Plate
second quarter 18th century
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Diameter: 8 15/16 in. (22.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain-Export
Culture
Chinese, for European market
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Helena Woolworth McCann Collection, Purchase, Winfield Foundation Gift, 1962
Accession Number
62.12
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant hard-paste porcelain plate, in China for the European market during the second quarter the 18th century exemplifies the booming trade in export ceramics that captivated Western collectors. Measuring nearly 9 inches in diameter, it features delicate overglaze enamel decorations inspired by the Baroque painter Francesco Albani, known for his mythological scenes filled with graceful figures. The central motif likely depicts frolicsome female nudes accompanied by Cupid and playful dolphins, evoking themes love and the sea from classical antiquity—a popular European fantasy rendered in...
About the Artist
Francesco Albani · 1578–1660
Collaborated with Annibale Carracci and Domenichino on many decorative schemes, including some in the Palazzo Farnese in Rome. He also painted altarpieces, idyllic landscapes, and allegorical paintings. Comment on works: Religious; Mythology