"18th Cty Nevers Earthenware Plate, Hot Air Balloon With "fallen Hat""
LATE 18th CENTURY NEVERS EARTHENWARE PLATE Decor featuring Montgolfière with 'Fallen Hat'
The entire of Europe late 18th century was thrilled by the first attempts at 'ballooning'. Numerous engravings and paintings, chandeliers shaped like hot air balloons, marquetry decorations, and artworks... In short, a true historical event that sparked curiosity and taste beyond the scientific achievement itself.
Ceramicists of Nevers factories also took hold of this subject to create numerous earthenware plates illustrating this historical event and astonishing scientific progress.
In this particular decor, one of the two pilots of the airship loses his hat during the flight, which is represented as a black triangle centered with a yellow dot, oversized to create (clumsily!) a perspective of distance.
The interest in these popular Nivernais ceramics late 18th century is often not so much their quality of manufacturing , but rather the comical way in which decorators interpreted these fashionable subjects. For example, on this specimen in perfect condition, without any chips, cracks, or restorations, it should be noted that there is a defect in the original glaze contraction to the right of the hot air balloon. In contrast, the colors of the high fire are very bright and successful.
Dimensions:
23 cm in diameter.
Its previous collector had added several annotations related to this decoration on the back, partially erased, but from which one can read: 'No. 83... 22.12.02... Paris Montgolfier Rouen Champlfeury 340 or 349 Mareschal prior to 1789 engraving': The inventory number and the date certainly refer to an auction reference, purchase date, and/or collection number; Champfleury 1821-1889 was a historian and collector of ancient faiences, notably patriotic faiences during French Revolution; the mention of Rouen, if it was an attribution, is incorrect. The dating seems relevant.
https://www.montgolfieres-cie.com/histoire-de-la-montgolfiere/
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