Shallow bowl with a bearded saint 1515 - 1525

Curator: It strikes me immediately, this ceramic bowl—something about the way the saint seems almost melancholic despite the surrounding decoration. Editor: This is a shallow bowl, likely from the workshop of Maestro Giorgio Andreoli, created sometime between 1515 and 1525. It is titled "Shallow bowl with a bearded saint," currently residing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: Maestro Giorgio, huh? There's such vibrancy in those reds and blues, isn't there? A deliberate tension, perhaps, between the saint’s serious profile and the lively border. It makes me wonder, what was this bowl used for? Was it purely decorative, or did it hold something? Perhaps something bittersweet? Editor: Well, the face within a roundel is a strong motif with ancient roots. Roundels containing divine figures would appear on plates or coinage, emblems of power or authority and continuity. That, coupled with the saintly figure framed by that halo implies the weight of generations looking on. Curator: Yes, definitely something ancestral about the bowl! It feels charged, like a charm or something a soothsayer would use to stare into. It makes one wonder who gazed at this artwork, hoping for advice from the saint... Editor: Absolutely. Also, notice how even the floral elements are highly stylized, almost like heraldic devices. Everything is carefully arranged, each element contributing to the bowl's overall symbolic message. Even the little bearded man—that secondary face peeking out from the bottom—what’s he all about? Curator: Ha! Yes, his presence makes this feel like something more complicated. Is that supposed to be a grotesque grinning back? I wonder if the little figure is the artisan looking on? His little nod to say "Well, this is what people are supposed to see!". Or perhaps a silent reminder that even the holiest figures have human imperfections... Editor: Right. He subverts it all—reminding us, with a knowing smile, that holiness and humanity are two sides of the same coin. Food for thought, served on a decorative plate. Curator: So yes, something profound here… I initially thought melancholic, but the longer I gaze, the more subversive, rebellious, and hopeful it appears. It's not as passive as one thinks. Editor: I agree. It initially presents this holy visage, steeped in symbolism and history, yet that playful element breaks through. It leaves us with more questions than answers—a hallmark of truly compelling art.