Albarelli

An albarello (plural albarelli) is a type of jar originally used by apothecaries to store ointments, dry drugs and other medicinal substances. Characteristically cylindrical with a slightly waisted profile and a flanged rim, albarelli were designed to be stacked or set closely in pharmacy cabinets without rolling. They were most often made of tin-glazed earthenware (maiolica or faience) and decorated with painted inscriptions indicating contents, maker’s marks, heraldry, floral motifs or geometric designs.

The form and technology of albarelli trace back to pottery traditions of the medieval Islamic world and were adopted and adapted in Europe from the late medieval into the early modern period. In Italy, production centers such as Faenza, Deruta and Montelupo became noted for richly decorated examples during the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Labels on albarelli typically show Latin or vernacular names of drugs and compounds, sometimes with apothecary abbreviations.

Beyond their practical use, albarelli are valued today for art-historical and pharmaceutical history study. Surviving pieces are found in museum collections, historic pharmacies and private collections; they have informed scholarship on trade, medicine and ceramic technology. Reproductions and decorative versions are produced for interior display and for use in museum reconstructions of historic apothecaries.