Photograph: White vase with 2 handles. It is decorated in blue with bands around the neck and base and with the initials 'YHS' in the centre of the body.
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Vase

Date: About 1510

The Italian merchant community in London constituted a small but wealthy and influential group. They imported a range of luxury commodities from their homeland to satisfy London consumers, as well as souvenirs and treasured items for personal use. Maiolica vases from Tuscany decorated with religious motifs were especially popular, and dozens of examples have been excavated in London. This vase, from about 1510, is typical. The medallion incorporates a version of the sacred 'YHS' trigram (from the Greek spelling of Jesus: IHS??S) advocated by St Bernardino in 1427, and is encircled by a band from which fan-like palms radiate in spandrels.

Accession number: 23046

Place made: Montelupo?, Italy or Pisa?, Italy or lower to mid Arno valley, Italy

Place of collection: Gateway House, 1 Watling Street EC4 [City of London] [GM160, ER161B]

Material: ceramic; earthenware

Measurements: H 140 mm; DM (max) 107 mm

Gallery location: Case 27.2

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Related material

Subjects:

The Church

Objects:
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