Decorative Plates:
When Tableware Becomes a Display Piece

A ubiquitous everyday object, the plate hasn't always been the practical item that now graces every table. A centerpiece of table art, large, small, for dessert or fish, the plate was long a sign of wealth. Crafted from noble and delicate materials like earthenware, porcelain, silver, and even gold, the plate offered artists a prime canvas to express their art. Picasso, Lurçat, and even Cocteau painted plates that today fetch astronomical prices and are displayed like master paintings.

Vintage plates are also making a comeback on our walls and in our display cabinets. To showcase them safely, La Bulle offers standard or custom presentation solutions.

In the Middle Ages, "assiette" referred not to the utensil but to the sequence of dishes served during a meal. People ate on "tranchoirs," a type of cutting board, some of which already had raised edges, foreshadowing the definitive shape of the plates we know today. They first appeared in Europe among kings and nobles before becoming more widespread. Now made of earthenware and porcelain, they were adorned with the coats of arms and blazons of aristocratic families or scenes depicting the customs of the time. Tableware became a sign of wealth when one could afford different sets of dishes depending on the food to be savored. Metal and silver services disappeared during the reign of Louis XIV, who melted them down to finance his armies, and porcelain became the most frequently used material in their design. With the technical advances of the 18th century, tableware benefited from industrialization of its production and finally found its place in all households.

Beyond its practical aspect, the display cabinet is also a showcase behind which one can exhibit their most beautiful pieces. Elaborate plates find their perfect place there, allowing the entire service, which often tells a true story, to be beautifully staged. Here again, display cabinets first occupied the kitchens and drawing rooms of kings and queens, the number of tiers they comprised reflecting one's rank in society. While the sovereign's might have five tiers, a knight's had no more than two, and at that time, it was not yet called a display cabinet but a dresser.

In the 18th century, nobles and bourgeoisie, seeking to display their plates and thus make them de facto works of art, looked for furniture that combined storage and display advantages. The first display cabinets appeared, thereby legitimizing the decorative aspect of tableware in general and plates in particular (but also services, fish platters, relish dishes, etc.).