A pure white porcelain plate, without border or ground patterns, is simply ornamented with isolated images of birds and floral sprays--printed in black transfer and finished with colorful enamels. The naturalistic motifs were created by French painter, designer and graphic artist, Felix Bracquemond who was strongly influenced by the nature studies of Japanese artists like Hokusai. Decorators had freedom in applying the prints, resulting in a set that offered variety among individual pieces. The pattern name translates as "Scattered Flowers and Birds."

Those who follow this site know that whatever expertise we can claim relates to English and American ceramics. While this plate is consistent with Bracquemond's "Fleurs et Oiseaux Jetes," sources documenting this service in English are scarce. Therefore we are adding the qualifier "Attribution"

By the time he went to work as artistic director of Haviland's Paris workshop in 1872, Bracquemond had already made his most seminal contribution to the European trend of Japanese style ceramics. Dating from the late 1860's his earthenware "Rousseau Service" pioneered the use of  Japanese style motifs applied randomly to the plate surface. The service is frequently credited as the earliest expresion of Japanism in European ceramic tableware. Our blog, "Seekers Journal" includes a discussion of the influence of Bracquemond's pattern on Minton and other British potteries (posted August 2010).