Decorative plate
Artistic object made of porcelain or faience for interior decoration
A plate-object is not just tableware, but an independent work of art. In the 18th-19th centuries, porcelain or silver plates began to depict scenes from mythology, portraits of monarchs, city landscapes, using complex techniques of painting and chasing. These objects were not intended for food, but were displayed on special stands in services or collections.
Popular among the aristocracy and collectors, such plates were gifts for important events or diplomatic souvenirs. Particularly valuable are rare examples created by small workshops, where every stroke added uniqueness. Plate-objects also tell about the tastes of the era: the fashion for motifs, colors, even patriotic or satirical drawings became a separate chapter in the history of applied art.
Exhibited at auctions, they often cause a stir and discussion, because an original can easily be confused with an exquisite fake - there are their own curiosities and legends!