D1425. Polychrome ‘Commedia dell’Arte’ Plate

Delft, circa 1725

Painted in blue in the center with the moustachioed actor wearing a floppy hat, a ruff around his neck, a mid-length cape, a buttoned doublet and knee breeches, holding a guitar in his right hand, gesturing with his left, and standing amidst leafy plants on a plateau reserved at the bottom with a small oval inscribed “no 45”, is head bisecting his inscribed name “Scaramouche”, all within a roundel of two concentric lines, the rim with a border of blue zigzags entwined with a blue meandering vine issuing iron-red blossoms and blue foliate scrolls, and the underside with five blue four-dot clusters beneath the rim.

Marked AR in blue, attributed to Adriaa[e]n van Rijsselberg[h], master gold painter employed at De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory from 1701 or possibly 1713 to 1735

Diameter
22.7 cm. (8.9 in.)