Italian Ceramics: Catalogue of the J. Paul Getty Museum Collection

39C Detail. 39 D Detail.

factory at Caserta. Two years later he applied to enter the

royal porcelain factory at Capodimonte, but the factory's

manager refused his application on the grounds that the

technique of miniature painting on porcelain was differ­

ent from that on maiolica, the medium to which he was

accustomed.^6 Saverio finally entered the royal porcelain

factory in 1772, at that time under Ferdinand IV/ even­

tually becoming director of the gabinetto di pittura

(painting studio) and, later, director of the tornanti (ce­

ramists who worked on the potter's wheel).^8

In porcelain Saverio executed statuettes, small

busts, and reliefs painted in a refined style inspired by

Pompeian figures and ornament. On maiolica objects

such as this tabletop, however, he painted mainly land­

scape and genre scenes in a loose, almost sketchy style,

emphasizing the "rustic" quality of the medium. The

decorative cartouches, intertwined vegetal motifs, and

226 Tabletop with Hunting Scenes