Boris Zworykin (1872-1942) is celebrated as one of Russia's most important ornamental illustrators. The original illustrations, created 100 years ago, are in the Metropolitan Museum at New York. Zworykin used gouache, a type of paint consisting of pigment suspended in water, that intensifies the brilliance of colors. Production methods for hard-paste porcelain plates, to be faithful to the original pastel colors, use a high carat gold, making it possible, for example, to emphasize red and lilac shades from the original art. After firing is completed, at temperatures approaching 1500 F., the colors display a brilliance not often found on porcelain. Each of the 28 ceramic colors is applied before firing - a procedure that requires time, care, and precision.
Gero Trauth (b. 1942) is a German painter, graphic artist, porcelain illustrator and designer. He studied Arts, Graphics and Design at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany. From 1984-1997 he maintained a successful partnership with Villeroy&Boch/Heinrich–Porzellan in Selb. Besides creating exclusive table settings and dinnerware for Paloma Picasso and other exclusive objet d’art, he painted original art for twelve Russian fairy tales titled "Magical Fairy Tales from Old Russia" in two separate editions (featured here).
All plates made in Western Germany by Heinrich Porcelain Fabrik, one of Europe's most prestigious porcelain houses. Each plate is 8¼" diameter and was issued with a special certificate of authenticity (COA) and housed in a Styrofoam box for shipping and storage.