16th century

Dish showing the Annunciation

Artist/maker unknown

This dish was probably made in Nuremberg, Germany, where dish manufacturing was on such a large scale that a coalition of dish makers was organized to oversee quality. Nuremberg artists favored religious subject matter, but some pieces had purely ornamental decoration. At the center of this dish, the archangel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that she will be the mother of Jesus, a moment known as the Annunciation. A dove and ray of light above the figure of Mary symbolizes God as the Holy Spirit.

Although such brass dishes were well suited for display, they could also be used in conjunction with a pitcher or spouted bowl with a handle (called a laver or lavabo) for handwashing at mealtimes.