Art Institute of ChicagoPublic domain

Wine Cistern

Francesco Durantino · 1553

Analyst brief

What the record supports

The "Wine Cistern" is a tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica) object, dated 1553, attributed to the artist Francesco Durantino. Measuring 53.3 × 26.7 cm (21 × 10 1/2 in.), it is classified as earthenware and falls under the Applied Arts of Europe department. The culture of origin is Italy.

The cistern's provenance traces back potentially to Sir Andrew Fountaine in the early eighteenth century, passing by descent to his heirs at Narford Hall. It was sold in London in 1884 to Galerie Stettiner, Paris, and later belonged to Baron Eugen Miller von Aichholz in Vienna, before being sold in 1900. Subsequently, it was owned by Fernand Adda and sold in 1965 to Edward R. Lubin Gallery, New York, before being acquired by the Art Institute in 1966 through the Mary Waller Langhorne Endowment.

The object has been featured in two exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago: "Renaissance Decorative Arts from Chicago Collections" (1987) and "A Case for Wine" (2009). It has also been cited in numerous publications on ceramic art and maiolica dating from 1877 to 1977.

Generated from the catalogue fields shown on this page. Nartmad does not assert attributions, valuations or prices that no cited source supports.

Provenance

Ownership history

Possibly acquired by Sir Andrew Fountaine (1676-1753) in Italy in the early eighteenth century and passed to his heirs by descent [Scheidemantel, 1968, p. 52]. Andrew Fontaine (d. 1873), Narford Hall, Norfolk; by descent to heirs [according to C. Drury Fortnum, Maiolica (Oxford,1896), p. 77]; sold, London, Christie's, 1884, no. 389, to Galerie Stettiner, Paris, for £336 {according to annotated copy of sales catalogue in the British Museum, referenced by Scheidemantel, 1968, p. 58]. Baron Eugen Miller von Aichholz (b. 1835 - d. 1919), Palast Aichholz, Vienna, before 1900 (his sale, Paris, Galerie Georges Petit, May 18-22, 1900, no. 101). Fernand Adda (d. 1964), Alexandria and later Paris and Rome; his sale, Paris, Palais Galliera, November 29-December 3, 1965, no. 601; sold to Edward R. Lubin Gallery, New York [according to letter in curatorial file]; sold to the Art Institute, 1966 [according to receipt in Registrar's files].

Recorded by Art Institute of Chicago.

Exhibitions

Exhibition history

Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, Renaissance Decorative Arts from Chicago Collections, March 2 – June 14, 1987.
Chicago, The Art Institute of Chicago, A Case for Wine, July 11 - September 20, 2009, no catalogue.

Literature

Published references

Albert Jacquemart, History of the Ceramic Art (London, 1877), p. 294.
C. Drury Fortnum, Maiolica (New York, 1877), p. 151.
William Chaffers, Marks and Monograms on Pottery and Porcelain (London, 1886), pp. 84, 87.
C. Drury Fortnum, Maiolica, A Historical Treatise (Oxford, 1896), p. 235.
M. L. Solon, Italian Maiolica (London, 1907), p. 104.
Emil Hannover, Pottery and Porcelain, vol. 1 (New York, 1925), p. 130.
Bernard Rackham, Catalogue of Italian Maiolica, Victoria and Albert Museum, vol. 1 (London, 1940), p. 284.
Joseph Chompret, Majolique Italienne, vol. 1 (Paris, 1949), p. 150.
Bernard Rackham, Islamic Pottery and Italian Maiolica: Illustrated Catalogue of a Private Collection (London, 1959), pp. 131-32, no. 448, pl. 200B, 201B.
Giuseppe Liverani, Five Centuries of Italian Majolica (New York, 1960), p. 49.
Vivian J. Scheidemantel, “An Italian Majolica Wine Cooler,” Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies 3 (1968), pp. 42-62 (ill.).
John Fleming and Hugh Honour, Dictionary of the Decorative Arts (New York, 1977), p. 305, and dust jacket image.

Comparables