Minton dessert plate painted by Boullemier and Leroy

Minton - 1880
 
This exquisite plate features a hand painted centre by French artist Antonin Boullemier, depicting a nymph seated on a branch staring at a blue bird. Such idyllic views of figures in nature were very popular with the Victorians and French artists like Boullemier took the style to new levels and gave the look a French flavour of softness and tone, redolent of the contemporary artistic movements of their home nation. Boullemier was born in France and trained at Sèvres before moving to Stoke on Trent around 1871.
 
The edge of the plate is finished with a profusion of Minton’s most iconic decorative techniques; turquoise blue ground, raised paste gilding and the delicate scrolling white enamel, most associated with another French artist, Desiré Leroy. Leroy perfected painting in what was known as French or Limoges enamel, a technique inspired by the 16th century Limoges metal enamelers of his homeland. Although Minton had been making Limoges enamel style wares since the late 1850s, these had been in the traditional black and white. Leroy is credited with popularising the technique on other colour ways and for executing a delicacy that often has it mistaken for pâte-sur-pâte. Leroy was also a native of France and like Boulemmeir trained at Sèvres. Following a stellar 15 year career at Minton from 1874 he moved to Royal Crown Derby where he reached even dizzier heights. 
 
This piece is not signed as the date of its making, 1880, was during a period where artists were not allowed to sign their work. Such monograms and notations, although not completely unheard of, did not become commonplace until the last decade of the 19th century and into the 20th. 
 
Condtion: Perfect
 
Size: 24.5 cm diameter