A DERUTA MAIOLICA ROMAN EMPEROR DISH

The inscription intendo mine speravi translates as 'I bring Hope'. The profile of the Roman Emperor may have been derived from contemporary coins or medals, but it may also have been derived from one of Marcantonio Raimondi's series of Roman Emperor engravings or other engraved sources. An almost identical charger with a different inscription is illustrated by J. Chompret, Repertoire de la Majolique Italienne, Paris, 1949, p. 29, fig. 212, and was recorded as being in the Fernandez Collection. The Fernandez piece bears the same inscription as a Deruta Roman Emperor charger sold in these Rooms on 5 July 2012, lot 96, which is illustrated by T. Wilson, Italian Maiolica of the Renaissance, Milan 1996, pp. 78-79, fig. 35.