Cup thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 143, The Timothy Sainsbury Gallery

Cup

ca. 1720-1725 (made), ca. 1720-1730 (enamelled)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Ignaz Preissler is one of the best known independent decorators of porcelain, pottery and glass in 1720-30. He often worked on Chinese porcelain (as here) or on Meissen porcelain. His particular speciality was a technique known as 'Schwarzlot' where the design was painted in black enamel with fine details being scratched out with a needle.

Preissler was often commissioned by noblemen to decorate white pieces of porcelain, sometimes to commemorate battles or other events, or to create gifts for important personnages. The patron of the Meissen factory, Augustus the Strong of Saxony, is known to have acquired over a dozen pieces decorated by Preissler in 1721, an indication of the high esteem in which he was held.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cups
  • Saucer
Materials and techniques
Hard-paste porcelain, enamelled in black
Brief description
Cup and saucer, porcelain with painted European landscapes, made and painted in China, 17th Century
Physical description
Painted in black enamel 'Schwarzlot' with scratched out details.
Dimensions
  • Cup height: 4cm (Note: Dimensions taken from Registered Description, converted from inches)
  • Saucer diameter: 11.5cm (Note: Dimensions taken from Registered Description, converted from inches)
Style
Subject depicted
Summary
Ignaz Preissler is one of the best known independent decorators of porcelain, pottery and glass in 1720-30. He often worked on Chinese porcelain (as here) or on Meissen porcelain. His particular speciality was a technique known as 'Schwarzlot' where the design was painted in black enamel with fine details being scratched out with a needle.

Preissler was often commissioned by noblemen to decorate white pieces of porcelain, sometimes to commemorate battles or other events, or to create gifts for important personnages. The patron of the Meissen factory, Augustus the Strong of Saxony, is known to have acquired over a dozen pieces decorated by Preissler in 1721, an indication of the high esteem in which he was held.
Bibliographic references
  • Brozkovà, Helena (ed) Daniel a Ignàc Preisslerové Czech exhibition catalogue of Applied Arts Museum in Prague, 2009
  • Passion for Porcelain: masterpieces of ceramics from the British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum. p.33
Collection
Accession number
444&A-1869

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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