Extremely rare Portuguese faience aquamanile dating from thefirst half of the 17th century, decorated in cobalt-blue pigment ona tin-white enamelled ground. The unusual vessel is moulded andshaped as a fantastic chimera of dog head and neck and pronouncedfemale torso of marked waistline, fused onto a hybrid lower bodywith lion paws, bird wings and a long robust fish tail that curvesupwards, to join the back of the head, forming a handle.The decorative composition is highlighted and enriched bya bright cobalt-blue pigment in a variety of shades and ornamentalmotifs reflecting the influence of European prototypes, such asthe elaborate jewel-like necklace, the grotesque mask bodice, thescrolled acanthus shoulders and the two large abdominal fleuroncut by a keel like blade. The tale floral decoration however, albeitof looser and freer character, suggests the aesthetic grammar ofcontemporary Chinese porcelain prototypes.This rare piece, undoubtedly produced by a Lisbon potteryworkshop, was conceived with particular care, both in its shape andornamentation, and was most certainly destined to an aristocraticand erudite clientele that would display it in the courtly washing of the hands ceremony that preceded the meals. Identical use hadthe various extant bronze examples of equally extravagant shapesand aquatic allusions.The fantastic character of this aquamanile, distinct frommedieval creations and from other contemporary European pieces,was only conceivable due to the wide diversity of cultures and exoticobjects from far-away lands that merged in Lisbon, and overlappedwith Italian Renaissance elements and Mannerist grammars characteristicof early 17th century Portuguese art.According to Alexandre Pais, the dog-headed aquamanilecorresponds to the ‘Garrafa Cetus’, linking it to an engraving publishedin 1560 in C. Gesne’s Icones Animalium Aquatilium, whichdepicts a sea monster reportedly sighted in Germany in 1522. Paissuggests the possibility of it being commissioned by a Germanclientele, as no similar morphological references are known inother parts of Europe.1It is also relevant to refer the close decorative relationshipbetween this piece and contemporary tile productions, namely inrelation to the grotesque ornaments, and other simpler popularmotifs that reflected the naïve character of Portuguese ceramicpainters of the early to mid-17th century, such as some tile bordersand other freer ornamental compositions.This piece is associated to a small extant group, identical inshape and decorated in similar blue and white motifs, such as anaquamanile formerly in the José Maria Jorge collection and laterin the Mário Roque collection.Other extant mermaid or fish shaped aquamanilia, normallyof polychrome decoration, can be dated to the same periodand quite possibly, originate from one single pottery workshop.Outside Portugal, we reference the faience at the Victoriaand Albert Museum in London (Inv. 128071) and, in Germany, atthe Museum für Kunsthandwerk in Frankfurt am Main and theMuseum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg.2
1 Pais, Alexandre N., 2012, p. 319.
2 Idem, Ibidem.