In the rich and even quality of the glaze, the tendency to that form of decoration known as “a candeliere” (as in the vase engraved), mixed grotesques, trophies of musical instruments, and cupids, in a style of painting which is free and at the same time firm and sure, and in the full yet soft colouring, we see in Mrs. Hope’s bowl a commencement of what became a very general manner in the decoration of the Durantine wares.
Of eleven years later we have the pharmacy jars which must have formed portions of a large and important service, one of which is in the British museum and another in the South Kensington. The signature on the British museum jar states, “Ne la botega d’ Sebastiano d’ Marforia,” and “A di xi de Octobre fece 1519,” and again at the base, “In Castel durā.” On p. [132] is a woodcut
of a mark in yellow, on a plate in the same museum, on which is the subject of Dido and Ascanius.
It would seem that this fabrique continued to flourish when those of Urbino and Pesaro had comparatively decayed; this may partly have been owing to the encouragement given by the duke Francesco Maria II. (1574 to 1631), who frequently resided at Castel Durante and took some interest in the manufacture. It however only produced at this period works of more general utility, artistic and ornamental pieces being the exception.
The wares of Castel Durante are generally to be recognised by a pale buff coloured paste, and great richness and purity of the
glaze. The plates (of which we give three woodcuts, from examples at South Kensington, nos. 8947, 8960, and 413) are rarely decorated at the back, but like those of Urbino and Pesaro are generally edged with yellow on the subject pieces, and with grey white on those having grotesques, which are in low olive tint on a blue ground. The colours are sometimes rather pale but harmonious and the carnations are of an olive tint, thought by some a distinguishing mark of the fabrique; while the absence of the ochreous red pigment so noticeable on the Urbino and Pesaro “istoriati” pieces is remarkable. In the draperies painted upon these wares blue and ochreous yellow predominate. Broadly treated grotesques and trophies of arms, musical instruments, books, &c. frequently painted in camaïeu of greenish grey on a blue ground, are favourite subjects of ornament; these also
occur painted in rich colours, among which a deep clear brown