Harlequin
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain decorated in polychrome enamels, gold
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 8 1/4 x 4 3/8 x 3 9/16 in. (21 x 11.1 x 9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
German, Höchst
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jack and Belle Linsky Collection, 1982
Accession Number
1982.60.222
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the whimsical world of 18th-century German porcelain with *Harlequin*, a delightful hard-paste porcelain figurine by the Höchst Manactory around 1750–53. Modeled by Johann Christoph Ludwig Lücke, this 8¼-inch tall figure captures the mischievous spirit of Harlequin, the iconic trickster from commedia dell'arte theater. Dressed in his signature diamond-patterned costume, adorned with a black mask and pointed hat, he embodies the playful energy of Rococo decorative arts, blending humor and elegance for the elite homes of Europe. Höchst, near Frankfurt, was a key player in Germany's "p...