Chocolate pot
ca. 1775–90
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height: 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
German, Ludwigsburg
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The George B. McClellan Collection, Gift of Mrs. George B. McClellan, 1941
Accession Number
42.205.267a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This elegant chocolate pot, produced by the Ludwigsburg Porcelain Manufactory around 1775–90, captures the refined rituals of 18th-century European dining. Standing just 6½ inches tall, the hard-paste porcelain vessel was made for serving hot chocolate—a luxurious import that had become a status symbol among the German aristocracy. Its compact size and graceful proportions reflect the period’s preference for intimate, beautifully crafted tableware. Ludwigsburg, founded in 1758 under ducal patronage in Württemberg, was one of several German factories striving to rival Meissen’s success with tr...