Fidelity, Meekness, Humility... Animal Symbolism on Ceramic Ware

AMATORIA CERAMICS

The repertoire of motifs on ceramic ware was expanded from the second half of the 15th century on. A novelty in this period are amatoria vessels featuring themes of love that were given as a gift at a betrothal or wedding and exchanged by lovers as a symbol of affection. The name comes from the Latin ămātōrĭus, meaning amatory or in love. Much of the ware exhibited here is of this type.

The motifs featured on amatoria ceramics are symbolic and allude to love and the virtues. There are frequent figural scenes – human and animal, images of angels and of the heart motif as a common allusion to love. Female and male busts, without individual attributes, are at times accompanied by a flying band with a name, an amorous inscription or the word "amore". The most frequent, however, are images of persons or animals in an enclosed garden (hortus conclusus) that represents a place of love and pleasure.

The animals on these vessels symbolise human virtues and the most often depicted are the deer or roe (noble birth, prudence), the fawn (meekness, docility), the hare or rabbit (fertility), the dog (fidelity, benevolence), the snail (fertility, patience), the ram (fertility), the horse (fertility, youth, passion) and fantastic animals like the unicorn (purity, virginity).

ANIMAL SYMBOLISM

THE BIRD is the link between heaven and earth on account of its ability to fly. It represents the celestial/spiritual world. It was considered to be a symbol of the spirit in Egypt and among the religions of the ancient Middle East and was an intermediary between heaven and earth, a symbolism adopted in Christian art. Among the Celts the bird is the herald or assistant of the gods, while African art often has it appearing as a symbol of fertility.

THE DEER / ROE symbolises meekness and docility. It is likened to the Tree of Life on account of the branching horns and their intermittent regeneration, and as a symbol of fertility and renewal. In Christianity they represent eternal salvation and are associated with worshippers faithful to the Christ. The attributes are loyalty, forgivingness, purity and piety. The roe is associated with speed, and in Christian tradition its piercing glance represents acuity.

THE HARE and RABBIT are lunar animals. In mythology, religion and folk tradition they are the faithful companions of the goddess of love and are most often associated with concupiscence and fertility. In the Christian tradition they also symbolise rebirth, associating the hare with spring and Easter.

THE DOG as man’s best friend symbolises fidelity, loyalty, sacrifice and nobility. The dog’s initial mythical function was to serve as the psychopompos, i.e. a guide of souls in life after death. Antiquity tradition associates the dog with fidelity, wisdom and vigilance, while in the medieval period dogs are associated with negative moral attributes such as avarice, anger, gluttony and parsimony.

THE SNAIL is a lunar symbol. The revealing and concealment of its tentacles (“horns”) is associated with the appearance and disappearance of the moon, in turn associated with death and rebirth. The spiral, as the sign of the snail, is associated with the phases of the moon, and thereby with the symbolism of perpetual movement. In the Christian tradition the snail is associated with indolence and a sinful nature. Universal symbolism associates snails with fertility, patience, steadfastness, caution and tenacity.

THE FISH symbolises water, life and fertility associated with birth and cyclical renewal. In the Christian tradition it represents the Christ, with the five letters of the Greek word for fish, ikhthýs, forming an acronym of the first letters of the Greek phrase Iēsoûs Khristós Theoû Hyiòs Sōtḗr (Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour). It represents the Eucharist and is often depicted with bread. It is an early symbol of baptism.

THE LION symbolises strength, pride and courage and represents power and authority, justice and immortality. The superstitious medieval belief that the lion slept with its eyes open associated it with vigilance. In the Christian tradition the lion is associated with resurrection and with the Christ as the lord of life.

The winged lion represents St Mark the Evangelist, the patron saint of Venice and a symbol of the Venetian Republic. It is most often depicted in profile, with a book bearing the legend Pax tibi Marce, evangelista meus (Peace be unto you, Mark my evangelist).