Gzhel Ceramic Decorative Plate featuring Troika Scene

This is a circular decorative ceramic plate, approximately 10 to 12 inches in diameter, executed in the traditional Russian Gzhel style of blue-on-white underglaze painting. The central motif depicts a classic 'Troika' scene, though focusing prominently on a lead horse with a male and female figure seated behind in a sleigh or carriage. The artwork displays a characteristic folk-art quality with visible brushstrokes and varying shades of cobalt blue creating depth and shadow. The lead horse is adorned with traditional harness elements, including a distinctive 'duga' (arc) over the neck. The figures are dressed in period-style winter attire, suggesting a 19th-century rural Russian setting. The wide rim is decorated with a continuous floral and scrollwork border, featuring stylized five-petal blossoms and swirling leaf patterns typical of Gzhel craftsmanship. Physically, the plate is made of white-glazed earthenware or porcelain, exhibiting a high-gloss finish. The condition appears fair to good; there is a noticeable vertical crack or deep scratch running through the center of the horse's chest up toward the driver, and some light crazing or surface wear may be present given its age, which likely dates to the late 20th century (USSR era, circa 1970s-1980s). No maker's mark is visible on the front, though such pieces typically carry a factory stamp on the reverse.