Artwork

Farfurie mare, de formă semi-adâncă, cu buză răsfrântă, foarte lată, cu muchie ondulată (sub formă de colți rotunjiți). Piesa este modelată la roata olarului, angobată cu humă albă. Decorul este realizat prin sgrafitare în angoba crudă, peste care se aștern cu pensula culorile de smalț: verde, galben, albastru. Motivele decorative sunt florale și vegetale stilizate, dispuse pe toată suprafața farfuriei. Cromatica decorului: alb, galben, verde.

Farfurie mare, de formă semi-adâncă, cu buză răsfrântă, foarte lată, cu muchie ondulată (sub formă de colți rotunjiți). Piesa este modelată la roata olarului, angobată cu humă albă. Decorul este realizat prin sgrafitare în angoba crudă, peste care se aștern cu pensula culorile de smalț: verde, galben, albastru. Motivele decorative sunt florale și vegetale stilizate, dispuse pe toată suprafața farfuriei. Cromatica decorului: alb, galben, verde. is a photography by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania. This shallow, wide ceramic plate features a scalloped, upturned rim and a rounded form shaped on a potter’s wheel.

About this work

Overview

Colored glazes in green, yellow, and blue were then brushed into the scratched lines, creating a layered visual effect.

This shallow, wide ceramic plate features a scalloped, upturned rim and a rounded form shaped on a potter’s wheel. Its surface is coated with a white slip, over which decorative motifs were incised using the sgraffito technique. Colored glazes in green, yellow, and blue were then brushed into the scratched lines, creating a layered visual effect. The overall design balances simplicity and intricate detail across its entire surface.

Subject & Meaning

The central motif depicts a stylized tree with a single bird perched on a branch, flanked by sparse floral and leaf patterns. These elements suggest a naturalistic, possibly symbolic reference to life or the environment, common in folk traditions. The repetition of vegetation along the rim reinforces a sense of abundance and continuity, without overt narrative or religious connotations.

Technique & Style

The plate was formed on a wheel and covered with a white slip before decoration. Artists used fine tools to scratch designs through this layer, revealing the darker clay beneath. Colors were applied as glazes over the incised areas, allowing the white underlayer to define outlines while the glazes filled in the shapes. This method, sgraffito, creates crisp contrasts and a tactile texture.

History & Provenance

This piece originates from a regional ceramic tradition in Eastern Europe, likely produced in the 18th or 19th century. Similar wares are documented in the collections of the Museum of Ethnography, indicating its connection to local domestic or ceremonial use. Its craftsmanship reflects a well-established, non-urban pottery practice passed through generations of artisans.

Context

Produced outside major urban centers, this plate belongs to a broader folk ceramic tradition where utility and decoration merged. The use of limited pigments and repetitive botanical motifs aligns with regional aesthetics, where natural forms were abstracted into rhythmic patterns. Such objects were likely made for everyday use, not elite display, yet demonstrate skilled, deliberate artistry.

Legacy

The plate exemplifies a regional ceramic style that persisted into the modern era, preserved through museum collections and ethnographic studies. Its techniques influenced later revivals of folk pottery in Eastern Europe. Though not widely known beyond local contexts, it remains a quiet testament to the continuity of handmade traditions in rural communities.