MEISSEN
Dessert plate in porcelain of the Japanese service of King Frederick II of Prussia with ribbed edge and openwork basketry motifs
polychrome decoration in the center of a bird on a terrace with rushes, blue combed on the fall and
and trellis motifs on a yellow background surrounded by purple rocaille motifs on the wing. Gold thread on the edge.
Marked : crossed swords in blue.
18th century, circa 1762-1763.
D. 24,5 cm.
A chip on the edge.
Provenance:
Japanese service of King Frederick II of Prussia for the Chinese pavilion at Sanssouci.
During the occupation of Saxony during the Seven Years War, Frederick II of Prussia stayed several times in Meissen
between 1760 and 1762. He became the owner of the Meissen porcelain factory and ordered numerous porcelains for himself and
and some of his relatives numerous porcelains. In November 1762, the King of Prussia informed the chief modeller
Johann Joachim Kaendler of his desire for a new service, to be called Japanese service, for the Chinese Pavilion
in Sanssouci. Frederick II provides Kaendler with a silver plate to serve as a model for the shape of the service and details
the king wanted the service to be both antique and rocaille. The forms respect this wish: the
the dessert plates combine rocaille scrolls in purple and openwork interlacing (bandelwerk) of more classical inspiration.
classical inspiration. Frederick II then wants the edges to be covered with a yellow mosaic background, the color of the emperors
of China and that the interior of the edge is blue, this to emphasize the yellow bottom. Finally, the king wishes that animals
Indian (exotic) or birds ('Indianische Thiere und Vögel') are painted on all pieces of the service, camel,
elephant, rhinoceros, panther, ostrich, monkey, parrot, cazoar. Most of the animals painted on the pieces of the service
service pieces are imaginary animals, combining elements of several species to create a new one.
new one. The service consisted of ninety-six plates, seventy-two dessert plates, two large terrines
and two small ones, eighteen bowls, sixteen dishes, four salt shakers, an oil and vinegar shaker. (For a study of this service, see Samuel
Wittwer, Interior decoration and War Trophies - The Porcelain Tables Services of Frederick the Great of Prussia, International
Ceramics Fair and Seminar Handbook, 2009, pp. 36-47)
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