Large Rouen Faience Platter With Cornucopia Decoration Rouen, 18th Century

Large Rouen Faience Platter with Cornucopia Decoration
Rouen, 18th Century

An impressive shaped Rouen faience platter decorated in polychrome enamels with two abundant cornucopias overflowing with flowers, surrounded by scattered birds, insects and floral motifs in the Oriental-inspired taste that made Rouen faience famous throughout the eighteenth century.

The lively composition is centred around two richly ornamented cornucopias from which emerge bouquets and scrolling foliage. Butterflies, birds and flowers animate the surface with great charm and movement against a pale blue-white ground displaying an attractive period craquelure.

The reverse bears the painter's initials, an interesting testimony to workshop production.

The platter shows several small chips and edge losses consistent with age and use.

Dimensions:

• Length: 55 cm
• Height: 31 cm

Condition:
Various minor edge chips and losses visible in the photographs. No apparent restoration observed.

Gallery's View

Large Rouen platters of this scale were intended to impress as much as to serve. Their decorative impact remains striking today. This example stands out for the balance of its composition: the characteristic floral abundance of Rouen faience unfolds with elegance and restraint, allowing the decoration to breathe while retaining all the richness and colour for which these eighteenth-century wares are admired. Its generous size and lively decoration make it a particularly attractive display piece, equally suited to a wall or a large dining table.

Please note that several other 18th-century Rouen faience pieces decorated with cornucopias are currently available from the gallery.