The Renaissance Majolica of Urbino
Throughout the 16th century, 3 generations of major workshops existed in Urbino – each producing majolica of supreme caliber. The reputations of these shops and their individual artisans were top notch and the demand for majolica from Urbino was high, particularly amongst the wealthy middle class.
The majority of the works presented in this section are currently in collections outside of Italy: the Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA; the Fitzwilliam Museum, Great Britian; the J.Paul Getty Museum, USA & the Victoria Albert Museum, Great Britian.
Most of the works are attributed to the following renaissance artists and/or their workshops:
Nicola di Gabriele Sbraghe (Nicola da Urbino) 1480-1537 or 1538
Francesco Xanto Avelli da Rovigo (Xanto da Urbino) 1486-1544
Guido Durantino (the workshops of.... Guido was the owner, manager, not the artist) 1516-1576
Orazio & Flaminio Fontana (nephew and son of Guido Durantino) The Durantino family changed their name to Fontana when Orazio opened a separate workshop from the original one of his uncle’s.
Giovanni Patanazzi and his sons who worked in the pottery up to 1630 (well after the time of the the Renaissance)
believed to be from Urbino, c. 1510-1520
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Nicola da Urbino, circa 1500-1525
Nicola da Urbino c. 1515
Nicola da Urbino c.1520
Nicola da Urbino c.1524
Nicola da Urbino c.1524
unknown artist, Urbino c.1520
unknown artist, Urbino 1520
Urbino, c. 1531 (lid from a bowl of a maternity set)
Xanto da Urbino, c. 1534
Xanto da Urbino, c. 1535
workshop of Durantino, c.1535
workshop of Durantino, c.1535
workshop of Durantino, c.1535
Xanto da Urbino, c.1536
artist unknown, Urbino area, c.1540
Durantino workshop, c. 1540
These are parts of a maternity set (special majolica given to a new mother to celebrate her successful birthing.)
Durantino workshop c. 1545
Durantino workshop, c.1544-45
Durantino workshop, c.1545
Durantino workshop, c.1545-50
Durantino workshop, c.1550-70
maternity bowl (inside, and out) Urbino, c. 1560-70
Fontana workshop, c. 1560-70
(probably) Fontana workshop c. 1560-70
Fontana workshop, c. 1560-71
inside and outsides of bowl and lid to maternity sets, c. 1560-80
Pilgrim flask, Fontana workshop, c. 1565-70
Fontana workshop, c. 1565-75
Patanazzi workshop, c. 1579
unknown artist, Urbino, c. 1570-1600
Fontana workshop, late 16th century
Fontana workshop, late 16th C
Patanazzi workshop, late 16th century
Inkstand (lidded and interior)
Patanazzi workshop, c. 1580-90
Patanazzi, late 16th century
Patanazzi, late 16th century
Patanazzi, c. 1580s
Puzzle jug, Urbino, late 16th or early 17th century