Early 20th-Century French Limoges Hand-Painted Portrait Plate – Bohemian Orientalist Woman, Artist Signed “Luc,” Ca. 1906-1920

Details

Description

Finely hand-painted French Limoges porcelain wall plaque, also referred to as a portrait plate, depicting a sensuous Bohemian-style woman rendered … Read more Finely hand-painted French Limoges porcelain wall plaque, also referred to as a portrait plate, depicting a sensuous Bohemian-style woman rendered in vivid enamel brushwork and rich tonal shading. Adorned in flowing garments and detailed painted jewelry, she embodies the Belle Époque fascination with exoticism, performance, and nonconformity — her pose and expression evoking a dancer or courtesan, a romanticized symbol of independence and allure.

Signed Luc, a recognized Limoges decorator active in the early 20th century. Produced for George Borgfeldt & Co., New York, and bearing the green Coronet crown backstamp used circa 1906–1920.

Executed in a traditional multi-step firing process: the portrait was painted by hand and kiln-fired to fuse enamel pigments to the glazed surface. The finely molded Rococo-style border is finished in genuine gold, applied separately and fired again at a lower temperature to preserve its brilliance.

Factory-drilled suspension holes on the reverse indicate it was made specifically for wall display.
Stand shown in photos is for display purposes only and is not included. Wire or string for hanging is not included.

Diameter: 11.5 in diam.. (29.2 cm)
Provenance: Private New York collection. See less