Rustic Basin, Bernard Palissy and Workshop

Artwork Overview

Bernard Palissy and Workshop, Rustic Basin
Bernard Palissy and Workshop, Rustic Basin
Bernard Palissy and Workshop
Rustic Basin
circa 1570–1590
Rustic Basin, circa 1570–1590
Where object was made: France
Material/technique: lead glaze; ceramic
Dimensions:
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 7 x 40.3 x 53.5 cm
Object Height/Width/Length (Height x Width x Length): 2 3/4 x 15 7/8 x 21 1/16 in
Credit line: Museum purchase: Helen Foresman Spencer Art Acquisition Fund
Accession number: 1997.0032
Not on display
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Art Minute with David Cateforis
Didactic – Art Minute
Art Minute with David Cateforis
Didactic – Art Minute
Episode 82. I’m David Cateforis with another art minute from the Spencer Museum of Art. Science motivated the work of Bernard Palissy, a 16th-century French ceramic artist. His “Rustic Basin” in the Spencer collection exemplifies the revolutionary scientific viewpoint of the Renaissance and its concern with observing, understanding, and recording the natural world. Palissy’s large ceramic platter teems with realistic images of fish, reptiles, amphibians, and plants, with a slithering snake at its center. The lifelike quality of this flora and fauna came from Palissy’s use of molds of actual natural specimens to create his ceramic forms. His concern for the natural extends to the platter’s oval shape, resembling a clearing on the forest floor with surrounding foliage. The glazes that give the platter its colors enhance the naturalistic quality. Vivid greens, blues, reds and yellows, and more somber grays and browns combine to convey accurately the coloration of each specimen. “Rustic Basin” offers more than just a scientific view of the natural world, however; it provides an artistic interpretation of it, through its complex composition and fine, detailed craftsmanship. With thanks to Joseph Keehn for his text, from the Spencer Museum of Art, I’m David Cateforis.
Bulldog Art Tour 2010: Lawrence
Audio Tour – Bulldog Podcast
Bulldog Art Tour 2010: Lawrence
Audio Tour – Bulldog Podcast
Life. It’s a wonderful gift, and this work of art is full of it. Everywhere you look on this masterpiece has a kind of life either in the form of plants or animals. This “Rustic Basin,” made out of lead-glazed ceramics, was created by a French man by the name of Bernard Palissy. This man was born in St. Avit, France in the year of 1509 and he died in Paris in 1590. Bernard Palissy was a potter and a writer during his life and is most known for his decorative rustic pottery, which is earthenware covered in glamorous and colorful lead glazes. He was imprisoned in Huguenot and died in the Bastille in Paris. You can see that his style in making pottery is extremely unique in the fact that it clearly depicts nature. If you look in the center, a silver-red snake is at ease with its surroundings. Fish swim around in the “water” at the edges. At the very bottom, a shiny green lizard creeps around. Other creatures include crayfish, snails, and clams. Plants like ferns and leaves of trees also flank the rest of the edges. This “Rustic Basin” is clearly a work of beautiful, natural art. Why do you think Palissy was so interested in natural sciences? Is it because he wants people to become aware of how wonderful animal life is, or is it just because it provides a challenge because of the intricate, infinitesimally small details of the creatures’ body parts? The answer to that question is that during his life, he also gave many lectures on natural history, and these were published in 1580. Because of this, a pioneer of the scientific method can also be added to the list of his lifetime occupations. Palissy also made more of these rustic basins and they all have the basic idea except for different creatures. I immediately decided that this was the painting that I wanted to do because I love nature and this sculpture immerses the spectator into the painting. I love this piece of art. This is truly a sight for naturalists and people interested in good pottery. Palissy has done a great job in capturing a large number of animals on a single plate. Even though you can’t eat using this plate, it is still extremely good for the eyes to behold.
Listen to core object information.
Audio Description
Listen to core object information.
Audio Description
The artist is Bernard Palissy and Workshop, active circa 1510-1590, born Agen France, died Paris, France. The title of the work is Rustic Basin, created circa 1570-1590. The work is made with ceramic and lead glaze.
Listen to Audio Description
Audio Description
Listen to Audio Description
Audio Description
Rustic Basin is a shallow, oval-shaped ceramic platter with gently sloping sides. It is about two feet long and one foot wide. The interior surface is decorated with three-dimensional, lifelike casts of reptiles, amphibians, sea creatures, and vegetation. In the center is a sinuous, harmless looking blue snake about as wide as a finger that has been applied to the platter’s surface. The snake undulates into four loops on a bed of rich green and brown algae-like patches. Seashells lie between the snake’s coils. Moving up the interior slope of the dish are pale blue fish that are about the length of a thumb. Deep green ferns and other vegetation extend to the edges of the basin, with seashells scattered among them. Around the flattened rim of the basin, three deep green lizards rest, along with a small, pale green crawfish and a green and brown mottled frog with white eyes. Taken as a whole, the platter is a medley of vivid green, light blue, and brown depicting life at the edge of the sea.
Hear a SWMS student's perspective.
Audio Tour – Bulldog Art Tour
Hear a SWMS student's perspective.
Audio Tour – Bulldog Art Tour
Have you ever stopped to see how rushed we are in our lives? Oftentimes, we just go through the motions of school, or our jobs. We never really stop to see what is out there to see. Bernard Palissy provides a snapshot of all the wonderful things to be seen when you just slow down. Life in the 1500s, as you might suspect, is nothing like life here in 2020. Schedules were less packed, and people tooromank more time to observe the world around them. Palissy took this time to pay close attention to plants and animals around him in his daily life. His attention to detail is shown in this work, titled Rustic Basin, which depicts many different fish, reptiles, and plants. Nowadays, our lives could not be faster. Well, until everyone had to stay home. This piece of art has shown me how much nature can be enjoyed just by stopping and smelling the roses. I chose this piece because it relates to how the Coronavirus has helped me realize the wonders of nature. When I go on a walk or on a run, I am inspired to make an effort to see everything that nature has to offer. This brings me joy when I see that not everything about the Quarantine is as bad as it seems. So the next time you are outside in your daily life, I challenge you to slow down, and take some time to appreciate the natural wonders around you that you have previously taken for granted.

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See a photo of a French grass snake similar to this one