Dish depicting The Death of Saul

Art Historical Context

This exquisite dish, titled *The Death of Saul*,ails from the Medici Porcelain Manuf in Florence, Italy, 1575–80. under the patronage of Grand Duke Francesco I de', it exemplifies one of Europe's earliest attempts to rival Chinese porcelain. The manufactory, a short-lived Renaissance innovation (1575–), crafted soft-paste porcelain—a mixture of ground glass, clay, and other materials fired at lower temperatures than true hard-paste porcelain. Here, the surface is vibrantly decorated in undergl blue, a technique that embeds cobalt pigment beneath a transparent glaze for enduring color and subtle sheen. Depicting the biblical tragedy of King Saul's suicide by sword (1 Samuel 31), after his defeat by the Philistines, the scene likely draws from an engraving by German artist Sebald Beham. Motifs of swords, kings, and coats of arms highlight themes of power, downfall, and nobility, possibly alluding to Medici heraldry. Measuring about 13 inches across but irregularly shaped, this large ceremonial dish would have graced elite tables, blending artistic narrative with functional luxury. Now in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection (Samuel D. Lee Fund, 1941), it showcases Florence's ambition in the decorative arts, bridging biblical storytelling with technical ingenuity during the late Renaissance.