A Candelieri Plate (Piatto)

This plate is remarkable for its elegant and sophisticated figures and decoration. The central male figure is both graceful and bizarre, an effect popular with Mannerist artists; the expression of surprise, elongated proportions, and twisting body that ends in leafy scrolls and foliage all contribute to the figure's fantastic nature. The Mannerists also favored such refined detailing as the beautifully draped fabric along the upper edge and the pose of the grotesque figure on the right, who gracefully crosses his left hand over his right arm, throwing a shadow over his extended forearm. The figures and ornament are painted in greenish grisaille, tones of gray that imitate marble. The decoration is called a candelieri because it follows a symmetrical arrangement, like a candelabrum. The candelabra decoration is often associated with maiolica from Castel Durante, while the large and shallow form of the plate and its grayish-blue ground are features typical of Venetian wares.