The Flower Plates made by the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory are among the most popular examples of Viennese porcelain art in the imperial collection. At banquets they were used for the dessert course. Their individual designs and the impact of the colourful depictions of different flowers that cover the entire well of the plate provided a visually appealing conclusion to festive meals.

The first series of plates, made from 1818, had a dark ground. From 1827 these were joined by Flower Plates with a white background. For almost a hundred years, new plates were commissioned for the Court Silver and Tableware Chamber – today around three hundred examples are preserved in the collection. 

Eight showcases present the plates from various aspects, using them to explore their multifaceted backgrounds and the imperial interests they reflect. The groupings of the plates reveal the artists’ specializations, the influence of contemporary studies of domestic and exotic plants, personal predilections of Emperor Franz II./I., who was a keen gardener, and how these floral subjects contributed to the development of porcelain painting at the Imperial Manufactory.

The plates depicting Brazilian flora have a perennial appeal. The motifs are inspired by studies made by Johann Pohl on the Austrian expedition to Brazil. The expedition was accompanied by the young Archduchess Maria Leopoldine, who had a keen interest in natural history and was on her way to join her bridegroom, heir to the throne Dom Pedro. In 1822, Leopoldina – as she was known in Brazil – signed the declaration of independence from Portugal, thereby becoming Empress of Brazil.