LARGE CASTELLI ISTORIATO MAIOLICA CHARGER 1648-56, PROBABLY PAINTED BY FRANCESCO GRUE the centre painted with the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, the broad scrolling foliate border painted with flowers, birds and putti, centred above by a quartered coat of arms for Francesco Massucci, Bishop of Penne and Atri 1648-56 (41.5cm diameter) Provenance: A paper label to the reserve is inscribed 'Property of J.J. Stonborough, From the Baron von Lana Collection'. Footnote: Note: The probable print source for this scene is an engraving by Jan Muller (1571-1628), published by Harmen Jansz. Muller (c. 1540–1617) of about 1600[1] after the oil painting by Hans von Aachen (1552-1615), (National Museum, Warsaw, Poland). According to Luciana Arbace[2] these arms for Francesco Massucciwere first identified by Franco Battistella in 1989. Carola Fiocco and Gabriella Gherardi recently document four Castelli pieces decorated with this coat of arms.[3] This lot is now the fifth known piece bearing this coat of arms. The decoration on the the plate stylistically relates to one of the four previously documented pieces which is decorated with the subject of Scipio Ordering the Beheading of Prisoners, now in the TERCAS Collection Teramo, signed on the reverse with the initials F.G.P.[4] [1] Metropolitan Museum of Art (Accession Number: 51.501.6495) Jan Muller | Martyrdom of St. Sebastian | The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org) for downloadable link [2] Arbace, Luciana. Fondazione Raffaelle Paparella Treccia e Margherita Devlet 1: Francesco Grue (1618-73). La Maiolica a Castelli d’Abruzzo dal Compendiario all’Istoriato, 2000, fig100, p116-9 and Note 42. [3] Fiocco, Carola, Gherardi, Gabriella. “L’araldica dei Vescovi Massucci e Raffaelli della Diocesi di Penne e Atri nella maiolica di Castelli D’Abruzzo.” In La Ceramica nello scaffale, Fondazione Cassa Risparmio di Fano, 2018, p63-8 and note 3. https://www.maiolicaitaliana.com/pubblicazioni/carola-fiocco-gabriella-gherardi/araldica-dei-vescovi-massucci/ [4] Moccia, Lello. Mostra dell’ antica maiolica di Castelli D’Abruzzo,1965, cat29, tav XXV, p28.