A finely executed hand-painted porcelain plaque, attributed to the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur (KPM), Berlin, depicting a dramatic Roman arena scene in which a gladiator confronts a lion and tiger before a crowd of spectators gathered within a monumental classical colonnade. The composition is after a celebrated painting by the French Academic master Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824–1904), whose vividly rendered scenes of antiquity and spectacle were widely admired and frequently adapted by leading European porcelain manufactories in the late nineteenth century.

Founded in 1763 under Frederick the Great, KPM Berlin is renowned for its exceptional porcelain plaques, which were painted by highly trained artists and intended to rival oil paintings in both technical precision and permanence. The present work displays the luminous enamel-like surface and refined painterly quality associated with KPM production, with particular attention to anatomical modeling, architectural depth, and theatrical composition.

The reverse bears an impressed scepter mark consistent with KPM Berlin, together with period inventory inscriptions and a German label reading “In der Arena” (“In the Arena”), referencing the subject and suggesting early European handling.

10 in. x  12 1/4 in. Frame: 16 1/4 in. x 18 3/4 in.
 

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Presents in original condition with no evidence of restoration or conservation under ultraviolet examination. The surface remains well preserved and displays cleanly.