Antique Italian Coastal Scene on Porcelain

An uncommon early 20th-century find, this hand-painted porcelain plaque depicts an Italianate coastal scene set within its period carved giltwood frame. Signed and dated "Floretta J. Roemmele 1909" in the lower right, the painting recalls classic turn-of-the-century vistas of the Bay of Naples. During the Edwardian era, Mediterranean landscapes like this were sought after in American and European homes, offering a picturesque escape from the pace of industrialization while celebrating the enduring magic of the Grand Tour.

While mass-produced tiles with printed transferware designs were widely manufactured around 1900, one-of-a-kind hand-painted porcelain plaques treated as fine art miniatures were considerably rarer.

The verso retains its original presentation: period hanging wire, hand-driven wire nails, and the trade label of the New York Frame & Picture Co., a Manhattan framing and art business established in 1894 by Charles Samuel Horowitz. Based in the Financial District, the shop specialized in custom framing and decorative novelties. The label’s ornate black-and-gold lettering reflects the firm’s early typography.

Sourced in Brimfield, Massachusetts.

Dimensions: 7"W, 5"H