French Rubelles 'Tremblay' Majolica Plate c.1850

DIam: 24cm (9.5inches)

Impressed marks to back: Rubelles, S&M.
Rubelles, France, about 1842-1855
The circular plate with moulded design of grapes on the vine.

The almost photographic quality of the image in the centre of the plate was created using émaux ombrants technique. Emaux ombrant is a process for decorating pottery in which a transparent coloured glaze is poured over an etched or stamped design, the impressions of the design appearing as shadows. The process was developed in France in the 1840's at the Rubelles factory by Baron A.Du Tremblay. 

The name Emaux Ombrant comes from 'Ombre' which is shadow in French and 'email' which is enamel.

 In 1851, examples of this technique reeived a Gold Medal at the Exhibition of All Nations ( Crystal Palace Exhibition).

In 1872 Wedgwood purchased all of the molds from Rubelles and began making pieces in this technique on 1877.

An example of Rubelles 'Email Ombrant' is in the collection of the Victorian & Albert Museum. https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O100586/plate-baron-du-tremblay/