COMMEMORATIVE PLATE - Blessing of the bargemen's St Nicolas White earthenware plate, painted in polychrome. Decorated with a priest in liturgical vestments accompanied by an altar boy holding cruets, they face a representation of a holy bishop, all in front of an altar whose tabernacle door is decorated with a sailor's anchor. Inscription: ".mr. .uete. qure. du . tu. feau / 1790". Nevers, late 18th century. Diameter: 22.7 cm (Minor visible accidents) The subject of our rare plate is thought to be a representation of the blessing of a statue of Saint Nicolas which was donated by the bargemen of the Loire to the church of Notre Dame des Tuffeau (Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Maine-et-Loire) in 1790. The officiating priest was Abbé Jacques Huet, who was parish priest of Les Tuffeaux from 1773 to 1792. Provenance : - Jean-Claude Edrei, antique dealer in Paris. - André Supiot (1945 - 2010).