Murano workshop, Platter on stand, glass, early 16th century (inv. vetri 18)

Location: Rocchetta, 2nd floor, Room XXIX

The refined and exquisite fruit bowl is a prime example of the crystalline glass technique, invented by Murano glassmakers in the fifteenth century: the extraordinary transparency of Murano glass in fact created results similar to that of crystal. The centre of the piece, datable to the first half of the 16th century, features the coat of arms of the Gonzaga family, a quartered coat of arms with black eagles on a white background, while the edges are decorated with a series of small golden flowers and dots in polychrome enamel applied by brush. The underneath of the bowl is embellished with "tong" shaped rope pattern obtained with the half moulding technique (the glass is blown into an open mould). This richly adorned piece must have been part of a dinner service, together with plates, chalices and jugs that the Gonzaga family would use on special occasions.
The bowl was purchased by the civic museums directly from Gonzaga family in 1886.