Studio: international art (47.1909)

Hispano-Moresque Lustre Ware

leaves and tendrils in No. io, are two to which
attention ought chiefly to be drawn. The minute
net-pattern to be seen surrounding the central
shield in No. 14, and occurring also in Nos. 8
and 9, as well as the gadroon ornament in the
border of the latter and of No. 15, alike betoken
a somewhat late stage of the art. They will
scarcely be found in any examples prior to the
sixteenth century. On the other hand, the bold
spirals and dots of Nos. 2 and 5 are characteristic
of the best period, the first half of the fifteenth
century.

The aesthetic value of lettering was fully realised
by Moorish artists. Hence this factor is one
which constitutes an important element in Hispano-
Moresque lustre decoration. The lettering which
forms a ring within the outer rim of plate No. 9,
a late example, has become a meaningless con-
vention. Far superior is the sacred monogram, in
a fanciful variety of black-letter, in the centre of
the dish, Fig. 10. But the finest of all are the simple
black-letter characters of the text of the Angelic
Salutation on the rim of the dish, Fig. 5. One has
only to picture what the dish would be like without
them to appreciate how enormously the decorative

FIG, 15.—DARK RED LUSTRE DISH (VALENCIA,
XVI. CENT.)

effect of the whole composition is enhanced by the
series of radiating lines which the principal down-
strokes of the letters afford. A dish, almost an
exact counterpart of this one, only with a grey-
hound in the middle instead
of the bird, is comprised in
the famous Osma Collection.
Other favourite motifs, be-
sides heraldic lions in great
variety, are bulls, castles,
and sailing ships. The device
of the castle is commonly
explained to represent the
province of Castile. How-
ever, in connection with the
above and with the fact that
Manises was one of the chief
seats of the manufacture of
lustre ware, it is interesting
to recall that the noble family
of Boil, lords of Manises,
bore, for coat armour, quar-
terly argent three castles
gules and vert a bull or.
For instance, it is only neces-
sary to name the tomb with
effigy of Don Felipe Boil,
who distinguished himself
greatly under King Jaime II.
and died in 1384. The
monument was set up in the
chapter-house of the Domin-
ican convent at Valencia.

FIG. 14.—DISH, PALE GOLD LUSTRE AND BLUE (MALAGA OR VALENCIA, XVI. CENT.)

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