Discover maiolica – vividly painted tin-glazed ceramics – produced in 16th-century Italy, and the intriguing insights they provide into the lives of their makers and consumers. Variously painted with playful grotesque ornament alongside mythological, religious, allegorical and contemporary subjects, you’ll learn how maiolica served a variety of functions, from dazzling tableware to puzzle cups, pharmacy jars and vases.

About the speaker: Suzanne Higgott was Curator of Glass, Limoges Painted Enamels, Earthenware and Early Furniture at the Wallace Collection until her retirement in 2024. Her publications include ‘Sir Richard Wallace’s maiolica. Sources and display’, Journal of the History of Collections (2003), and ‘The Most fortunate Man of His Day’. Sir Richard Wallace: Connoisseur, Collector & Philanthropist (2018).

Take part at the museum: This course will take place in the Theatre, Lower Ground Floor. Participants taking part at the museum are encouraged to visit the galleries in their own time afterwards.

Watch online: This course will also be broadcast live from the museum. Online ticketholders will be emailed a link to join 24 hours in advance. Ticketholders will also receive a link to view a recording of the talk, which will be available for two weeks.