Painted Porcelain Plate, “the Charmer.” Hortense Richard (1847–1900). France.

An elegant hand-painted porcelain plate created by the French artist Hortense Richard (1847–1900), based on a composition by James Bertrand. Titled *Le Charmeur*, this work is a delicate allegory of the art of music, imbued with the subtle irony and refinement characteristic of French academic painting from the second half of the 19th century. The composition depicts Euterpe, the ancient muse of Music, seated nude in an idyllic landscape, playing the double flute and engaging in a true musical dialogue with a singing nightingale. Although their voices belong to two distinct worlds—that of human art and that of nature—their encounter creates a harmony that is as graceful as it is delicately paradoxical.

The slender vertical format, the nuanced color palette, and the delicate modeling evoke the aesthetic of ancient Roman wall paintings as well as classical decorative traditions, reinterpreted by French artists of the Historicist period. The quality of the execution is distinguished by a remarkable mastery of atmospheric effects, a refined modeling of the figure, and a virtuosity characteristic of the finest Parisian porcelain painting workshops of the late 19th century. The artist’s signature appears in the lower right corner. The reverse of the plaque and its frame bears the title of the work as well as information regarding the artist’s Parisian studio.

Hallmarks: The reverse of the plaque and its frame bears the title of the work as well as information regarding the artist’s Parisian studio.

Dimensions: Plaque: 32 × 11.5 cm.

Condition: Good collector’s condition.

Provenance: Private collection.

ID-ANTQ-8032