Miniature Tea Set
Unknown Artist
ca. 1825–35
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Tray: d. 11.9 cm; teapot: h. 5.4 cm; milk jug: h. 4.4 cm; sugar bowl: h. 5.1 cm; cups (each): h. 1.9 cm; saucers (each): diam. 4.5 cm
Classification
Ceramics
Culture
French, Paris
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1626a–f
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Robert Lehman at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this enchanting *Miniature Tea Set*ails from Paris around 1825–35. Crafted in hard-paste porcelain—a durable, high-fired material prized for its translucency and strength, akin to prized Chinese exports—this diminutive ensemble includes a tray (11.9 cm in diameter teapot (5.4 cm high), milk jug, sugar bowl, and tiny cups with saucers. Adorned with delicate floral motifs, it captures the refined elegance of French ceramic artistry during the Restoration period. In early 19th-century France, such miniatures were coveted novelties, ...