Vintage Decorative Ceramic Platter

Details

Description

This is a hand-painted ceramic platter with a decorative and narrative design.

Front Design
• Central Scene: The inner rectangular … Read more This is a hand-painted ceramic platter with a decorative and narrative design.

Front Design
• Central Scene: The inner rectangular panel depicts an African safari scene. On the left, four antelopes (likely gazelles) are grazing near tufts of grass. On the right, a leopard or cheetah lurks in the brush, camouflaged among greenery, watching the herd. In the background, there are stylized trees against a pale sky, suggesting a savanna setting.
• Border: Surrounding the scene is a wide band with scrolling, acanthus-like motifs in shades of ochre, gold, and white. The ornate decoration gives the platter an elegant, almost baroque feel.
• Shape: The platter itself is octagonal with softly angled corners, giving it a unique silhouette compared to a standard oval or rectangle.

Back Markings
• The back has handwritten inscriptions:
• “33-7” (likely a model or pattern number)
• “XVII Century” (crossed out, probably a mistaken or stylized note—not actually 17th century)
• “Made in Portugal” (indicating origin)
• “Safari Eugenia” (suggesting either the name of the design—Safari—or the decorator/artist—Eugénia).
• Above these is a signature that appears to be from the painter.

Interpretation

This platter seems to be a 20th-century Portuguese ceramic, likely from a workshop or artisan studio that produced hand-painted decorative ware. The “Safari” theme was probably part of a series, and “Eugénia” could be the decorator’s signature line or the artisan’s name. The baroque-style border combined with the naturalistic safari imagery makes it a fusion of European decorative traditions with exotic subject matter. See less