Covered Tureen and Underplate
Artist
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
(Germany, founded 1710)
Datec. 1775/1780
MediumPorcelain
Dimensions11 in. (27.9 cm)
ClassificationsCeramics
Credit LineMuseum purchase, 1951
Object numberSN7239
In 1710, the Meissen factory near Dresden was the first European workshop to produce white "hard-paste" porcelain after the Oriental manner. This material was prized for its purity of color and its possibilities for decorative detail. As this piece demonstrates, porcelain produced at Meissen was made with a variety of rich techniques including raised decoration, enameled glazes, gilding and painting. This tureen was the centerpiece of a large dinner service, and as the most prominent piece on a table, it is most lavishly decorated. Most importantly, while the number and variety of motifs were wide - encompassing Neoclassical, oriental, floral and Rococo elements - the final product was balanced and unified.
On View
Not on view
