Plateau 1695 - 1705

This faience plateau was crafted by the Clérissy Manufactory, presenting a scene imbued with dynamism, rendered in vivid blue. At its core, we see a hunt, an age-old theme reflecting power, dominance, and the primal contest between humans and nature. The mounted hunters evoke images of nobility, harkening back to equestrian statues of emperors, forever immortalized in their dominion over beasts. Consider, however, how this motif evolves across time. In ancient Rome, such imagery served to legitimize imperial rule, yet here, on a piece of decorative pottery, it finds a new expression. The hunt has transformed into domestic life, and a pleasurable leisure activity. This hunt reminds us of the ever-evolving dance between us and the images of our past, shifting in meaning, yet forever linked by the threads of cultural memory.