Signor Raffaelli, in his valuable “Memorie,” surmises that the manufacture of glazed pottery, as an art, was introduced at the time when monsignor Durante built a “Castello” at the badia of St. Cristoforo at Cerreto on the Metauro, in 1284, as a place of security for the Guelphs. Seventy years afterwards in 1361 the then deceased maestro Giovanni dai Bistugi of Castel Durante is referred to, who probably was so named to distinguish him from the workers in glazed ware. This glazed ware was doubtless the ordinary lead glazed pottery or “mezza” ware, which preceded the use of that with stanniferous enamel and does not, as M. Darcel would suggest, afford any proof that the use of this enamel was known here before its application or stated discovery by Luca della Robbia. At that time even these lead glazed wares were little known, and it was not till 1300 that they seem to have become more generally adopted. Thenceforward their manufacture continued, for in 1364 a work is mentioned on the bank of the torrent Maltempo at “Pozzarelli,” perhaps so named from the pits dug for extracting the loam. The early wares were coarse, painted with coats of arms and half figures, the flesh being left white and the dress in gay colours. In 1500 both the “mezza” and the enamelled wares, as well as the “sgraffio” work, were made. The beautiful “amatoria” plate which we engrave was about this date, and shows the beginning of a style of decoration which afterwards prevailed in a more developed form at this fabrique. The manufacture was at its perfection about 1525 and 1530, and continued to produce good wares even till 1580. It would appear that the great artists only painted the more important subject of the piece, leaving the ornamentation to be finished by the pupils and assistants. Piccolpasso informs us that the earth or loam gathered on the banks of the Metauro, near Castel Durante, is of superior quality for the manufacture of pottery. A variety called “celestrina” was used for making the seggers, “astucci,” when mixed with the “terra rossa;” but for the finer class of work the loam deposited by the river which when washed was called “bianco allattato,” and when of a blue shade of colour, was reserved for the more important pieces. The turnings of this variety mixed with the shavings of woollen cloth were used to attach the handles and other moulded ornaments, and was known as “barbatina.” The red pigment of Faenza, called “vergiliotto” was not used at Castel Durante. We presume this colour to be that ochreous red employed for heightening and shading the draperies, &c. by the painters of the Fontana fabrique at Urbino, and that of Lanfranco at Pesaro, and some others; if so, the absence or presence of it would be useful as evidence in determining the origin of a piece. [Illustration]