Apothecary Jar, Assug porci

ca 1500

A waisted albarello apothecary jar with a white glazed background and cobalt blue and ochre geometric and flora decoration. The escroll in the center of the jar is inscribed in gothic script and marked <i>...Assug porci</i>. An Albarello is a type of majolica earthenware jar used in apothecary shops from the time of the Middle Ages. Majolica pottery received its named from the Italian town of Majorca, where the style of earthenware was developed. The tin glaze of majolica resulted in an opaque whiteness that mimics porcelain which would then be painted with vivid colors.