Dish with Diana, the Nymph of Fontainebleau 1585 - 1615

Bernard Palissy's "Dish with Diana, the Nymph of Fontainebleau" is a stunning example of Renaissance-era French earthenware. This oval dish, crafted between 1585 and 1615, features a central relief of Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, reclining with her dog by a stream. The intricate details of the scene, including the flowing water, the lush foliage, and the delicate animal forms, are rendered in Palissy's signature "rustic" style. The rim of the dish is adorned with an elaborate border of stylized leaves and flowers, adding to the overall sense of naturalism. Palissy's innovative approach to ceramics, incorporating real materials into his glazes, resulted in highly realistic depictions of the natural world.