Plate with bouquets and flower sprays c. 1839

This plate with bouquets and flower sprays was made by Fabriek Dominique Denuelle. The composition features a central bouquet surrounded by scattered floral sprays, all painted on a pristine white surface. The delicate rendering of the flowers, combined with the gold leaf border, creates a sense of refined elegance. The distribution of the floral patterns across the plate is not random. There is a clear structure. A larger bouquet sits at the centre, while smaller, individual flower arrangements orbit it. This deliberate arrangement invites a semiotic interpretation. The central bouquet acts as a nucleus, symbolizing unity and coherence, with the surrounding flowers representing individuality within a structured framework. The contrast between the meticulous floral details and the overall sparse arrangement challenges any singular reading of the piece. Is it a celebration of nature's bounty or a carefully controlled representation of it? The plate destabilizes fixed meanings, existing in a state of tension between naturalism and artifice.