Boch Frères Napoleon Battle Scene Talking Plates

Set of 4 Belgian assiettes parlantes, or “talking plates,” by Boch Frères, the historic La Louvière manufacture established in 1841 and known for its fine earthenware and richly illustrated transfer decoration. These plates belong to its tradition of narrative ceramics, pairing detailed scenes from Napoleon’s military campaigns with French captions naming and dating each battle.

The black transfers have the intricate shading of an engraving, with mounted officers, soldiers, and battlefield landscapes framed by an elaborate border. Crowned “N” monograms within laurel wreaths alternate with scrolling cartouches containing bicorne hats and crossed weapons, finished with a narrow beaded-pattern band at the rim. Their crisp black decoration against a warm white ground makes them particularly striking displayed with portraits, engravings, or other collected ceramics.

Origin: La Louvière, Belgium; Boch Frères, circa 1920s–1930s. Green circular factory backstamp.
Material: Glazed earthenware with black transfer decoration.
Dimensions: 8" D
Condition: Light surface wear and scattered marks visible in the photographs. Please review the images for the condition of your selected plate.

Included scenes:

• Combat de Benhout — March 8, 1799
  A dramatic close-combat scene commemorating an engagement during the French campaign in Egypt, associated with General Augustin-Daniel Belliard. Clustered soldiers, raised weapons, and fallen figures make this the most densely composed of the four designs.
• Bataille d’Iéna — October 14, 1806
  Napoleon appears on horseback among his officers and troops, commemorating his victory over Prussian forces at Jena. Together with Marshal Davout’s victory at nearby Auerstedt that same day, the battle marked a decisive turning point in the campaign against Prussia.
• Bataille de Friedland — June 14, 1807
  A mounted Napoleon gestures across the battlefield, surrounded by officers, soldiers, and standards. The scene commemorates his decisive victory over the Russian army, which brought Tsar Alexander I to negotiations and led to the Treaties of Tilsit.
• Bataille de Wagram — July 6, 1809
  Napoleon surveys the battlefield through a telescope from horseback, accompanied by mounted officers. Fought near Vienna on July 5–6, Wagram ended in a costly French victory over the Austrian army commanded by Archduke Charles; the plate’s caption marks the concluding day.