266 - Art Nouveau tray. France or Belgium, ca. 1900.

Art Nouveau tray. France or Belgium, ca. 1900. Glazed ceramic, walnut, and brass. The ceramic plate has a visible crack on the back. Measurements: 6.5 x 51 x 31.5 cm. Provenance: Estate of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Artistic and heritage collection originating in the legacy of Catalan painters Ramon Martí Alsina (1826–1894), a seminal figure of 19th-century Catalan Realism, and his son Ricard Martí Aguiló (1857–1935). Passed down and enriched across successive generations, the collection brings together works from the original holdings of both artists alongside acquisitions made by their descendants. Dedicated to preserving and recovering the family legacy, the descendants actively reacquired works by the painters as they entered the market, progressively expanding the collection to encompass paintings, sculptures, archaeological artifacts, and other items of artistic and historical significance. This tray is representative of the Art Nouveau style of around 1900 and particularly clearly reflects the influence of Japonism on European decorative arts. The ceramic plate is decorated with an asymmetrical composition of birds in flight and perched among flowering branches, accompanied by large flowers and butterflies—motifs rendered with delicate linework and a palette of soft tones. The central scene is framed by a dense floral border on a dark background and by a walnut frame with simple lines, fitted with brass and wood handles. The combination of naturalistic motifs, an open composition, and references to Japanese art reflects the interest of late-19th-century European designers in renewing the ornamental repertoire through designs originating in East Asia.