History at the Table in Renaissance Italy - The New York Times

…Although Italian cities tended to dominate the production of the fine and decorative arts, majolica was consistently made in smaller provincial centers, notably in the Marche, Urbino, Pesaro and Deruta in the Duchy of Urbino — where almost all the pieces in this show originally come from — and Faenza. Despite the Medici passion for it, only relatively small quantities of top-quality majolica were manufactured in Florence and Tuscany.

A resplendent court culture of its own able to supply a high level of intellectual and artistic input to guide the majolica painters, suitable clay resources and an abundance of wood to fuel furnaces gave the Marche region an advantage in developing this prestigious industry. As early as 1486, Camilla Sforza, regent of the lordship of Pesaro, was enacting measures to promote local majolica makers whose works were, in her words, praised by “every connoisseur in all Italy and beyond Italy.”This exhibition is spread across two halls, the first displaying majolica decorated with themes inspired by ancient mythology, the second with pieces illustrating Homeric epics and Roman history…

Full Article on nytimes.com