Dish with childhood of Bacchus

Mastro Giorgio Andreoli da Gubbio
lustreware maiolica
1528

This lusterware dish celebrating the god’s idyllic childhood is a reinterpretation of an engraving by Marcantonio Raimondi which itself was by inspired by one of Raphael’s artworks. A Spanish fly green illuminates the landscape. The plump bunch and individual grape little Bacchus is raising to the satyr’s lips are coloured a ruby red, as is the amphora held by the latter.

Mastro Giorgio used his highly refined skills and unique mastery of colour to rediscover Fantimid and Mesopotamian dynasty techniques which is how he developed the incomparable ruby lustre that so uniquely differentiated his work from other ceramics produced in Deruta or Urbino. There was no element of luck in his becomomg one of the greatest ceramicists. He produced his trademark lustre by applying a fine coat of metallic powder, obtained by a reduction, to pieces that had already been glazed, obtaining different iridescent effects according to the type of metal used.