‘Ancient Fictile Vases’ from the Disney collection

John Disney is best known for his gifts of Greek and Roman sculpture to the University of Cambridge in 1850. However he also possessed a collection of Greek ‘vases’ which was dispersed after the death of his son. Parts of the ‘vase’ collection may be traced back to the eighteenth century, in particular to Thomas Hollis and to Thomas Brand. The collection which Disney inherited from his father was expanded by him during his travels in Italy, and in particular in Tuscany. Their presentation in the Musuem Disneianum can be seen to have been influenced by the writings of P.d'Hancarville and George Dennis.