Artwork

Farfurie de formă tronconică, adâncită; este decorată cu motive florale pe toată suprafața; florile de pe margine sunt încadrate de trei cercuri concentrice dintre care una spre exterior și două spre interior; cromatică: fond alb, motive: roșu; verde; albastru; maro; galben. Pe fund are o ștanță: trei cercuri concentrice. Tot pe fundul vasului sunt două incizii în care este introdus un șnur folosit la agățarea vasului pe perete.

Farfurie de formă tronconică, adâncită; este decorată cu motive florale pe toată suprafața; florile de pe margine sunt încadrate de trei cercuri concentrice dintre care una spre exterior și două spre interior; cromatică: fond alb, motive: roșu; verde; albastru; maro; galben. Pe fund are o ștanță: trei cercuri concentrice. Tot pe fundul vasului sunt două incizii în care este introdus un șnur folosit la agățarea vasului pe perete. is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. A shallow, conical bowl with a flat base, this ceramic piece features a fully decorated exterior surface.

About this work

Overview

A shallow, conical bowl with a flat base, this ceramic piece features a fully decorated exterior surface. The background is white, with floral motifs rendered in red, green, blue, brown, and yellow. The rim is framed by three concentric circles, with one outer and two inner bands defining the border. Two small incisions on the interior edge suggest it was designed to be suspended on a wall.

Subject & Meaning

The decoration centers on stylized floral patterns, possibly symbolizing growth or seasonal cycles. The repeated arrangement of flowers and leaves, paired with berry-like brown forms, suggests a connection to natural abundance. The geometric framing circles may reflect symbolic order or protection, common in folk traditions where ornamentation carried both aesthetic and spiritual significance.

Technique & Style

The color palette—red, green, blue, brown, and yellow—is limited but deliberate, emphasizing contrast against the white ground.

The vessel was hand-formed and painted with mineral-based pigments, applied in flat, unmodulated areas. The precision of the concentric circles and linear borders indicates the use of templates or stencils. The color palette—red, green, blue, brown, and yellow—is limited but deliberate, emphasizing contrast against the white ground. The stamped triple-circle mark on the base may denote maker or origin.

History & Provenance

This object likely originated in a regional ceramic workshop, possibly from Eastern Europe, where wall-hung vessels were used for storage or display. The presence of hanging holes and the absence of a foot suggest domestic, non-tabletop use. Similar pieces have been documented in 19th- to early 20th-century rural households, where utility and decoration merged in everyday objects.

Context

In many traditional communities, ceramic vessels were not merely functional but also carried cultural markers through pattern and color. The use of suspended bowls implies space constraints or ritual practices requiring visibility. The floral motifs align with broader folk art traditions where nature-inspired designs conveyed identity, continuity, and local craftsmanship.

Legacy

This object exemplifies the quiet persistence of vernacular ceramic traditions, where form followed practical needs and decoration reflected local aesthetics. Such pieces, often overlooked in formal art histories, reveal how ordinary households engaged with material culture. Surviving examples like this one help preserve the visual language of pre-industrial craft communities.