Pair of 18th C. Greek Black Basalt Plates

Pair of 18th C. Greek Black Basalt PlatesThese black basalt plates are part of the celebrated Pratts Greek series produced in England during the late 18th century, a high point of British neoclassical ceramic design. Executed in matte black body with crisp white relief, the compositions draw directly from Greco Roman sculpture and engraved sources, translating antique figural language into refined domestic objects. Each plate features a distinct classical sceneone a grouping of draped

These black basalt plates are part of the celebrated Pratt’s Greek series produced in England during the late 18th century, a high point of British neoclassical ceramic design. Executed in matte black body with crisp white relief, the compositions draw directly from Greco-Roman sculpture and engraved sources, translating antique figural language into refined domestic objects.

Each plate features a distinct classical scene—one a grouping of draped figures arranged in quiet procession, the other a dynamic male figural composition—both framed by a Greek key border at the rim. The sharp contrast of black ground and white relief reflects the period’s admiration for ancient Attic pottery and cameo carving, a visual vocabulary popularized through archaeological discovery and Grand Tour scholarship. 

Maker: Pratt & Co.
Series: Pratt’s Greek
Dimensions: Available upon request
Style: Greek Revival / Neoclassical
Materials & Techniques: Black basalt ceramic with applied white relief decoration
Place of Origin: England
Period: Late 18th century
Details: Greek key border; classical figural relief scenes