Napoleon III Rococo Revival Hanging Porcelain Plate with Gilt Brass Trophy Crest
Napoleon III Rococo Revival Hanging Porcelain Plate with Gilt Brass Trophy Crest
Design & Inspiration
Hang this piece on a bare wall and the wall ceases to be bare. The deep crimson ground — characteristic of the great Sèvres-style porcelain tradition that reached its apex under Napoleon III — immediately draws the eye, while the gilt brass surround catches whatever light the room offers and throws it back in scrolling acanthus curves. This is a wall decoration in the fullest sense: part sculpture, part painting, entirely French in ambition.
The crest above the plate is the detail that places this piece precisely in the Napoleon III Rococo Revival vocabulary. Two gilt brass hunting trumpets, crossed and bound with a ribbon, rest beneath a naturalistic branch that terminates in a hanging hook — a motif borrowed directly from the trophées that decorated French interiors of the 1850s and 1860s. The base cartouche, anchored by a bold pineapple finial flanked by acanthus leaves, mirrors the crest's energy and gives the composition a satisfying visual closure. These are not decorative accidents; they are the deliberate rhetoric of a style that believed ornament was a moral virtue.
Materials & Craftsmanship
The circular plate at the heart of this piece is porcelain fired with a deep wine-red ground, its border alive with hand-applied gilt acanthus scrollwork that spirals across the crimson field. At the centre, a softly painted bouquet of garden roses, peonies, and mixed blooms — rendered in the romantic naturalistic manner of mid-19th-century French decorative porcelain — sits within a plain white reserve that lets the painting breathe. The outer gilt brass frame is cast in sections, then assembled and finished by hand: the relief depth on each acanthus leaf, each scroll junction, and each trumpet valve reveals that this was shaped by someone who understood the original moulds and respected them. The brass finish on the displayed variant carries the warm, even lustre of quality gilding.
Dimensions & Details
Width: 23 cm / Height: 46 cm
The plate diameter occupies the lower 23 cm of the composition; the trophy crest and hanging hook account for the remaining height, making the full hanging piece a vertical accent suited to narrow wall panels, the space between two windows, or as a pair flanking a console mirror.
Handcrafted in Egypt
Every piece leaving the Brass & Wood atelier in Egypt is assembled and finished by hand. The brass components are cast from original pattern moulds, individually cleaned, and gilded; the porcelain plate is sourced for consistent ground colour and hand-inspected for painting quality before the two elements are united in the final frame. The result is a faithful interpretation of the Napoleon III decorative plate tradition — made with the care that the original Parisian workshops would have recognised.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials is this piece made from?
The decorative hanging plate combines a porcelain plate with a wine-red fired ground and hand-painted floral medallion, set within a cast brass frame with a gilded finish. No wood is used in this piece.
Is assembly required?
No assembly is required. The piece arrives ready to hang using the integrated brass loop at the top of the trophy crest.
Can this be customised?
Yes. Brass finish variants are available. Contact Brass & Wood for enquiries about alternative finish options for this piece.
