Schotel, beschilderd met strooibloemen en gouden lovertjes c. 1809 - 1814

Editor: Here we have a painted porcelain plate, dating from around 1809 to 1814, crafted by Koninklijke Porseleinfabriek Dommer & Co. The floral and ribbon design seems so delicate. How would you interpret this piece through a Formalist lens? Curator: This porcelain plate compels us to focus on its intrinsic visual elements. Note the interplay between the smooth, reflective surface of the porcelain and the meticulously rendered floral motifs. The composition, essentially a circle within a circle, creates a sense of contained harmony. The washes of color-- primarily delicate pinks, purples, and yellows --contrast subtly with the stark white background. The decisive application of gilding around the rim further accentuates the object’s geometric perfection. How does the ribbon motif strike you in relation to the scattered flowers? Editor: I see what you mean. The ribbon's a nice touch that goes from one side to the other in a circle like hugging all the way around. It feels like it directs my eye, tying everything together. But aren’t these primarily decorative elements? Curator: Certainly. Yet, decoration should never be dismissed out of hand. The disciplined arrangement of these elements, along with the rigorous symmetry, underscores a precise artistic intention. It creates a coherent and visually pleasing whole, privileging the formal relationships above any representational meaning. This rigorous commitment to form, materiality, and geometric balance yields a remarkable, aesthetically complete artwork. Editor: I hadn’t thought about it that way. Seeing the balance between these aspects has shown me how something seemingly straightforward can become so much more. Curator: Indeed. And the restrained palette complements the rigorous compositional choices beautifully.