On this large maiolica "bella donna" dish in the National Gallery of Art, the name Faustina appears. This occurrence is likely no more than the name of the woman to whom the dish belonged, but it speaks to the lasting legacy of the owner's namesakes, the empresses Faustina I and II. Made between 1510 and 1535 at the Italian ceramic center of Deruta, the tin-glazed earthenware plate may have been an engagement or wedding gift that was hung on a wall of the bride's home as a model and a reminder of the virtue she should embody as an ideal wife. FAUSTINA PULITA E BELLA ("Faustina, pure and beautiful") identifies an ideal, elegant woman with free and flowing locks of hair. While the evocation of the name Faustina recalls the glory days of the Roman empire, "pulita" and "bella" are appellations straight out of the love sonnets of Petrarch and Boccaccio. And here are the woman's namesakes to keep this post numismatic! Faustina I, AD 138-141. Roman copper alloy as or dupondius, 13.38 g, 27.2 mm, 5 h. Rome, AD 150 and later. Obv: DIVA FAVSTINA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: AETERNITAS, Aeternitas standing left, holding globe and raising above head a starry mantle. Refs: RIC 1158; BMCRE 1548; Cohen 31; Strack 1262; RCV 4643. Notes: Obverse die match to the British Museum specimen, a dupondius. Faustina Jr, AD 147-175. Roman AR Denarius, 3.54 g, 18.4 mm, 6 h. Rome, AD 161-175. Obv: FAVSTINA AVGVSTA, bare-headed and draped bust, right. Rev: IVNO, Juno, veiled, draped, standing left, holding patera in extended right hand and scepter in left hand; at left, peacock. Refs: RIC 688; BMC 105; Cohen 120; RCV 5255; CRE 190.
Very nice! All set in a crossed cornucopiae!..Pretty and really like the two tone colours...Here's a smaller silver version of the op bronze...
