This rare Villeroy & Boch Mettlach wall plaque is an exceptional example of the factory’s late 19th-early 20th Century print under glaze (PUG) decoration. Measuring 11” x 17” (14” x 20”) overall in its original oak frame and backing), it depicts a fisherman in his skiff retrieving nets and wicker traps - a rustic scene after the French painter Émile Baurau (1851-1930), noted for his landscapes and depictions of rural life.

The lower left bears the printed inscription “n. [nach] E. Barau.” On teh reverse, the plaque carries the DEC 138 decoration number. While no impressed Mettlach mark is present on the ceramic body, the original wood backing retains the green Mercury seal of Villeroy and Boch, firmly confirming authenticity. The intact frame and wood panel suggest the piece has survived in its original presentation.

What makes this plaque especially intriguing is its rarity; DEC 138 does not appear in Gary Kirsner’s The Mettlach Book, Hans Ammelounx’s reprinted catalogues, or in the holdings of the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) - home to the largest public Mettlach collection in North America.

A truly unlisted and uncommon Mettlach plaque, ideal for advanced collectors and admirers of European decorative arts.

This item includes FREE shipping in the United States, all other areas would incur additional shipping charges.