Plaat, ovaal, veelkleurig beschilderd met een boer zittend binnen lambrequinrand c. 1750 - 1775

This oval plate, adorned with polychrome paint, presents a seated peasant framed within an elaborate lambrequin border, its creator remaining anonymous. The plate captivates with its symmetrical composition and the contrast between the central figure and the decorative border. The detailed border, featuring stylized floral and geometric patterns in vibrant blues, greens, and yellows, creates a dynamic interplay between natural and abstract forms. This intricate ornamentation frames a simple, almost austere depiction of a peasant, rendered in muted tones. The contrast highlights a tension between the idealized world of decoration and the more grounded, human world of the central figure. Such juxtapositions invite us to question established hierarchies and consider how art destabilizes fixed meanings. The plate’s visual language, using semiotic systems of signs, conveys complex cultural codes, challenging us to interpret the values and categories inherent in its design.