Delft – Small plate (16cm) depicting a horse, late 18th century

Small Delft tin-glazed earthenware plate decorated in polychrome on a soft blue ground. The centre shows a naive, folk-style depiction of a horse mid-jump over a fence, rendered with a light, informal hand rather than a highly detailed painterly approach, giving it a spontaneous and characterful feel.

Around the rim, a humorous inscription reads: “Dit paart kan dra ven”, intended as “Dit paard kan draven” (“This horse can trot”). The text adds a playful narrative element typical of smaller decorative Delft pieces made for informal display.

The plate shows age-appropriate wear, including minor rim chipping and surface wear to the glaze.

Diameter: 16 cm.

Delft, Late 18th century