Artwork

Farfurie de formă tronconică, adâncită; pe fund are găuri pentru agățare. Pe margine este decorat cu motive florale, despărțite de șiruri de puncte și încadrate de două cercuri concentrice; în centru are o cruce mare cu capete treflate încadrată de doi trandafiri (în lateral) și o floare la bază. Pe exterior are urme de pictură (probabil a fost așezată pe o altă farfurie proaspăt pictată). Cromatică: fond: alb; motive: roșu; verde; albastru; galben.

Farfurie de formă tronconică, adâncită; pe fund are găuri pentru agățare. Pe margine este decorat cu motive florale, despărțite de șiruri de puncte și încadrate de două cercuri concentrice; în centru are o cruce mare cu capete treflate încadrată de doi trandafiri (în lateral) și o floare la bază. Pe exterior are urme de pictură (probabil a fost așezată pe o altă farfurie proaspăt pictată). Cromatică: fond: alb; motive: roșu; verde; albastru; galben. is a print by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the ASTRA National Museum Complex. This shallow, conical ceramic plate features a white glaze with painted floral and symbolic motifs in red, green, blue, and yellow.

About this work

Overview

This shallow, conical ceramic plate features a white glaze with painted floral and symbolic motifs in red, green, blue, and yellow. Its form suggests utilitarian use, yet the central cross and roses indicate ritual or devotional intent. Traces of pigment on the exterior imply it was stacked against another freshly painted piece during production, revealing workshop practices of the time.

Subject & Meaning

The central Latin cross with trefoil ends, flanked by two roses and a single bloom at the base, merges religious symbolism with ornamental tradition.

The central Latin cross with trefoil ends, flanked by two roses and a single bloom at the base, merges religious symbolism with ornamental tradition. Roses may reference Marian devotion or earthly beauty, while the cross anchors the piece in Christian iconography. The combination of sacred and decorative elements suggests the object served both domestic and spiritual functions, possibly in a household or ecclesiastical setting.

Technique & Style

Decorative bands encircle the rim, composed of small floral motifs separated by dotted lines and framed by two concentric circles. The painting is executed with loose, hand-drawn precision, using limited pigments applied over a white slip. The smudged outer edge reveals contact with a wet surface during drying, indicating batch production and manual handling rather than industrial methods.

History & Provenance

No documented origin or excavation record is provided, but the style aligns with regional ceramic traditions of Eastern Europe, likely from the late medieval or early modern period. The presence of symbolic imagery alongside utilitarian form suggests local craftsmanship, possibly linked to monastic or village workshops where religious and everyday objects were produced together.

Context

In its cultural milieu, such plates may have been used in domestic rituals, feast days, or as votive offerings. The integration of Christian symbols into tableware reflects the permeation of faith into daily life. Similar motifs appear in folk art across the Balkans and Carpathians, where religious imagery was adapted into vernacular crafts without formal ecclesiastical oversight.

Legacy

The object exemplifies how sacred symbols were absorbed into common material culture, preserving religious meaning through everyday use. Its preservation offers insight into artisanal practices and the informal transmission of iconography outside formal religious institutions. Such pieces remain valuable for understanding the intersection of belief, craft, and domestic life in pre-industrial societies.