Faenza dish

Ceramic products in the maiolica technique were made in the mid-sixteenth century in Faenza, an important European centre of ceramic design. The term faience takes its name from the town, and is essentially another name for maiolica. Faenza ware at that time was usually white and lightly decorated with painted motifs such as coats-of-arms, portraits, initials or putti. The dishes were made for stock and the customer could decide what sort of decorative motif he wanted painted on them. Aristocratic families usually chose their own coat-of-arms. The dish has a wide rim, pierced with a template. On the base are the hand painted arms of the Auersperg and Gall families. Above the arms of the former are the initials: D. F. Z. A. H. Z. S., and above those of the latter S. F. A. H. Z. S. G. G. The first initials stand for Dietrich (Theodoricus) Baron Schönberg Count Auersperg, who was hereditary chamberlain and marshal in Carniola, as well as provincial governor. He was born in 1578, died on 25 August 1634 and is buried in the Franciscan church in Ljubljana. His original castle was Žužemberk. He was the first in the family to use, in addition to the title Baron, also the initials S. R. I. (Count of the Roman Empire). The other initials stand for Sidonija Gall, who was the daughter of Cosmas Gall Baron Gallenstein from Castle Graffenweg (Knežji pot above Litija). They were married in about 1609. The dish was probably part of the dinner service that decorated the table on important events, perhaps anniversaries of their wedding.