Plaisance Panel

69,5 X 79cm (27,36X31,1”)

The Plaisance is probably a Flemish design from circa 1750. The picture below shows the original as it can be seen in the Plantin Moretus Museum Antwerp.

No other archive seems to be available, perhaps some panels are stored in the reserves of decorative arts museums, who will tell. The original design is small scaled and busy with perhaps more than 70 flowers per panel.

We decided to rescale the design and reduced the amount of flowers to 28. This way we could contain the work and thus the price per panel; it also makes the design more appealing for contemporary designers. This panel is one of a set made for a customer in Amman, Jordan.

Traditionally the color scheme for this panel would be a gilded ground, greenish leafing and polychrome flowers.

This could well be a close match to an 18th century panel. Here are some details:

To end with, here is what a set of 4 looks like. Well, I hope the upholsterer will do a better job than I am on my PC. The aim was to make a square of 4 panels; it didn't work out as I expected.