Dessert plate

A dessert plate in white earthernware in the "Ochavada" style with a pink decorative print. In the centre is a western-style imaginary view of a group of palace buildings surrounded by trees and lush vegetation, located on the bank of a river with a bridge and a gondola crossing over. In the foreground is a classically-inspired pavilion with steps going down to a jetty, where a couple in period clothing with a little girl and a dog are conversing. Meanwhile, the rim is adorned with four identical architectural views, like the central image, of palace buildings on a river bank and small sail boats. These scenes alternate with floral rosettes with five pendants at the base and five petals at the tip on a fan-shape of striped lozenges.

Printed on the back of the plate is the La Cartuja's factory stamp, in this case comprising an anchor on which the following inscription is arranged in a semi-circle: “ PICKMAN .Y. Cª”.

This tableware design, called the "Ochavado", as Maestre indicates, was also used in Sargadelos, La Amistad de Cartagena and La Asturiana de Gijón. It is thought to be the only one reproduced from the early days of the factory's founding and is still in use today. It appears in the 1896 catalogue and in the prices for the years 1907, 1915, 1927, 1929, 1933, 1952, 1974, 1981 and 1984. It is still being produced in La Cartuja today. "

As for the decoration, the Landscapes and Town Views (Paisajes y Vistas Urbanas) series reproduced in this plate is considered one of the most distinctive and best known in La Cartuja's production, and largely became its hallmark thanks to its success and wide distribution. It has justifiably been associated with the factory throughout its history because it has been present from the outset, as reflected in the first price books still preserved.

These designs that could represent real or imaginary landscapes copy the tableware produced in England and also featured orientally-inspired motifs to imitate the pieces of Chinese porcelain that the East India Company imported from the colonies. One of these first designs was the Willow motif, which was probably introduced by Thomas Milton at the end of the 18th century. It was adopted by other factories, such as Spode and Wedgwood, and subsequently also spread to other manufacturers in North Staffordshire.

Over time, the Chinese-style landscapes evolved and gave rise to the imaginary oriental and western views referred to here. These scenes are heirs of the generation of French and Dutch landscape painters who were active during the 17th century. In fact, the work of Claude Lorrain (1600-1682), which depicts a nostalgic view of a peaceful, idyllic landscape, became a point of reference and a model that would be imitated, serving as a source of inspiration for the painter's many followers in England. The English landscape painters even transformed the real landscapes of their native land and adapted them to the style of Lorrain. This type of painting, called "picturesque", was applied to both the landscapes and views depicting ruined castles and sunsets and to others that highlighted simple natural beauty showing fishing boats or windmills. At the end of the 18th century and throughout the Romantic era, landscape became a vehicle of expression for feelings and emotions. It was then that the garden-landscape arose. It was composed and conceived to suggest and reflect states of mind, a factor that promoted this genre which ceased to be considered a lesser art form, as it became a valued, fashionable variation during the 19th century.

Most of the national factories decorated their tableware with views of imaginary architecture. During its third period (1845-1870), Sargadelos was the first factory to introduce this series, inspired by a specific design by the Copeland and Garrett factory which was later also adopted by La Cartuja. Despite the small variations in the different designs, western-style views were a common recourse that tended to show gardens with fountains and urns in the foreground, waterfalls in groves, buildings in the distances, pavilions or ruins with steps going down to a river, bridges and boats or figures in period dress. The decoration was generally completed with a border with floral motifs alternating with ovals again decorated with small imaginary views, inspired by the pieces produced by Copeland and Garrett in the "Venice" design between 1833-1847.

The Vistas series was used to decorate tableware in ordinary porcelain and opaque china and continues to be reproduced as with the Vistas design in feldspar porcelain and serigraphy. This same decoration was used by the factory La Asturiana de Mariano Pola y Cía in Gijón.