Charger Depicting a Chariot Race

From the Cleveland Museum of Art record

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.