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| Glazed ceramics
were first used to make beautiful receptacles for medicines in the Middle
East in the 9th-10th centuries and were known in Europe by the Latinized
name of albarelli. The museum has a small but important collection
of pharmaceutical ceramics, from several origins and periods (17th and 18th,
19th and 20th century). Catalan ceramics from the first half of the 17th
century are represented by albarelli with geometrical patterns in
blue and white, and jars made in the figueta style. From the 18th
century the museum has a splendid collection of 41 albarelli decorated
in blue and white in the French style called feuille à persil; a
collection of jars known in Spanish as orzas; albarelli in polychrome
ceramics called Banyoles, and Escornalbou ceramics. The museum
also preserves a modern collection of earthenware and porcelain albarelli
characteristic of European pharmacies of the 19th and 20th century.
Wooden boxes, both plain and polychrome, were much in use in old pharmacies to hold what were known as the "simples" of plant origin (flowers, leaves, roots, seeds), of mineral origin (terra sigilata, ground semiprecious stones from different countries) and of animal origin (the horn of the unicorn, mumia, snake flesh) used in the preparation of medicines. Of the boxes preserved in the museum, the one labelled Cort Perur (Cortex Peruviana) deserves special mention: cylindrical in shape, with a polychrome lid and body adorned with a large figure of a bird and garlands of flowers, its interior features a series of ink signatures of great interest. Glass bottles, plain and engraved, transparent and coloured, have been among the most commonly used containers for drugs, especially since the industrialization of pharmacy. They are also well represented in the museum's collection.
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Albarelli, from Escornalbou. Mid-seventeenth century |
Albarelli, seventeenth century |
Polychrome ursuola, from Banyoles. Eighteenth century |
Medicine bottle: "cider brandy". 1870 |
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Metal box with compartments, for preserving ova |
Wooden box, eighteenth century |
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