Renaissance Woman Spes Mea Wall Plate by Niccacci

This wall plate is painted by Francesca Niccacci, one of the finest master artisans in Deruta, Italy and is one in a sequence of dedication plates, Piatti Da Pompa, to honor a special person.  During the Italian Renaissance wall plates were given as engagement or wedding gifts, celebrating beauty and virtue. 

The scroll or white ribbon is marked with the words Spec Mea, the Latin inscription (My Hope).  

The hand-painted wall plate is an interpretation portrait by the famous Renaissance painter,  Piero del Pollaiolo. Piero del Pollaiuolo was an important early Renaissance artist in Florence known for his portraits. Some are in the old-fashioned profile format imitating coins and medals from Roman antiquity but others are more progressive, with the sitter depicted frontally and looking out at the viewer. 

Francesca Niccacci is an internationally renowned artisan from Deruta, Italy known for her paintings of  traditional Renaissance art, portraiture, mythological and historical themes. She studied with Romano Ranieri, a famous Deruta master, before beginning her own school.

Italian ceramics are heirloom quality products, and can last lifetime with proper care. We have some suggestions that will preserve your majolica for years to come.

Majolica is dishwasher safe, but many people choose to hand wash their pieces as a precaution. Because majolica is a porous material, some pieces are not meant to hold liquid for a long period of time. Check for warning labels before ordering a product, as the pieces that are most notorious for "sweating" are appropriately labeled.

Majolica is sensitive to extreme temperatures, specifically boiling or freezing liquids. Pouring water with a rolling boil directly into a teapot, for example, may lead to breakage. To avoid this, temper the object. The industry standard is 620 degrees Celsius (1,148 degrees Fahrenheit). Quench the glass to cool it.

Crazing is common in well used majolica. The tiny cracks in the glaze do not affect the functionality of your majolica.

Majolica hand-crafted products should not be microwaved, as it may crack and/or break the ceramics.

UPS Ground

Flat shipping charge of $10 for each shipment of merchandise under $100.00. For orders of $100.00 or more, shipping is 10% of the order total.

UPS Next Day Air

Flat shipping charge of $63 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 90% of the order total.

UPS 2-Day Priority (Rush Shipping)

Flat shipping charge of $42 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 60% of the order total. Note: This option is required for shipping to Alaska and Hawaii.

USPS 3-Day Priority

Flat shipping charge of $21 for each shipment of merchandise under $70.00. For orders of $70.00 or more, shipping is 30% of the order total.

International Shipments

Please contact us at customerservice@biordi.com or call us at (415) 392-8096 for quotes to ship internationally.

You will be charged a rate based on your delivery area, value and shipping preference. For items shipped via UPS, see below for information pricing information. Once the package is shipped, you will receive an email with tracking information to track your package.