'Judith', large antique KPM porcelain plaque after Riedel

This large porcelain plaque, a replica of an important painting by August Riedel, is an excellent demonstration of the supreme technical abilities of the KPM factory. In the 19th Century KPM specialised in the production of fine porcelain plaques such as this which replicated important German paintings..

The painting after which this plaque was made is August Riedel's (German 1799-1883) Judith, completed in 1841 and currently on display at the Neue Pinakothek in Munich, Germany. Riedel's original was acclaimed for its vibrant colouring, as well as for the serene heroism of its central figure, exploring the ambiguity of the figure of Judith in Western art and iconography: she is simultaneously pious warrior and femme fatale.

The story of Judith and the head of Holofernes is one which has popularly appeared in Western art, and has been the subject of paintings by Old Masters such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. The story appears in the Book of Judith in the Bible, and recounts how Judith was able to defeat Holofernes, a general of the Biblical Assyrian king Nebuchadnezzar, and save her home city of Bethulia.

In the story, Holofernes becomes infatuated with Judith and invites her to his tent, where he later becomes incapacitated by drink. While asleep, Judith beheads the general and carries it away in a basket.

This beautiful plaque faithfully renders the fine details of Riedel's original. It is set within a carved giltwood frame with a red velvet backing, and bears a signature to the bottom right, as well as an impressed KPM monogram and sceptre mark to the reverse. The plaque and its frame have the following dimensions:

Frame: height 87cm, width 71.5cm, depth 8cm
Plaque: height 58cm, width 42cm