Dish (coppa): Hercules slays the centaur Nessus 1525

This maiolica dish, created by Maestro Giorgio Andreoli in 1525, depicts the mythical scene of Hercules slaying the centaur Nessus. The vividly colored scene is set in a verdant landscape, featuring a river, trees, and a distant cityscape. Hercules, depicted in the nude, stands over the defeated Nessus, who is writhing in pain. The inscription "DIVOHERCVLIS" in the upper portion of the dish identifies Hercules as the divine hero of the scene. This dish is a prime example of Italian Renaissance majolica, a type of tin-glazed earthenware that was popular throughout the 16th century.