Plate 1845 - 1846

This plate was made by Manufacture nationale de Sèvres, and is now at the Art Institute of Chicago. Observe the composition closely. A central bouquet bursts with color, a wild array of pinks, blues, and yellows, contained within a perfect circle. This miniature garden contrasts with the plate's larger geometry, its neat concentric rings of gold filigree, and stylized fleur-de-lis motifs that edge its circumference. The tension between the organic and the geometric creates a compelling dialogue. The plate is not merely decorative; it engages with ideas of order and nature, control and spontaneity. The structural design and the placement of the bouquet invite us to consider the interplay between artifice and the natural world. It’s a stage on which these themes play out. This small plate challenges fixed meanings, asking us to reconsider our relationship with beauty and form.