Hand-Painted Ceramic Plate

The ethnographic area of Chodsko in the southwestern region of the Czech Republic is well known for its Bohemian folk art pottery. The Chodové—the people of Chodsko—have preserved their customs over the years, so the traditional ceramic pottery is still being made to this day. One of the pottery manufacturers of the area, Chodovia Klenci, is famous for its hand-painted products—the ceramic plate being one example.

The pottery from Chodsko is recognized for its hand-painted floral designs. This plate is decorated with various flowers, but the bright, vivid, red poppy takes center stage. The flower is intrinsically tied with Czech culture, as the poppy flower is the most popular motif since its seeds are usually used in Czech food. These richly ornamented plates, however, were not used for food consumption but only for decorative purposes.

Chodsko was the perfect region for the development of pottery as it was a good geographical location and had plenty of resources. It is documented that by the mid seventeenth century, there were only eleven potters registered in the area. However, it was the introduction of porcelain in the 1790s that enabled the rapid development of ceramic design, and in the early twentieth century, pottery manufacturers were able to start large-scale production of their artifacts.

ARTIST

Manufacturer of Chodovia Klenci

TITLE

Hand-painted ceramic plate with a floral design

DATE

1896

MEDIUM

Ceramic Plate

DIMENSIONS

Width 10 ¾” x Height 10 ¾”. (27.305 cm x 27.305 cm)

CREDIT LINE

CURRENT LOCATION

Czech Center Museum
4920 San Jacinto St.
Houston, TX 77004
Plzen Hall

ACCESSION NUMBER

CU404

CLASSIFICATION

Pottery

 PROVENANCE

The plate is originally from the southwestern area of the Czech Republic called Chodsko.