Tin glazed earthenware votive plaque, replica of one in a church, Derutan, Italian, dated 1660
These painted plaques are known as ‘ex votos’, meaning ‘from a vow’ in Latin. Left in a church in gratitude for answered prayers, each one tells
a story of a cure or delivery from disaster through the intervention of the Virgin Mary or another Christian saint.
Ex votos can take various forms. This colourful glazed pottery example, known as majolica, is from Deruta in Italy, a town renowned for its
ceramics since the 1400s. It depicts a sick individual in bed. The letters P.G.R. stand for Per Grazia Ricevuta (By Grace Received).
Details
- Category:
- Medical Ceramic-ware
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A85195
- Materials:
- earthenware
- Measurements:
-
overall: 382 mm x 526 mm x 34 mm, 6.02 kg
- type:
- votive offerings
