentric circles alternating between dark and shaded bands, and a small dark blue spiral is at the center. The Faenza workshop that most likely produced the present dish is that known as the Casa Pirota Workshop. For other works from this workshop, click on the name in the creator field; for another maiolica dish with a Roman profile, see 48.1321
provenance
Private collection, Florence [no. 119]; Sangiorgi, Rome [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
date
ca. 1525-1530 (Renaissance)
citationUrl
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
genreSpecific
Ceramics
dishes
imageCount
2
pageCount
2
source
import
dimensions
units
cm
width
5.7
height
24.1
dimensionsRaw
2 1/4 x 9 1/2 in. (5.7 x 24.1 cm)
Source extras
inscriptions
[Maker's Mark] In the center of the back
between the foot ring
a small dark blue spiral
med
earthenware with tin glaze (maiolica)
creator_ids
15489
collection_ids
REN
exhibition_ids
none
Page inventory
seq
1
type
photo
mediaId
ae1213e358feb8ce
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no
seq
2
type
photo
mediaId
2f369f59ad57e826
hasOcr
no
hasDescription
no