Plate

Art Historical Context

This delicate porcelain plate, crafted by F. B. M. for Haviland & Co. around 1885–87, captures the refined elegance of late 19th-century American tableware. Measuring 8¼ inches (21 cm) in diameter, showcases floral motifs—a popular tag for the era—likely hand-painted or transfer-printed in vibrant colors on fine white porcelain. Haviland & Co., a French-American firm renowned for Limoges porcelain, catered to the burgeoning American market during the Gilded Age, blending European craftsmanship with tastes for opulent domestic luxury. Porcelain like this represented artistic innovation in mass-produced yet artistic dinner services, making high-style china accessible to affluent U.S. households. The floral designs evoked the Aesthetic Movement's emphasis on beauty in everyday objects, symbolizing prosperity and nature's abundance amid rapid industrialization. Techniques such as underglaze decoration ensured durability for daily use while highlighting the translucency and purity of the medium. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this piece from the Florence I. Balasny-Barnes Collection (gifted in 1991) offers a glimpse into Victorian America's cultural sophistication, where tableware doubled as personal artistry.

About the Artist

F. B. M.|Haviland & Co. (American|American and French) · |1864 –9999 |1931

|American and French, 1864–1931