Artwork

Blid de formă tronconică foarte adâncită, cu buza foarte înaltă și ușor ieșită în afară în partea exterioară. Este smălțuit interior și exterior (doar buza). În centru e decorat cu motive florale, iar pe margine cu o linie; pe fund are marca ”Granitul No 4 1/2”. Cromatică: fond interior crem; fond exterior maro; motive: mov închis; verde; albastru; maro.

Blid de formă tronconică foarte adâncită, cu buza foarte înaltă și ușor ieșită în afară în partea exterioară. Este smălțuit interior și exterior (doar buza). În centru e decorat cu motive florale, iar pe margine cu o linie; pe fund are marca ”Granitul No 4 1/2”. Cromatică: fond interior crem; fond exterior maro; motive: mov închis; verde; albastru; maro. is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. The object is a shallow, circular dish with a pronounced, high rim that projects slightly outward.

About this work

Overview

The object is a shallow, circular dish with a pronounced, high rim that projects slightly outward. Both the interior and the rim are glazed, while the outer surface of the rim remains unglazed. The piece bears a maker’s mark on the underside reading “Granitul No 4 ½.”

Subject & Meaning

The interior surface is decorated with a simple floral motif rendered in dark violet, green, blue and brown pigments against a creamy background. The design is centered and lacks narrative content, suggesting a primarily ornamental purpose rather than symbolic storytelling.

Technique & Style

The dish is executed in a painted ceramic technique, with a glazed interior and rim contrasted by an unglazed exterior rim. The color palette combines muted earth tones with richer jewel hues, and the painted line around the edge provides a subtle framing element.

History & Provenance

The inscription “Granitul No 4 ½” identifies the workshop or manufacturer, indicating a production series rather than a unique commission. No further provenance is recorded, but the style aligns with mid‑20th‑century Romanian folk pottery traditions.

Context

Such shallow serving vessels were common in domestic settings for presenting food or decorative objects. The floral decoration reflects a vernacular aesthetic that favored natural motifs and modest color contrasts, typical of rural ceramic production.