Hand-Painted Ceramic Plate with Fish from Water Berry, Zimbabwe, 1997

Details

Description

Five individually detailed fish swim through a dense tangle of spiky serrated foliage and yellow blossoms across the dished face … Read more Five individually detailed fish swim through a dense tangle of spiky serrated foliage and yellow blossoms across the dished face of this circular ceramic plate. Each fish is rendered with fine cross-hatching and outlining in ink-like black over tinted slips and washes, displaying distinct scales, fins, and open round eyes. The palette ranges from soft charcoal grey and coral pink to mustard yellow, warm terracotta, and olive green, all floating across a mottled pale blue ground. Thrown or moulded with a gentle concavity, the shallow form rises to an upturned rim bordered by a rhythmic pattern of alternating black dashes. A high-gloss clear glaze covers the painted face, enhancing the saturation of the pigments and protecting the surface. The reverse is finished in a uniform cream-toned glaze, showing the neat concentric throwing rings of the ceramic body. The underside features hand-painted studio lettering identifying the maker as Water Berry of Zimbabwe, accompanied by the workshop's characteristic splayed gecko emblem, painted artist initials, and the year 1997. Zimbabwean art pottery studios developed a recognisable hand-painted aesthetic, drawing on river life, African fauna, and botanical motifs rendered with folk-art precision.

Measuring approximately 18 cm in diameter, this decorative plate is suited for wall mounting or cabinet display. It survives in excellent vintage condition, showing no chips, cracks, or hairline fractures to the ceramic body or glaze. See less