Stock No: 16992

A pair of 'a berettino' ground Venetian maiolica albarelli of dumbbell shape, painted with dark blue flowers, oak leaves, berries and other foliage against a paler blue ground, the waisted middles painted with scrolls inscribed 'V DA CANTVS ne', which roughly translates to ''give me a song and perhaps alludes to this jar once containing a tincture for the throat and EL ELESCOF', which is a term found in medical texts, thought to mean a topical salve.

Italy, Venice, mid-17th century.

Notes: 'A berettino' albarelli were characterised by their distinctive lavender-blue or pale blue tin glaze, often decorated with dark blue, white, or ochre floral, leafy, or armorial motifs. Primarily produced in Venice, Faenza, or Rome, these waisted apothecary jars often feature Latin inscriptions and were used for storing medicine.

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