2-735-490 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Mortar, c. 1550-1560. Three reliefs curiously combine faith, hope, and vanity. They were made after works by Peter Flötner (more refined plaquettes by the artist are in a wall case behind you), then incorporated into the vessel. The plants and small reptiles were cast from life, an example of the strong interest in natural history in Renaissance Nuremberg. This tradition relates closely to the French ceramics nearby by Palissy, which also incorporate natural specimens.