A young girl sits between two open baskets on this dish, holding a posy of flowers in one hand, the whole scene moulded and hand-painted with the kind of detail Dresden porcelain built its reputation on through the 19th century. She's dressed in period costume, a laced bodice, ruffled sleeves, and a hat with a turned-up brim decorated with flowers, with bright orange shoes providing a sharp bit of colour against the otherwise softer palette.
The baskets themselves carry small floral sprays against white porcelain, trimmed with gold, and their open form makes them functional as small dishes, suited to sweetmeats, bonbons, or salt depending on what a household needed at the table. Figural sweetmeat dishes like this were a popular Rococo Revival format, treating a practical serving object as an opportunity for real sculptural storytelling rather than a plain container.
Condition notes
Good antique condition. Left foot chipped; some wear to gilt.
