Lithophane "la Puisatière" Mid-19th Century

Signed French Lithophane. Dimensions: 9.5 x 11.5 cm. The Well-Digger. A young woman in classical or folk costume, barefoot, near a stone well. She holds the handle of a bucket, suggesting she is drawing water. Behind her, a stone wall is overgrown with vegetation, and in the background, the silhouette of a bearded figure can be seen, discreetly observing. A lithophane is a thin ceramic plate with a relief, ranging in thickness from 1.5 to 4 mm. The porcelain is fired twice at a temperature of 1250 °C. Under normal lighting, there is practically no visible image, but a three-dimensional image is created when a light is placed behind it. Lithophanes became particularly popular in the mid-19th century. Placed in front of a candle, they served as bedside lamps or were hung in front of a window. Link to the website: https://www.lavalisearlesienne.com/product-page/lithophanie-la-puisati%C3%A8re