“Alta Mira” Porcelain Wall Plate – Gilbert Portanier for Rosenthal, 1970s–1980s

Matte porcelain plate from Gilbert Portanier’s “Alta Mira” series, decorated with abstract figures, calligraphic motifs and symbolic forms in cobalt blue, red, turquoise, ochre, yellow and gold against a satin-white ground. Created for Rosenthal Studio-Line, it reflects the French ceramic artist’s characteristic fusion of painting, ceramics and Mediterranean imagery.

• Dimensions: H 7 cm, Dia. 28 cm
  
• Material: Matte porcelain
  
• Brand: Rosenthal
  
• Designer: Gilbert Portanier
  
• Color: White, cobalt blue, red, turquoise, ochre, yellow and gold
  
• Condition: Very good vintage condition; no chips, cracks or restorations. The colours and matte surface are beautifully preserved.
  
• Era: 1970s–1980s
  
• Origin: Germany
  
• Remarks: “Alta Mira” series. Display stand not included.

Its bright palette and medium scale make it well suited to a grouped plate wall, particularly alongside Portanier’s darker “Liguria” designs. It can also be displayed individually above a console or arranged as a sculptural centrepiece on a dining or coffee table.

“Alta Mira” was one of Gilbert Portanier’s principal collections for Rosenthal Studio-Line, alongside “Liguria” and “Le Midi.” It was not a single limited edition but a coordinated series produced in several forms, including vases, bowls, footed dishes, wall plates and candlesticks; examples were included in the Musée Magnelli’s 2024 Portanier retrospective.

Gilbert Portanier (1926–2023) was a French ceramic artist from Cannes, closely associated with Vallauris and known for bringing painting, drawing, and ceramic form into the same visual language. After studying architecture in Paris, he turned to ceramics in the late 1940s, founded the Atelier du Triptyque in 1949, and developed a style marked by vivid color, abstract figuration, and a free, expressive hand.

Rosenthal, founded in 1879 in Selb, Bavaria, is one of Germany’s most important porcelain manufacturers, recognised for combining industrial production with high design standards. With its Studio-Linie programme from the 1960s onwards, Rosenthal invited international artists and designers to create avant-garde forms and décors, making pieces like this set both functional objects and design collectibles.