Circular in shape and resting on a shallow foot rim, this plate features a slightly flat surface appropriate to its function. Its centre, known as the well, is surrounded by a gently curved descent (chute), creating a harmonious transition to the wing—the flat border forming the outer part of the plate. In silverware, this area is referred to as the marli, whereas in porcelain manufacture the term wing is traditionally used. This border is often enriched with painted, moulded, or gilded decoration depending on period and style.
Hard-paste porcelain.
The central well is decorated with an exceptional scene depicting a young woman draped in the Antique manner, representing Germinal, the seventh month of the French Revolutionary Calendar. Clad in a violet-toned gown, she is portrayed within an architectural setting opening onto a landscape. Kneeling upon cushions and holding a light veil, she embodies the neoclassical spirit inspired by Antiquity and the allegorical representations of the early nineteenth century.
The wing is entirely covered with a rich gilt ground enriched with a succession of circular reserves linked by linear motifs and stylised knots reserved in white. The border is adorned with an important roulette-gilded frieze forming a geometric kymation pattern in relief, characteristic of the sumptuous engine-turned gilding employed by the Nast manufactory during the early nineteenth century.
Provenance: Former collection of the Bethmann family, one of the most powerful German banking dynasties of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, established in Frankfurt am Main. In 1748, the family founded the renowned Gebrüder Bethmann (“Bethmann Brothers”) bank, which rapidly became one of Europe's leading financial institutions.
Mark(s) : Painted in gold, “Nast à Paris par Brevet d’Inv.tion”.
Dimensions : Diameter: 24 cm.
Condition : PERFECT CONDITION.
Period : EMPIRE.
Remarks : Minor wear consistent with age and use.
The use of roulette gilding lends these porcelains an exceptionally luxurious appearance, almost as though one were looking at finely chased goldsmith’s work or gilt bronze rather than ceramic. Because the relief decoration is impressed directly into the gold before firing, the surface acquires a remarkable depth and luminous vibration. Unlike brush-applied gilding, which generally remains smooth and uniform, roulette gilding creates a rich interplay of textures and reflections.
As light falls across the surface, each motif catches and reflects it differently, producing subtle variations between matte, brilliant, and softly satin-finished areas. This technique brings the porcelain to life and greatly enhances the sophistication of the decoration. The resulting friezes often evoke the chasing of gilt bronze, the trimmings of luxurious textiles, or even ornamental motifs drawn from classical architecture.
This technical mastery formed an integral part of the luxurious style developed by the Nast manufactory during the Empire period. By this time, porcelain had become far more than a utilitarian object; it was conceived as a true decorative work of art, intended to impress through the richness of its ornamentation and the quality of its execution. With these exquisitely refined relief gildings, each piece acquired an almost architectural presence. Light played across the depth of the patterns, while the gold shimmered with extraordinary brilliance.
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