Plate 1875 - 1885

This ceramic plate was created by Zsolnay, and it’s now housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The plate immediately strikes you with its symmetrical floral composition, dominated by a central bouquet. The colour scheme is constrained by the creamy white of the plate, offset by gold leaf, touches of blues, yellows, and browns. The floral design is both naturalistic and stylized. Note the careful arrangement of colours and shapes—how the artist balances darker and lighter tones to create depth. It’s a composition that draws from the visual languages of both Eastern and Western art. The design has a structural quality that goes beyond mere decoration. The motifs and their arrangement can be seen as a visual language, echoing semiotic systems. The border features alternating floral elements with a continuous pattern of leaves, all brought together with gold leaf, to create an overall sense of opulence and controlled harmony. This plate is not just a functional item or a decorative object, but rather a complex interplay of visual and cultural signs. It is a testament to the artist's deep understanding of form, colour, and composition.