Cleveland Museum of Art

Charger Depicting a Chariot Race

Fontana Family

Date

c. 1575

Medium

tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica)

Culture

Italy, Urbino

Department

Decorative Art and Design

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

During the Renaissance, an understanding of classical antiquity was perceived to be a sign of social, intellectual, and economic distinction. Scenes from Greco-Roman mythology were prominently featured on maiolica, covering the surface in a style called istoriato (decorated with stories). The creatures along the rim of this plate are loosely based on the figures discovered on the walls of Roman ruins a century before.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.