Dessert plate from the "Duke Carl I of Braunschweig Service" c. 1758

Editor: This is a dessert plate from the "Duke Carl I of Braunschweig Service," made by the Fürstenberg Porcelain Factory. The lavender scene in the center and the ornate border are so delicate. What strikes you most about the composition? Curator: The most compelling formal element is the tension between the central image and the periphery. Note the contrast between the smooth, pictorial space of the landscape and the highly stylized, almost abstract, openwork border. Editor: I see that now, it's like two different styles coexisting. The eye is drawn to the center but also to the ornate, golden edges. Curator: Precisely. The plate thus functions as both a canvas for representation and a display of pure, decorative form. Do you agree? Editor: I do. It makes me appreciate the careful balance the artist achieved. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, a beautiful example of form meeting function, each element enhancing the other.