Dish with Landscape/floral vignettes

The ground of this dish is sprayed with blue, and includes three four-lobed panels in reserve. Within each panel, a landscape scene is painted in dark manganese purple. A continuous floral border is painted on the rim. On the back of the plate, a flying falcon and the letter “F” are depicted in purple. The extreme thinness of the piece represents an effort to imitate porcelain, as the method for making true porcelain was still a very closely guarded secret at Meissen. The rapid, sketchy vignettes and the coloring are also an imitation of Chinese style, and display the influence of Chinese porcelains on European potters. The panels and floral border are characteristic of wares produced by the Folco family, a famous maiolica workshop in Savona during the eighteenth century. Their workshop mark is on the bottom. There are old repairs, including staples, visible on the bottom. For more on “maiolica,” see 48.1336.

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Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.

Mr. Albert Samuel [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, September 20, 1943, by gift.