Punch Bowl
Designed 1891, made 1892
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
87.7 × 78.8 × 80 cm (34 1/2 × 31 × 31 1/2 in.)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
263124
Art Historical Context
This impressive punch bowl, created by the Königliche Porzellan-Manufaktur Berlin (KPM), showcases the pinnacle of late 19th-century European porcelain craftsmanship. Designed in 1891 and produced the following year, the large vessel—measuring nearly three feet across—demonstrates the factory’s mastery of hard-paste porcelain, a durable material prized for its translucency and strength. As one of Germany’s most prestigious manufactories, KPM operated under royal patronage and supplied fine tableware to European courts, reflecting the era’s emphasis on opulent dining and social display. The sc...