The legend of the ceramic Rooster jug
Why has the rooster featured in majolica designs through the centuries in Italy? Its origin can be traced back to one legendary event, way back in the fifteenth century.
In the republic of Florence there were two rival families — the Medicis and the Pazzis. The wealthiest and most powerful clan in all the land, the Medici family loved to throw lavish parties.
The Pazzi family resented their “second fiddle” role to the more influential Medici family. They hatched a plan to assassinate a leading member of the family to gain power. The story goes that they enlisted a double agent to convince the Medicis to host one of their signature feasts in the village of Gallina — then, once the Medici family members and their guards were asleep, a team of hired assassins would sneak into the town to kill them.
The plan was proceeding along without a hitch — until the assassins encountered a yard full of chickens. The birds erupted into a cackling frenzy, alerting the party of their presence. The assassins were captured and executed.
The next day, Giuliano Medici ordered his artisans to pay homage to that particular villager’s barnyard alarm system, in the form of ceramic pitchers modelled in the roosters’ image. These Italian ceramic rooster pitchers were used as wine vessels as the Medicis celebrated their good fortunes that very evening.
After the fortuitous turn of events on that evening in 1478, the grateful Medicis sent each of the peasant families of Gallina a ceramic rooster as a symbol of good luck, protection, and prosperity. Known in Italian as La Brocca di Gallo, the ceramic rooster pitcher grew in popularity over the subsequent 16th century and remains a staple in Italian households today. It has become standard to offer an Italian ceramic rooster pitcher as a wedding or housewarming gift, as a gesture of goodwill.
The rooster jugs are decorated in a wide range of colours and designs. These pitchers are commonly used for wine, though can be used for any beverage such as water or fruit juice. It makes a perfect gift for those who appreciate traditional Italian culture and pottery or for those who are looking for a unique and functional piece of art for their home. It can also be used a ceramic vase for flowers.
