A large Italian maiolica 'Venerdì Gnoccolare' tazza, Naples or Deruta, 17th C.

Dia.: 31 cm - H.: 7,5 cm

This piece illustrates the festive spirit of the “Venerdì Gnoccolare” (“Gnocchi Friday”), a tradition where large quantities of gnocchi and red wine were consumed in celebration before the start of Lent the following week.
The festival, believed to have originated in the early 16th century, primarily aimed to distribute food and wine to the poor. It is particularly associated with the Church of San Zeno in Verona and its impoverished neighbourhood. During the celebration, the young men of San Zeno would dress up and invite the mayor to the village square for a glass of wine and some gnocchi. This was followed by a night of communal feasting and drinking that lasted until dawn.

The scene is humorously animated with 'pulcinelle', a character born from the popular theatrical productions of the 'Commedia dell'Arte' in the 1600s. 

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