Antique Limoges P & P France Footed Porcelain Bowl Hand Painted Violet Water Lilies Gold Detail

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Antique Limoges P & P France Footed Porcelain Bowl Hand Painted Violet Water Lilies Gold detail

A lovely bowl for … Read more Antique Limoges P & P France Footed Porcelain Bowl Hand Painted Violet Water Lilies Gold detail

A lovely bowl for fruit, rolls or floating flowers, this delicate white ceramic bowl is beautifully decorated by hand inside and out with Violet Water Lillies. Looking down from the inside edge toward the bottom there are 3 Lillies around the edge floating on the purple, green and black detailing.
The three exterior lilies are larger, showing light purple and dark petals with white interiors and yellow stamen, green leaves and a sturdy stem rising up from each of the gold painted legs. Gold dots and squiggles rise above the lilies around the top of the bowl. There is a slight touch of gold on the rim.
The mark P&P Limoges France in green indicates manufacturer during the period of 1892-1907.
Width: 8.5 inches
Depth of Bowl: 2.5 inches
Height including feet: 3.5 inches

Mild wear of the gold on feet and rim. No chips or cracks. The bowl rings like a bell!

The symbol prominently featured on the ceramic bowl, repeated around the rim, is a stylized letter
"S".
While the exact meaning can vary depending on the specific pottery or artist, common interpretations of such a symbol on ceramics include:

Maker's Mark/Artist's Cipher: The letter "S" could represent the initial of the pottery manufacturer, a specific studio, or the individual artist who created or decorated the piece. This was a common practice, especially in antique and artisanal pottery.

Given the artistic style of the bowl, with its hand-painted details and lotus flower motif, it is likely that the "S" is a form of maker's mark or artist's signature, particularly since the piece hails from a period or movement during the late 1800s- early 1900s like the Arts and Crafts movement or Art Nouveau, where individual craftsmanship was highly valued. To determine the precise meaning, further research into the specific pottery marks of potential manufacturers or artists from the relevant era would be necessary.

Meaning of the LOTUS FLOWER
The lotus flower design on our ceramic bowl carries rich and multifaceted symbolism, especially in Eastern cultures where it is a sacred and revered motif
. General Symbolism of the Lotus Flower:
Purity: Rising unstained from muddy waters, the lotus symbolizes purity of body, speech, and mind, representing the ability to overcome challenges while maintaining one's integrity.
Rebirth and Renewal: The lotus's daily cycle of opening with the sun and closing at night represents rebirth, tenacity, and the cyclical nature of life, death, and renewal.
Spiritual Enlightenment: In Buddhism and Hinduism, the lotus is closely associated with spiritual awakening, the path to enlightenment, and the transcendence over worldly attachments.

Cultural Significance in Art and Ceramics:

Hinduism: Linked to deities like Vishnu and Lakshmi, symbolizing creation, birth, divine energy, wealth, and prosperity.
Buddhism: Represents purity, spiritual awakening, and the Buddha himself, with different colors carrying specific meanings (e.g., pink lotus for Buddha, white for purity).
Ancient Egypt: Symbolized the sun, creation, rebirth, and the journey of the soul through the afterlife due to its opening and closing cycle mirroring the sun's path.
Chinese Culture: Lotus patterns in art and ceramics represent nobility, beauty, and harmony (as the Chinese word for lotus, he, is a homophone for harmony). See less