Tea bowl and sacuer with landscapes
Manufacturer
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
(German, founded 1710)
CultureGerman
Datec.1725-30
Mediumhard-paste porcelain, overglaze enamels, gilding
DimensionsOverall (Tea Bowl): 1 13/16 × 3 in. (4.6 × 7.6 cm)
Overall (Saucer): 7/8 × 5 3/16 in. (2.3 × 13.1 cm)
MarkingsMaker's mark inscribed on bottom of bowl and saucer
DescriptionSquat bowls of inverted bell-shape on cylindrical foot rings. The vertical profile of the foot ring on all four pieces is wedge-shaped (triangular going to the thinnest at the bottom). The shallow saucers have no well and an upward-curving rim resting on a cylindrical foot ring. All pieces are similar fine thin porcelain with scattered flaws. The second tea bowl and both saucers with a fine, barely visible, diagonal slash made by a knife on the inside of the foot.
The over-glaze enamel and gold decoration on the two tea bowls is similar with the same lacy gold border inside the gilt lip of the tea bowls and gilt rim of the saucers. Inside both tea bowls, a bouquet of stylized “daisies” in iron red and purple with bright light green leaves, likely inspired by decoration on Japanese porcelain. On the sides of the tea bowls, two scenic reserves and single large scenic reserve in the centre of each saucer. These are framed with an inner border of lacy gold C and S motifs and four reserves, top, bottom and both sides, which are shaped somewhat like a large rounded “3” fully filled in with the distinctive purple-gold lustre used at Meissen. The outer border framing the cartouches is an airy symmetrical arrangement of feathery motifs painted in iron red and a pale orange tone.
Each tea bowl can be associated with a saucer due to similar motifs. The first has reserves with European scenes painted in dark green, purple, blue, black with smeared blue clouds in the sky and scattered streaks of red along with flocks of minute birds. One reserve shows a lake surrounded by trees with distant hills. A rowboat is near the shore at the left foreground and black stumps/ fence posts in the immediate foreground. The reserve on the other side, painted in similar colours and style, shows a high hill with a castle with a pennant flying from its tower overlooking a river with what appears to be a large timber raft with figures floating in the foreground and again the black stumps. Noticeable chip out of the rim of this tea bowl.
Similarly painted oblong cartouche in the saucer showing a large reddish five-storey building to the left surrounded by trees, distant hills, and a river or lake across the foreground. In the immediate foreground, there is a grassy area with a standing man pointing towards the building, a seated man in a red jacket to his left who is fishing, and, further left, a man in a white shirt wading in the water and bending over to adjust something. Prominent stumps and bits of fence in the immediate foreground of the scene, painted in brown and black.
The second tea bowl and saucer have scenes that include Chinoiserie figures and details. The colour palette and style of painting are similar to the other tea bowl and saucer. On the tea bowl, one cartouche shows an expansive river or lake with tall craggy rocks on the far shore, a small sail boat in the foreground with a row boat with three figures taking off to its left, and a distant fortress with five towers to the lower right. The second cartouche shows a river scene with a large craggy green hill on the distant shore with an arced bridge going from it to a tower and towers with pennants. In the centre foreground, a large sail boat looking rather like a Chinese junk, sail unfurled and pennants suspended from the mast. Two smaller similar vessels are receding into the distance. On the grassy green shore, right foreground, three Chinese figures wearing large black coolie hats. The one at the front in a purple robe holding the ends of a large textile panel between his hands. The central figure, seen from back, in a brown robe, and the third, to the right, a child in an orange red robe. Two green trees that look like bottle brushes to the far right.
The saucer that relates to the second tea bowl is decorated with a scene with similar elements. There are several tall, craggy brown and green rocks across the water, the central grouping surmounted by various tiny towers and a house. There is a large sail boat with a sail comprised of horizontal strips that closely resembles a Chinese junk in the centre with elaborate rigging and two pennants. On the green grassy shore to the right stand three Chinoiserie figures: a man in a black coolie hat with orange jacket and short blue trousers holds two rods aloft, one with three suspended ovals; a figure clad in a purple robe and orange skirt is bowing towards him; and, to their right, a third figure is holding an arced rod above its head with a blue drapery suspended from it. This third figure wears brown, orange and purple robes. A leafless willow tree and three green “bottle brush” trees stand in the background. In the immediate foreground, just below the brown eroded shore, one sees a brown and black wooden fence motif.
The over-glaze enamel and gold decoration on the two tea bowls is similar with the same lacy gold border inside the gilt lip of the tea bowls and gilt rim of the saucers. Inside both tea bowls, a bouquet of stylized “daisies” in iron red and purple with bright light green leaves, likely inspired by decoration on Japanese porcelain. On the sides of the tea bowls, two scenic reserves and single large scenic reserve in the centre of each saucer. These are framed with an inner border of lacy gold C and S motifs and four reserves, top, bottom and both sides, which are shaped somewhat like a large rounded “3” fully filled in with the distinctive purple-gold lustre used at Meissen. The outer border framing the cartouches is an airy symmetrical arrangement of feathery motifs painted in iron red and a pale orange tone.
Each tea bowl can be associated with a saucer due to similar motifs. The first has reserves with European scenes painted in dark green, purple, blue, black with smeared blue clouds in the sky and scattered streaks of red along with flocks of minute birds. One reserve shows a lake surrounded by trees with distant hills. A rowboat is near the shore at the left foreground and black stumps/ fence posts in the immediate foreground. The reserve on the other side, painted in similar colours and style, shows a high hill with a castle with a pennant flying from its tower overlooking a river with what appears to be a large timber raft with figures floating in the foreground and again the black stumps. Noticeable chip out of the rim of this tea bowl.
Similarly painted oblong cartouche in the saucer showing a large reddish five-storey building to the left surrounded by trees, distant hills, and a river or lake across the foreground. In the immediate foreground, there is a grassy area with a standing man pointing towards the building, a seated man in a red jacket to his left who is fishing, and, further left, a man in a white shirt wading in the water and bending over to adjust something. Prominent stumps and bits of fence in the immediate foreground of the scene, painted in brown and black.
The second tea bowl and saucer have scenes that include Chinoiserie figures and details. The colour palette and style of painting are similar to the other tea bowl and saucer. On the tea bowl, one cartouche shows an expansive river or lake with tall craggy rocks on the far shore, a small sail boat in the foreground with a row boat with three figures taking off to its left, and a distant fortress with five towers to the lower right. The second cartouche shows a river scene with a large craggy green hill on the distant shore with an arced bridge going from it to a tower and towers with pennants. In the centre foreground, a large sail boat looking rather like a Chinese junk, sail unfurled and pennants suspended from the mast. Two smaller similar vessels are receding into the distance. On the grassy green shore, right foreground, three Chinese figures wearing large black coolie hats. The one at the front in a purple robe holding the ends of a large textile panel between his hands. The central figure, seen from back, in a brown robe, and the third, to the right, a child in an orange red robe. Two green trees that look like bottle brushes to the far right.
The saucer that relates to the second tea bowl is decorated with a scene with similar elements. There are several tall, craggy brown and green rocks across the water, the central grouping surmounted by various tiny towers and a house. There is a large sail boat with a sail comprised of horizontal strips that closely resembles a Chinese junk in the centre with elaborate rigging and two pennants. On the green grassy shore to the right stand three Chinoiserie figures: a man in a black coolie hat with orange jacket and short blue trousers holds two rods aloft, one with three suspended ovals; a figure clad in a purple robe and orange skirt is bowing towards him; and, to their right, a third figure is holding an arced rod above its head with a blue drapery suspended from it. This third figure wears brown, orange and purple robes. A leafless willow tree and three green “bottle brush” trees stand in the background. In the immediate foreground, just below the brown eroded shore, one sees a brown and black wooden fence motif.
Credit LineGift of Doctors Janice and Michael Keefer in memory of Trina and Lilo Keefer.
Object numberG12.17.2a-b
Classifications
European CeramicsSub-classification
German PorcelainStatus
Not on view
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1725-30
Object number: G12.17.1a-b
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1715-1725, decorated in Augsburg, c.1725
Object number: G83.1.721
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1727-1730
Object number: G83.1.596.1-11a-b
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1725; decoration c.1730
Object number: G83.1.726.1-4
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1735
Object number: G83.1.638a-b
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1740-1745
Object number: G83.1.616.1-31
Artist / Maker: Podmore, Walker and Co.
1834-1859
Object number: G13.15.10
Artist / Maker: Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
c.1720; decorated in Bayreuth, c.1740
Object number: G83.1.768.1-2
Artist / Maker: Casa Pirota Workshop
1537
Object number: G83.1.351
