The migration of lusterware from Málaga to Valencia initially produced works that were very similar. Indeed, even lusterware that was made in Valencia was still referred to as “obra de malica,” translating to “Málagan work.” Early Valencian ceramics were all but the same in design and style, differing only in the color of their clay underbody. They utilized similar ornamental motifs and animal forms on the front of the pieces, striking a balance between these elements comparable to earlier Málagan work. Gradually though towards the end of the fifteenth century, with an increasing push for Christianization in Spain, the patterns began to move from their Islamic roots towards a more Gothic style. Valencian ceramic artists began to develop their own background designs, including stylized ivy leaves and vines, bryony, marguerites, and acacia sprigs. Artists began using coats of arms and other heraldic devices on the front of pieces commissioned by noble families. Valencian potters often paired the coat of arms on the front of the piece with a larger, loosely formed figure on the back. Lions, eagles, or bulls were popular, and this type of large simplified rendering recalls traditional Islamic designs, showing that even with a certain degree of removal, Valencian artists still drew from lusterware’s original Islamic influences.

Using the framework of the Valencian lusterware technique, we can identify individual themes seen in the Lusterware Plate with Heraldic Device in the Wyvern Collection, crafted in the mid-to-late 15th century in Valencia. The shape of the bowl itself, a deep dish with straight sides, derives directly earlier examples. Apparent at first glance is the coat of arms, nestled amidst tight geometric motifs. If a specific family is referenced by the heraldic device, it is not currently known to us, but in any case this dish embraces the Valencian tradition of adorning pottery with a coat of arms. Other designs on the bowl also fit in with other Valencian plates of the time, such as a basin emblazoned with the arms of Maria of Castile, now in London at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Both bowls utilize a pattern of interlocking chains and delicate crosshatch, creating axes leading directly into the coat of arms at the center. These elements intentionally draw viewer’s eye to the crest,highlighting the importance of nobility and family identity. The lattice pattern running along the inside wall of the plate, on the other hand,looks like motifs on Northern European Gothic sculptures. Turning to the reverse of the bowl, the viewer is first greeted with a large quadruped and swirling vegetal designs populating the background. This combination displays the gradual evolution of Valencian art away from its Málagan roots: the background embodies many Málagan themes, in the flowing arabesques and loose abstract designs, while also displaying a more identifiably Valencian character in the stylized ivy tendrils running throughout the piece. The loosely and quickly rendered lines serve are a visual antithesis to the intense and methodical design on the front. Though still displaying roots in Málagan and Islamic traditions, the Wyvern Lusterware Plate ultimately sits well within the Valencian tradition.

6. Tying it Together

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