Taxile Doat (1851-1939) was born at Albi (Tarn) and trained at the École des Arts Décoratifs, Limoges and at the École des Beaux Arts, Paris, under the sculptor Augustin-Alexandre Dumont. From 1877 until 1905 he worked at the Sèvres Porcelain Factory. In about 1892 he also set up a kiln at his own home and, in 1898, a wood-burning kiln for his own use at the factory. He experimented with highly specialised decorating and high-temperature firing techniques, (called grand feu) in stoneware and porcelain, sometimes even combining the two, as on this plate. He was able to sell these privately. Doat was a master, but also unusual in that he published a number of treatises on the techniques of grand feu firing and on the development of the ceramic arts, especially in France. His prolific writings attracted the attention of the American potters Adelaide and Samuel Robineau and in 1909 they invited him to St Louis, Missouri where he helped set up the University City Pottery. He stayed there until 1914, returning then to his home in Sèvres (Hauts-de-Seine). He worked in porcelain, privately, until the end of his life.

Grand Feu ceramics, especially porcelain, were regarded as the most exclusive type of all and were certainly the most difficult and therefore the most expensive to produce. The use of classical motifs served to increase even further their appeal to the richest collectors. Typically decorating in the pâte sur pâte technique, Doat was the acknowledged master. But, he also specialised particularly in crystalline and drip glazes on stoneware and, in contrast to his classical style, he made vases and lidded jars boldly modelled as asymmetric and knobbly gourd shapes. He displayed both types at the celebrated international exhibition held in Paris in 1900.

Pâte sur pâte was developed at Sèvres in the 1850s. Literally 'paste on paste' , it is a time-consuming technique of building up an image by layering liquid porcelain and was used extensively on delicately coloured celadon glazed wares. Its use spread to other factories including Mintons in England in 1870. The flammée glaze was a later introduction at the factory and tapped into the growing European popularity, around 1900, of wares that recreated the high-temperature copper-red flammée glazes of 18th century Chinese porcelain. Taxile Doat's mastery of high-fired glazes was instrumental in the success of Sèvres in this period