Large cylindrical apothecary jar of gentle concaving towards themid body, resting on a raised foot. The short neck terminates ina flaring rim. The tin-white underglaze ground is decorated incobalt-blue and antimony-yellow pigments.The decorative composition follows a typically orientalpattern of dense vegetation with stylized pine trees and willowbranches, plum flowers and peonies. The body’s lower section isencircled by triangles, alluding to a garland, that encase stylizedpeonies and plum flower bouquets.At shoulder height in the upper section, a circular mustardcoloured medallion featuring the cross of Aviz, the insignia of thePortuguese Military Order of the Knights of Aviz. A perimetral thinyellow trim within blue filleting encircles the neck and the foot.The exuberant decoration reflects the horror vacui, aversionto empty spaces, characteristic of the Islamic tradition and clearlyillustrated in this jar. The choice of the antimony-yellow pigmentremits to the erudite Italo-Flemish taste evident on late-16th centurytile wall coverings, such as those at the São Roque Church,in Lisbon (1584).
Beyond the decorative grammar, the Italian Renaissancehas also defined the typologies and shapes of apothecary vessels.This group includes a family individualized by its decorative heraldicrelating to the various religious Orders, which was destined tospecific convents and monasteries. Such is the case with this jar,depicting the heraldic of Saint Benedict of Aviz which, in its origin,was a Military Order of Portuguese Knights based in Castile,and a branch of the Order of Calatrava, albeit the fact that somehistorians argue that it was founded in Portugal by King Afonso Henriques in the 12th centuryLisbon’s Pharmacy Museum features in its collection analmost identical vessel.