Ladle
ca. 1756–59
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Length: 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
German, Frankenthal
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1948
Accession Number
48.170.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ladle, crafted by the Frankenthal Porcelain Manufactory around 1756–59, exemplifies the golden age of German porcelain production. Operating in the Palatinate region of Germany, the manufactory—founded just a year earlier—quickly gained renown for its luxurious hard-paste porcelain, a technically advanced material fired at high temperatures to achieve the translucent strength of prized Chinese imports. At just 4⅝ inches long, this piece blends functionality with opulence, likely used for serving sauces, punches, or confections at aristocratic tables. Frankenthal's output embodie...