Artwork

Farfurie semi-adâncă, cu corp scund și buză lată, răsfrântă și muchie ondulată (mici alveole). Piesa este modelată la roata olarului, angobată cu humă albă pe fața interioară a acesteia. Decorul, bogat, cu linii groase, este realizat prin pictare cu cornul și cu pensula și constă în motive decorative vegetale stilizate (flori și frunze) și geometrice (linii, puncte) dispuse pe întreaga suprafață a farfuriei. Cromatica decorului: alb, albastru. Farfuria este smălțuită pe interior, cu smalț transparent.

Farfurie semi-adâncă, cu corp scund și buză lată, răsfrântă și muchie ondulată (mici alveole). Piesa este modelată la roata olarului, angobată cu humă albă pe fața interioară a acesteia. Decorul, bogat, cu linii groase, este realizat prin pictare cu cornul și cu pensula și constă în motive decorative vegetale stilizate (flori și frunze) și geometrice (linii, puncte) dispuse pe întreaga suprafață a farfuriei. Cromatica decorului: alb, albastru. Farfuria este smălțuită pe interior, cu smalț transparent. is a print by Unknown. It dates from 1850 and is held in the collection of the Ethnographical Museum of Transylvania. This shallow ceramic plate features a broad, flared rim with a wavy edge and small internal depressions.

About this work

Overview

This shallow ceramic plate features a broad, flared rim with a wavy edge and small internal depressions. Crafted on a potter’s wheel, it is coated with a white slip on the interior surface and finished with a clear glaze. The decoration, executed with both brush and stylus, covers the entire interior with intricate patterns in blue and white, reflecting a refined handcrafted tradition.

Subject & Meaning

The decoration combines stylized floral elements—flowers and leaves—with geometric motifs such as lines and dots. These patterns, arranged in continuous bands, suggest an emphasis on rhythm and repetition rather than naturalistic representation. The absence of figural imagery points to a decorative tradition rooted in symbolic abstraction, common in regional ceramic practices of the period.

Technique & Style

The plate was formed on a wheel and treated with a white engobe on its interior before being painted with blue pigments using fine brushes and a pointed tool.

The plate was formed on a wheel and treated with a white engobe on its interior before being painted with blue pigments using fine brushes and a pointed tool. The thick, fluid lines and precise dots indicate skilled manual control. A transparent glaze was applied over the design, sealing the surface and enhancing the contrast between the white slip and the blue motifs, creating a luminous, cohesive surface.

History & Provenance

This piece is held in the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. Its form and decoration align with ceramic traditions from Eastern Europe, likely dating to the late 19th or early 20th century. It reflects regional practices where household wares were decorated with locally available materials and inherited visual vocabularies, preserved through generations of artisan production.

Context

The use of blue and white on a white slip echoes broader Eurasian ceramic traditions, yet the specific arrangement of motifs and the shallow form are characteristic of local folk pottery. Such plates were likely used for daily service, their decoration serving both aesthetic and cultural functions, reinforcing communal identity through repeated visual symbols.

Legacy

This plate exemplifies a durable tradition of vernacular ceramics that prioritized craftsmanship over mass production. Its preservation in a museum setting underscores its value as a record of regional artisan practices. While no longer in common use, its design continues to inform studies of folk art and material culture in Eastern Europe.