Dish with Christ washing the feet of St. Peter 1650 - 1699

Editor: So, here we have a ceramic dish dating back to between 1650 and 1699, titled "Dish with Christ washing the feet of St. Peter." It's at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it's credited to Bernard Palissy. There's something about the texture of it that draws me in - it's so tactile. What leaps out at you? Curator: The sheer audacity! To render such a profound moment – Christ's humble act of service – onto something so…domestic, a dish! Palissy, I imagine, saw no contradiction. Perhaps he envisioned it sparking dinner-table debates, a constant visual reminder. Do you think its Baroque flourishes overwhelm the central narrative or enhance it? Editor: I see what you mean. It’s busy, for sure. Maybe a little overwhelming. But how does that affect the story being told, if at all? Curator: The busyness, that almost feverish detail… it speaks to the fervent religious climate of the time, the Counter-Reformation's push for accessible piety. It also showcases Palissy's skill, a craftsman flexing his abilities, like a preacher using elaborate metaphors. The expressions, caught mid-thought and reaction, also contribute to a sense of baroque drama. Almost like you've stumbled into the Upper Room yourself! What do you make of the ceramic medium itself? Seems odd, doesn't it, for such a subject? Editor: It does seem unusual, but also kind of cool? Makes it relatable. It's not some grand fresco in a church, but something that could be on your table. I like that a lot. Curator: Exactly! It shrinks the distance between the divine and the everyday, making it wonderfully, intimately human. I never thought about it this way until now. Thanks! Editor: Me too. This really helped me see the plate in a new light!