Saucer (1 of 6) (part of a service)

Art Historical Context

This exquisite saucer, one of six from a porcelain service crafted by the Meissen Manactory around 1720, exemplifies early European mastery of hard-paste porcelain. Measuring just 5 inches in diameter, this delicate piece from the German city of Meissen features vibrant hand-painted motifs of birds and flowers,oking the natural world's elegance against the pure white body of the ceramic. Meissen, established in 1710 under patronage of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, achieved a breakthrough by replicating the secret formula for hard-paste porcelain—previously a Chinese monopoly. This innovation revolutionized European decorative arts, producing translucent, durable wares that rivaled Asian imports and became symbols of luxury for royalty and the elite. The saucer's intricate overglaze enameling technique highlights the manufactory's skilled artisans, who layered vivid colors fired at low temperatures for lasting brilliance. As part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection (gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964), it offers a glimpse into 18th-century opulence, where such services graced aristocratic tables during the dawn of the Rococo era.

About the Artist

Meissen Manufactory · 1710–present

The Meissen Manufactory, established on June 6, 1710, by Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, marked the dawn of true hard-paste porcelain production in Europe. Nestled at Albrechtsburg Castle in Meissen near Dresden, the Royal Polish and Electoral Saxon Porcelain Manufactory arose from alchemical experiments begun in 1708 by physicist Ehrenfried Walther von Tschirnhaus and p...