Antique Paterna Revival Green Manganese Hand Painted Animal Pottery Plate

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Description

A striking antique hand-painted earthenware plate in the medieval Paterna tradition, attributed to the late 19th or early 20th century.

… Read more A striking antique hand-painted earthenware plate in the medieval Paterna tradition, attributed to the late 19th or early 20th century.

The approximately 8-inch plate features an exuberant stylized horned animal surrounded by birds, vegetal forms and abstract ornament. Turquoise-green and deep manganese brown/black pigments stand dramatically against the softly colored glazed ground.

The reverse bears the handwritten inscription “Siglo XIII / Paterna,” referencing the green-and-manganese pottery associated with medieval Paterna, Valencia. The inscription identifies the historical design tradition rather than the manufacture date of this particular plate.

The underside provides wonderful evidence of its handmade character, including an irregular foot ring, exposed earthenware, uneven glaze termination, firing variations and a pierced suspension hole retaining an old fiber cord.

Attributed circa 1880–1920, after a 13th-century Paterna design. The exact European workshop and country of manufacture have not been identified.

Measures approximately 8 inches in diameter x 1 1/2 inches high, with an approximately 2 1/4-inch diameter foot.

The plate displays expected antique wear, including glaze and surface wear, firing irregularities, speckling and small glaze losses. There is a chip/loss on the underside at the foot/base, as shown in the photographs. The loss is considerably less apparent when the plate is viewed from the front or displayed. Please examine the photographs closely. I was told this was German; however, I have not been able to confirm. See less