Royal Vienna porcelain and ormolu charger after Veronese

The porcelain charger is of circular form and ornately decorated all over. To the centre is an exceptionally detailed rectangular scene, after the Old Master painting of 'Jesus and the Canaanite Woman' by Paolo Veronese (Italian, 1528-1588); the original work dating from circa 1548. The central painting is visually framed within a gold rectangular border, with raised gilt detailing. The outer sections of the plaque are very finely decorated with curved sections of scrolling, gilt acanthus leaf motifs on a wine-coloured ground, with four gilded roundels to the top, bottom and sides, all interspersed with raised parcel gilt patternwork on a white ground. The edges of the porcelain charger are decorated with geometric and floral motifs and the charger is housed within a circular ormolu frame.

The painting depicts the biblical story of 'Jesus and the Canaanite Woman', also known as the 'Exorcism of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter', amongst other names. The healing of the Canaanite woman's daughter is one of the miracles of Jesus, and is told in the Gospel of Matthew and recounted in the Gospel of Mark.

The painted scene is signed 'A. Beer' to the lower centre, and the reverse bears the beehive mark for Royal Vienna, and the German inscription 'Christus und das kanaaische Weib' which translates as 'Jesus and the Canaanite Woman'.