Artwork
Farfurie cu pereții rotunjiți, marginea oblică lată și buza crestată. Prezintă decor geometric pe margine: linii frânte și curbe; pete de culoare; central avem o floare stilizată. Cromatică: fond: maro; motive: verde; alb.

Farfurie cu pereții rotunjiți, marginea oblică lată și buza crestată. Prezintă decor geometric pe margine: linii frânte și curbe; pete de culoare; central avem o floare stilizată. Cromatică: fond: maro; motive: verde; alb. is a print by Răducanu Ion. It is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. The object is a clay plate of modest dimensions, characterized by a rounded body and a broad, slanted rim.
About this work
Overview
The object is a clay plate of modest dimensions, characterized by a rounded body and a broad, slanted rim. Its surface is coated in a uniform brown slip, while the peripheral band features a geometric pattern of broken lines and small white dots. The central field displays a stylized floral motif rendered in green and yellow shapes, creating a simple yet deliberate decorative scheme.
Subject & Meaning
The central motif, a stylized flower composed of geometric forms, reflects a traditional decorative language often associated with fertility or seasonal cycles in folk art. The surrounding broken lines and dots may symbolize rhythmic movement or serve as a visual border that frames the central emblem, emphasizing its significance within the overall composition.
Technique & Style
The broken, uneven lines suggest a hand‑crafted approach rather than mechanized production, aligning the piece with vernacular ceramic traditions.
The plate was formed from earthenware clay and finished with a slip that yields a smooth brown background. The decorative elements were applied by incising or painting, producing contrasting green and yellow pigments for the flower and white pigment for the rim’s dots. The broken, uneven lines suggest a hand‑crafted approach rather than mechanized production, aligning the piece with vernacular ceramic traditions.
History & Provenance
The plate originates from a regional craft tradition documented in ethnographic collections, though its precise cultural and chronological context is not specified. It has been catalogued within the holdings of the Museum of Ethnography, where it is presented alongside other everyday objects that illustrate the aesthetic values of ordinary material culture.
Context
Geometric and stylized floral motifs are common in utilitarian ceramics across various folk societies, serving both decorative and symbolic functions. The use of a wide, oblique rim provides a practical edge for handling while also offering a canvas for ornamental bands, a design solution frequently observed in traditional plate forms.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ion Răducanu made earth-toned ceramics marked with tight geometric patterns. His green-glazed jar features stacked rings around the body and a white zig-zag on the neck, while the back shows his name and “Oboga jud.…











