Tea Bowl and Saucer thumbnail 1
Tea Bowl and Saucer thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 145

Tea Bowl and Saucer

ca. 1715-1720 (made), ca. 1730 (enamelled)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This teabowl and saucer are examples of the earliest type of German porcelain developed by J.F. Böttger and produced at the newly established Meissen factory under the patronage of Augustus the Strong of Saxony.

The colourful enamel decoration was added by Dutch decorators however, some years after the teabowl and saucer were made. Independent enamellers often acquired slightly imperfect or out-dated white pieces relatively cheaply and used to embellish them with fashionable designs to sell at a profit. In this case, the moulded European-style flowers have been picked out in typically bright colours, as well as oriental style flowers and garden scenes being added to the interiors and borders.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cup
  • Saucer
Materials and techniques
Hard-paste porcelain, of early Böttger type, applied with flower sprays, painted in enamels
Brief description
Tea bowl and saucer of hard-paste porcelain, applied with flower sprays, made at the Meissen porcelain factory, ca. 1715-1720, and enamelled in the Netherlands, ca. 1730.
Physical description
Tea bowl and saucer applied with sprays of roses picked out in enamels in bright colours, further flower sprays and insects painted directly onto both pieces.
Subjects depicted
Summary
This teabowl and saucer are examples of the earliest type of German porcelain developed by J.F. Böttger and produced at the newly established Meissen factory under the patronage of Augustus the Strong of Saxony.

The colourful enamel decoration was added by Dutch decorators however, some years after the teabowl and saucer were made. Independent enamellers often acquired slightly imperfect or out-dated white pieces relatively cheaply and used to embellish them with fashionable designs to sell at a profit. In this case, the moulded European-style flowers have been picked out in typically bright colours, as well as oriental style flowers and garden scenes being added to the interiors and borders.
Collection
Accession number
C.768&A-1922

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Record createdFebruary 19, 2009
Record URL
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