Apple & Butterfly Scene Plate with Shadows

This is an early and superb plate made by Meissen in about 1740. The edge has a nice shape to it with a gold trim, the rim has a basketweave relief design to the paste and three bugs including their shadows. But the best part is the design in the center - a large apple with its leaves as well as a large butterfly and two small bugs. All have their shadows painted with them which is rare. I never had a fruit design piece with the shadows and this piece looks stunning! Very special and hard to find anything like this. This style of painting is often attributed to Klinger as a painter which is probably more of a myth since as far as I know only one signed piece is known by him and it was not shaded. Either way the bugs and the apple are of a very nice quality and the shade makes them seem lifelike on the white background. The plate is in superb condition with wear to the gold trim on the edge. one spot of wear on the apple (it's a spot that is higher than the surrounding thus it got rubbed more), a spot on the bottom end of one leaf where the green color has flaked. A common issue with green during this period. Some manufacturing imperfections common to these early ware but it displays great and looks amazing! The plate is 1.375 inches tall and 8.75 inches in diameter. The piece is marked with the under glaze blue crossed swords mark underneath as well as an impressed number which surprised me a bit as I though it might be a touch earlier but this dates it to right around 1740. Please email me for more information or other pictures.