Dish with Diana, the Nymph of Fontainebleau 1585 - 1615

This is a mid-16th century earthenware dish with colored lead glazes, made by the French potter Bernard Palissy. It depicts Diana, the Roman goddess of the hunt, relaxing with her dogs in a marshy landscape. The dish was likely made for a wealthy patron, perhaps even someone connected to the court of Henri II, which had its principal seat at Fontainebleau. It’s an idealized vision of nature and antiquity, reflecting the humanist interests of the French Renaissance. Palissy was part of a larger intellectual movement that sought to revive the artistic and cultural achievements of ancient Greece and Rome. Note the use of classical mythology, and the attempt to portray the human body in a naturalistic and idealized way. To understand this artwork fully, we need to consider the social context in which it was produced, its patrons, and the intellectual currents that shaped it. We might examine court records, emblem books, and contemporary treatises on art and nature. It’s through this kind of historical research that the true meaning of art objects comes to light.