This stunning hand painted maiolica Deruta amphora jug is delightfully decorated in the 'Raffaellesque design of blue on a white background..

The 'amphora' jug shape dates back to very early Roman times when the term 'amphora' was first used.  Many of these jugs were huge, but this interpretation of this lovely design stands 200mm tall.

The Raffaellesque design dates back to Renaissance times and is attributed to Renaissance artist Raffaele del Colle, where he painted arabesque figures using this blue colour onto a white background.  This design features dragons and flowers and amidst a pattern of fine shapes.  The jug handle is painted in light blue with horizontal lines.

This lovely jug, hand painted in Deruta (a small town in the Italian province of Umbria) makes a lovely ornament, but of course could be used as it was in ancient times if you desired as well.

The inscription on the base shows this detail and includes 'MOD' which stands for 'Majolica of Deruta', the name of the manufacturer, and 'DIP A MANO', which is Italian for 'Painted by hand'.

Scroll through the images above and click on the image to see a larger picture with the full detail.

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