Antique 18th Century Ceramic Plates, Viterbo, Italy, Set of 2

Details

Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Single plate: Diameter: 21.7 cm; Depth: 2 cm; Total weight: 0.853 kg

Item :
A refined and charming pair … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Single plate: Diameter: 21.7 cm; Depth: 2 cm; Total weight: 0.853 kg

Item :
A refined and charming pair of antique ceramic plates, entirely hand-molded and decorated, dating to the late 18th or first half of the 19th century. The front surface, characterized by a warm cream-colored background (although the glaze has partially yellowed over time), features a central decoration in a popular and concise style: a stylized bird (a traditional bird or cockerel motif) captured in motion, surrounded by foliage and floral motifs executed with quick touches of copper green and manganese brown. The rim, bordered by a double concentric border, is embellished with a sunburst of five-petal geometric rosettes in cobalt blue. The backs of the plates attest to the pieces' historicity through a glaze that has become cloudy and yellowed over time, firing irregularities typical of vintage wood-fired ovens, and obvious signs of wear that certify their authenticity and antique feel. The pieces are completed with vintage metal spring hooks, historically used for wall display.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
The plates bear no signature or mark, a completely normal practice for tableware and majolica produced between the 18th and 19th centuries, where marking was almost exclusively reserved for rare, ceremonial pieces. Given the style, color palette, and type of impasto, the piece can be attributed with certainty to one of the many ancient workshops in central Italy. The main centers of reference for this kind of rustic-elegant iconography are concentrated in the Lazio region (with particular reference to the important ceramic tradition of Viterbo and Tuscia) and in the historic Abruzzo factories (such as Castelli or Rapino), known for producing bucolic-inspired ceramics intended for bourgeois and rural clients of the time.

Useful information for evaluating the object:
This pair of plates is distinguished by its excellent overall state of preservation, consistent with its age and the intrinsic fragility of the material. The presence of small surface chips, the natural wear of the lead glaze, and the craquelure on the base are not defects, but rather valuable elements that attest to the absolute integrity of the pieces, which have never undergone modern, comprehensive restorations. See less