Plate, Germany, circa 1910.
Rosenthal Selb
Model No. 250 Donatello (proj. 1904).
Kirschzweigdekor Pate sur Pate (designed 1909).
size: dia. 19.5 cm
Glaze decoration: "pate sur pate".
The creators of the Donatello model were Hans Gunther Reinstein and Philipp Rosenthal. Taking the name from the Florentine sculptor's name was intended to strongly emphasize the emergence of the Art Nouveau line in the applied arts (as was the liberation of Renaissance sculpture from Gothic influences). The artist Hans Gunther Reinstein, co-founder of the Association of Artistic Crafts Designers in Darmstadt, focused on the sparing lines of the vessels and emphasizing the geometrization of the form. The decoration was designed by Julius V. Guldbrandsen, the first head of the Artistic Department - Kunstabteilung, operating at the Rosenthal factory. The motif of dark blue fruits applied in underglaze on a white background was given the name "Kirschzweigdekor", meaning cherry branch. The unique pattern and the 3 big names involved in the design mean that this one can be seen today mostly behind museum glass.