Pair of Ribesalbes dishes, XIX century.

Pair of dishes Ribesalbes, nineteenth century.
Glazed ceramic with the technique of sponging.
One of the dishes has a hair.
Measurements: 33 cm. diameter (each one).

Pair of ceramic plates from Ribesalbes, made during the 19th century and decorated in polychrome with architectural motifs, stylized cypresses and boats, executed using the traditional technique of sponging. These pieces belong to the outstanding production of popular Valencian earthenware developed in the province of Castellón, one of the most important ceramic centers of the Spanish Levant.

The decoration combines small architectures of landscape character with maritime scenes and vegetal elements of great decorative spontaneity. The cypresses, represented with broad green and blue brushstrokes, frame the central compositions and provide a marked Mediterranean air, while the boats evoke the intense historical relationship between the Valencian communities and maritime trade.

The sponge technique, characteristic of certain popular Ribesalbes productions, consists of applying part of the decoration by means of sponges impregnated with pigment, creating dynamic effects of texture and color. This procedure gave each piece a unique and handcrafted appearance, far from industrial uniformity.

Made for domestic and ornamental use, these plates reflect the popular decorative taste of the 19th century and are a valuable testimony of the Valencian ceramic tradition prior to the full industrialization of manufacturing. The lively colors, the compositional freedom and the freshness of the drawing make these pieces excellent examples of Ribesalbes' historical popular ceramics.