Royal Plate Of Naples - Service From The Aeneid By Domenico Venuti

A rare soft-paste porcelain plate from the Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea (Naples), circa 1785-1787. A museum-quality piece from the famous "Aeneid Service." The central decoration, of miniature delicacy, depicts the Massacre of Priam by Pyrrhus (Book II of Virgil) with the Trojan Horse in the background. The text translates as: "Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, kills Priam in the courtyards of the Palace of Troy (the Aeneid). Designed and painted in oil by the Knight Venuti." Domenico Venuti conceived this service as a masterpiece of cultural propaganda for the Bourbon court. Most examples are preserved in the Royal Palace of Madrid.