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The <em>albarello</em>—a name of uncertain origin—was a pharmacist's jar used to hold dried herbs or medicinal compounds. It was usually closed by means of a piece of parchment or cloth stretched over its mouth and tied with a string. Its characteristic concave sides offered an easy grip to facilitate handling. This large albarello is one of the best of a small number of exquisitely decorated blue-and-white pieces produced in Tuscany in the mid-1400s.

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Details

  • Title: Pharmacy Jar (Albarello)
  • Date Created: c. 1450
  • Physical Dimensions: Overall: 34.3 x 15.9 cm (13 1/2 x 6 1/4 in.)
  • Provenance: Prince Trabbia, Palermo; (R. Stora, New York).
  • Type: Ceramic
  • Rights: CC0
  • External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1954.258
  • Medium: tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)
  • Department: Decorative Art and Design
  • Culture: Italy, Tuscany, 15th century
  • Credit Line: Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
  • Collection: Decorative Arts
  • Accession Number: 1954.258

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