Old enamel plate bearing the inscription "TÊTE MORTE ROUGE" (Red Dead Head), from a set of enamel plates that equipped the drawers of an old paint merchant's cabinet. Tête Morte, also known as Caput Mortuum, referred to a historic reddish-brown to purplish pigment based on iron oxide, traditionally obtained by calcining iron sulfate and used in painting. Paint merchants supplied pigments, colors, and various raw materials to painters, decorators, and artisans; their drawer cabinets allowed these numerous powders and preparations to be stored separately, with each compartment identified by a plate like this one.
✦ Estimated period: Circa 1900-1920 ✦ Origin: France, former paint merchant Dimensions: approx. 13 × 3 cm ✦ Material: Enamel plate ✦ Condition: Good used condition, with enamel chips, traces of oxidation, marks, and patination consistent with age.
Rare antique enamel plate "Tête Morte Rouge", particularly decorative for a collection dedicated to pigments, antique colors, and trade objects.
