The V&A has the greatest collection of maiolica, Italian tin-glazed pottery, in the world. This long-awaited study explores the significance of these fascinating objects in the art and social history of the Italian Renaissance, tracing their use from birth through courtship and marriage rituals to death, and offering insight into the life of noble families in this period. New photography shows the dazzling palette of colors used to decorate these objects, which have not faded over time, and emphasizes why the pieces were prized in the Renaissance and remain so popular with today’s collectors.
Italian Renaissance Maiolica also includes illustrations from Piccolpasso’s 16th-century manuscript Three Books of the Potter’s Art, an incomparable source on maiolica, to illustrate how these highly valued objects were made.