Maiolica inkstand with the Nativity, by Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle

An image of Maiolica. Nativity Inkstand. Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle (active early 16th century, Italian, Faenza, circa 1507-1516). With a Nativity group in the round at the back, and an inkwell and candlesocket on either side. The Virgin Mary and St Joseph kneel on either side of a wattle stall occupied by an ox and an ass. The infant Christ lies on a wavy-edged cloth between them. In front of the figures is a space for pens, enclosed by a low wall, decorated on the exterior with strapwork. Dark buff earthenware, tin-glazed on the upper surfaces; base streaked with glaze. Painted in dark blue, green, yellow, brownish-orange, and manganese-purple high-temperature (metallic oxide) colours, height, whole, 15.8 cm, length, whole, 21.5 cm, depth, whole, 17.1 cm, circa 1509-1510. Renaissance.

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Maiolica. Nativity Inkstand. Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle (active early 16th century, Italian, Faenza, circa 1507-1516). With a Nativity group in the round at the back, and an inkwell and candlesocket on either side. The Virgin Mary and St Joseph kneel on either side of a wattle stall occupied by an ox and an ass. The infant Christ lies on a wavy-edged cloth between them. In front of the figures is a space for pens, enclosed by a low wall, decorated on the exterior with strapwork. Dark buff earthenware, tin-glazed on the upper surfaces; base streaked with glaze. Painted in dark blue, green, yellow, brownish-orange, and manganese-purple high-temperature (metallic oxide) colours, height, whole, 15.8 cm, length, whole, 21.5 cm, depth, whole, 17.1 cm, circa 1509-1510. Renaissance.

Image data

Accession Number: C.2179-1928
Photograph copyright © The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal length: 120
Camera: Hasselblad H3DII-31
Photographer name: Michael Jones
Image height: 768 pixels
Image width: 1024 pixels
Processed with: Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.4 (Windows)
Filesize: 614.34kB
Exposure time: 1/125
ISO Speed: 200
Fnumber: 22/1

Key words

16th Century adoration adoration of the child animal Baby Jesus biblical blue candlesticks Christ Christ child Christianity Christmas donkeys earthenware fence figure figure group Fitz_AA Giovanni di Nicola di Manzoni of Colle Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle glazed High Renaissance Holy Family infant Christ inkstand inkwell Italian Jesus Joseph Madonna maiolica Mary and Joseph model modelled mother and child nativity New Testament Other Keywords ox oxen painted polychrome pottery religion religious Renaissance stable strapwork tin-glazed Virgin and Child Virgin Mary wattle fence Xmas

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            The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025)
            "Maiolica inkstand with the Nativity, by Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle"
            Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/image/media-52911 Accessed: 2025-12-05 18:46:24

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            |title=Maiolica inkstand with the Nativity, by Giovanni di Nicola Manzoni dal Colle
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