Boch Frères "Le Dimanche Mondain" Decorative Plate

BOCH FRÈRES "LE DIMANCHE MONDAIN" DECORATIVE PLATE
Era: 1920s
Maker: Boch Frères La Louvière, Belgium
Style: Art Nouveau/Belle Époque Social Scene

OVERVIEW:
A charming decorative plate from the renowned Belgian pottery Boch Frères La Louvière, depicting a lively social dancing scene titled "Le Dimanche Mondain - Une Soirée Dansante" (The Fashionable Sunday - A Dancing Evening). The plate exemplifies the period's interest in documenting social customs and leisure activities of the bourgeoisie. The plate is already pierced with a hook attached for decoration.

SPECIFICATIONS:
• Diameter: 8.5 inches
• Material: Fine porcelain
• Origin: Belgium
• Manufacturer: Boch Frères La Louvière
• Series: French Social Life Series

DESIGN ELEMENTS:
• Central Scene:
- Elegant dancing party scene
- Multiple figures in period attire
- Detailed interior setting with palm decorations
- Ornamental frame detail at top
- Fine line work and shading

• Color Palette:
- Black and white primary illustration
- Rose pink accents in clothing
- Sage green botanical details
- Burgundy furniture elements
- Cream ground

• Technical Features:
- Transfer-printed decoration
- Hand-colored details
- "DÉPOSÉ" mark indicating registered design
- Clear French title text

CONDITION:
Excellent Vintage Condition
• Clean, clear transfer print
• Vibrant original coloring
• No chips or cracks
• Minimal wear to surface
• Clear maker's marks

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
This plate is part of a series that documented French social life in the early 20th century. Boch Frères La Louvière, established in 1841, was one of Belgium's premier ceramics manufacturers and known for their high-quality decorative wares. This particular design captures the emergence of modern social dancing in the 1920s, when traditional ballroom dances began to give way to new, more casual styles. The "Dimanche Mondain" theme reflects the importance of Sunday social gatherings in bourgeois society of the period.

MAKER'S MARKS:
• "DÉPOSÉ" (registered design mark)
• Title: "LE DIMANCHE MONDAIN - UNE SOIRÉE DANSANTE"
• "Boch Frères La Louvière" stamp on reverse

DECORATIVE SUGGESTIONS:
• Wall display in period interior
• Part of a decorative plate collection
• Dining room or parlor accent
• Belle Époque themed room decoration
• Social history collection piece

REFERENCE:
Featured in Boch Frères La Louvière catalogue of decorative plates, early 1920s series depicting French social customs and entertainment.