Dessert plate 1753 - 1763

This dessert plate was produced by the Fürstenberg Porcelain Manufactory. Notice the intricate interplay between the central image and the decorative border. The scene is rendered in delicate purple monochrome, offering a pastoral idyll with architectural elements. This contrasts with the elaborate, openwork border, which uses a grid-like structure interspersed with floral and foliate motifs. The border introduces a complex layering of forms, where the eye jumps between the representational image and abstract ornamentation. The use of open space in the border destabilizes the traditional function of a plate, drawing attention to its constructed nature. It is not merely a surface for food but an object whose form actively shapes perception. Consider how the plate's design plays with ideas of representation and artifice, questioning fixed meanings and inviting ongoing interpretations.