MEISSEN c.1740 German Hard-Paste Porcelain
An 18th Century Meissen Porcelain Teabowl c.1740. The Octagonal Steep Sided Form Decorated with Two Cartouches Against a Turquoise Ground. The Well Decorated with a Harbour Scene as is one of the Cartouches, the other is Painted with a Rustic Country View. The Base with a Large Underglaze Blue Crossed Swords Mark for Meissen and a Gilded `Z` or `2` to the Side of the Foot.
SOLD
- Condition
- Good, four small flakes to the turquoise ground c.4 x 2mm, 2 x 2mm, 1 x1mm, 1 x1 mm. These are all in the same area.
- Size
- Diameter : 7.7 cm (3 inches).
- Provenance
- Kathy Gillmeister Collection, California, U.S.A. The Byrnes Children Trust, 18th Century European Porcelain from the Collection of Roy Byrnes.
- Stock number
- 22399
Information
Meissen Porcelain :
Meissen porcelain was the first hard-paste porcelain, or true porcelain to be developed in Europe. Development of this new hard-paste porcelain by Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus started in 1707. When Tschirnhaus suddenly died, the recipe apparently was handed over to Böttger, who within one week announced to the Elector that he could make porcelain. Böttger refined the formula and with some Dutch co-workers, experienced in firing and painting tiles, the stage was set for the manufacturing of porcelain. In 1709, the Elector established the first Meissen porcelain factory, placed Böttger`s laboratory at Albrechtsburg castle in Meissen and production started officially in 1710. In 1720 Johann Gregorius Höroldt became the director and introduced brilliant colours which made Meissen porcelain famous. The next sculptor, Johann Jakob Kirchner, was the first to make large-scale statues and figurines, especially of Baroque saints. His assistant was Johann Joachim Kaendler; in 1733 Kirchner resigned, and Kaendler took over as chief "modelmaster". He became the most famous of the Meissen sculptors. Under his direction Meissen produced the series of small figurines, often depicting scenes of gallantry, which brought out the best of the new material. His menagerie of large-scale animals, left in the white, are some of the high points of European porcelain manufacture. His work resulted in the production of exquisite figurines in the rococo style that influenced porcelain making in all of Europe. Supported by assistants like Johann Friedrich Eberlein and Peter Reinecke, he worked until his death in 1775. In 1756, during the Seven Years` War, Prussian troops occupied Meissen, giving Frederick II of Prussia the opportunity to relocate some of the artisans to establish the Königliche Porzellan Manufaktur Berlin. With the changing tastes of the neoclassical period and the rise of Sèvres porcelain in the 1760s, Meissen had to readjust its production, and in the reorganization from 1763, C.W.E. Dietrich of the Dresden Academy became artistic director and Michel-Victor Acier from France became the modelmaster. The practice of impressing numerals that correspond to moulds in the inventory books began in 1763. Sèvres styles and ventures into Neoclassicism, such as matte bisque wares that had the effect of white marble, marked the manufactory`s output under Count Camillo Marcolini, from 1774.
Meissen Harbour Scenes :
`Harbour Scenes` were a popular subject at Meissen in the 18th century, they include a range of designs from the often Chinese inspired early designs of the mid-1720`s to later designs of the 1740`s. They all share a common theme, port or river scenes with ships and merchants along the shore loading or unloading their goods. The quality of the painting is normally very high with incredible attention to detail, this is often contrasted by a broad dramatic sky. Later designs have no Chinese influence, but often show merchants with turbans, suggesting they were traders from the Levant. Several different hands can be seen to have executed these `Harbour Scenes` but they have been traditionally been attributed to Christian Friedrich Herold (c.1700-1779) because of a snuff box signed by him. However, it is known that in 1744 the factory employed ten landscape and marine painters including Herold. The painting was done at the studio of Johann Gregor Höroldt (1696 - 1775).