Albarello with Scrolling Gothic Leaf Motif

By the late fifteenth century, polychrome wares had replaced the more limited palette of Severe-style majolica, adding new shades of gold and green. Plant forms predominated, particularly an elegantly scrolled “Gothic-floral” leaf. This motif is often combined with a wavy ray pattern associated with San Bernardino of Siena, as seen on this albarello from Faenza. Albarelli, cylindrical vessels of Near Eastern form, were widely used in pharmacies to store herbs, honey, and ointments.