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Two-handled cup: C.100-1991

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Pottery: Unidentified Orvieto pottery

Entities

Categories

Description

Late Medieval maiolica two-handled cup, painted in black and green with, on the inside, a stylised plant.

Pale buff earthenware, tin-glazed greyish-beige on both sides; base unglazed. Painted in black and copper-green.
Shape 21. Circular with warped carinated sides, narrow foot and two loop handles of oval section.
Inside, within two black concentric circles, there is a stylised plant bearing a cone; on the outside, a horizontal `ladder' over a green horizontal band.

Notes

History note: William Ridout; Christie's, 13 December 1938, The William Ridout collection of Italian majolica, European pottery, faience and delftware, probably part of lot 107; H.S. Reitlinger (d. 1950); the Reitlinger Trust, Maidenhead, from which transferred in 1991.

Legal notes

H.S. Reitlinger Bequest, 1950; transferred from the Reitlinger Trust, 1990

Measurements and weight

Height: 4.4 cm
Width: 13.6 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Orvieto ⪼ Umbria ⪼ Italy

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1991-04-29) by Reitlinger, Henry Scipio

Dating

13th Century
14th Century
Medieval
Circa 1250 CE - Circa 1350 CE

Note

During the thirteenth century, both underglaze-decorated and maiolica two-handled carinated cups were made in Orvieto. Lead-glazed cups appear to have persisted until towards the end of the century, judging by fragments excavated from a butto (formerly a cistern) under the Palazzo del Popolo, which was built in the early 1280s. However, the proportion of lead-glazed to tin-glazed fragments of all types from this site suggests that by then production of lead-glazed ware was declining. Maiolica carinated cups probably made their appearance between c. 1225 and c. 1250 and were made in large quantities during the Developed Phase, c.1250-1350.

School or Style

maiolica arcaica

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( black and copper-green)
Foot Diameter 4.4 cm
Body

Materials used in production

except base Tin-glaze
Earthenware

Techniques used in production

Tin-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: circular with blue border

  • Text: 'WILLIAM RIDOUT COLLECTION' printed in blue, 'O./28.' in blue-black ink
  • Method of creation: Printed in blue and inscribed in blue-black ink
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.100-1991
Primary reference Number: 47825
Packing number: EURCER 901
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 18 December 2023 Last processed: Monday 18 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Two-handled cup" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/47825 Accessed: 2024-12-30 09:04:02

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/47825 |title=Two-handled cup |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-30 09:04:02|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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