Hispano Moresque Lustreware charger – 16th century, Manises

16th century Spanish Hispano-Moresque tin-glazed earthenware dish, decorated in copper lustre with concentric bands of scrolling foliage and stylized floral ornament surrounding a raised central boss.

The metallic sheen was achieved by applying a mixture containing copper compounds over an already fired tin glaze, followed by a second firing in a reducing atmosphere. This technically demanding process created the distinctive iridescent surface for which Hispano-Moresque pottery became famous throughout Europe.

From the 15th and well into the 16th century, workshops in Manises, near Valencia, were among Europe’s most celebrated ceramic producers. Their lustreware was exported across the continent and highly prized by royal courts, noble families and wealthy merchants. Inspired by Islamic ceramic traditions established in Spain during the medieval period, these wares combined Moorish decorative vocabulary with forms made for a Christian European market.

Early examples remain among the most sought-after ceramics of the Renaissance and are represented in major museum collections worldwide.

In fair condition consistent with age: Hairlines and several chips.

Diameter: 38 cm