Nymolle Decamerone powder bowl

A beautiful ceramic powder bowl or trinket dish made in Denmark by Nymolle in the 1960s, and intended to sit on a lady's dressing table. It was designed by Jacob E Bang (1899-1965), a prolific Danish designer who worked in metal and ceramics, but is perhaps best known for the glass designs he produced with the Holmegaard Glass Factory. The design on this dish is called "Decamerone". This refers to the mid 14th century book "The Decameron" by the Italian author Giovanni Boccaccio. The book is made up of 100 short tales representing various aspects of the human condition. It is considered a masterpiece of early classical prose and has influenced many other writers. The dish is made of earthenware and features an image of a beautiful girl reading a copy of the book, printed in teal green against a white ground. The base bears the Nymole mark, the pattern name and number 3375-354, and Bang's printed signature. It is in excellent condition.