KPM Porcelain Plaque depicting A Scene from Shakespeare’s Othello

Object Description

A Fine KPM Porcelain Plaque depicting a scene from Shakespeare’s Play Othello, After the Painting by Carl Ludwig Friedrich Becker (German, 1820-1900).

Signed ‘R. Wagner’.

Impressed mark to the reverse ‘KPM’ (Konigliche Porzellan-Manufaktur).

The plaque is very finely painted depicting Othello, the Moor of Venice, relating his adventures before Senator Brabantio and his daughter Desdamona. The figures set within a finely painted Renaissance loggia.

Karl Ludwig Friedrich Becker (1820-1900) was a German historical painter, born in Berlin. He was a pupil of von Klöber, Cornelius, and Hess. He later studied in Paris, Rome, and Venice, and first attained success with subjects of the Venetian Renaissance.

Historical and genre scenes by old masters and contemporary historical artists provided the main source of inspiration for KPM plaques in the late nineteenth century.

Object History

Founded in Berlin in 1750 ‘KPM’ or ‘Koenigliche Porzellan-Manufaktur’ acquired its name and Royal patronage when the Prussian king, Frederick the Great, purchased the manufactory in 1760.

Its distinguished trademark from then on became the royal blue sceptre, which is stamped (painted prior to 1837) on every piece. All painted pieces produced by KPM are signed by the painter.

The complicated and exacting process of painting on porcelain became very popular in the mid to late nineteenth century. Drawing inspiration from old master portraits and genre scenes, artists were able to achieve incredible images embued with a luminous beauty through the translucent quality of the porcelain.

KPM porcelain represented the height of technical and artistic achievement during this period and large plaques particularly signed examples have become rare and highly sought after.

Object Details