The porcelain factories of Berlin, Sèvres and Vienna achieved a remarkable level of artistic and technical skill in the first half of the Nineteenth Century, and the quality of painted decoration practiced at these three factories at this time has never been surpassed. Approximately 75 extraordinary examples from these three European porcelain manufactories are currently on view at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the exhibition “Royal Porcelain from the Twinight Collection, 1800‱850.” The exhibition illustrates the exchange of ideas and styles among the factories that resulted in some of the most splendid porcelain ever produced.
“Royal Porcelain from the Twinight Collection, 1800‱850,” which runs to April 19, is arranged in four sections: Recollections of Antiquity, The Natural World, View Painting and Recording History.
Recollections of Antiquity examines the fascination with the ancient world that extended not only to its images, but also to its materials and methods of manufacture. On view are vases and pieces of tableware embellished with popular forms of decoration in antiquity, including cameos and micromosaics.
The Natural World features the realistic botanical representations on porcelain that were inspired by a new interest in naturalism in the early Nineteenth Century. Individual flowers or floral clusters became the subject of “portraits” that were intended to be scientifically exact. Examples in the exhibition include plates and cups depicting water lilies, lotus flowers and roses. Also on view in this section are exotic and local birds painted with a decorative effect on porcelain, including a Viennese birdcage cup and two plates from the superb Service des oiseaux d’Amérique du Sud by Madame Knip, a specialist in the field of ornithology who was employed at Sèvres to create the service.
View Painting highlights works such as vases and tea and coffee services that had specific cities and panoramic landscapes as decoration. Popular since the late Eighteenth Century and an important source of income for porcelain manufactories, many of the pieces decorated in this manner were used by Prussian kings as gifts.
The final section, Recording History, includes early Nineteenth Century porcelain that portrayed important contemporary events. Often based on drawings, these works recorded notable historical occasions and contemporary interiors, and frequently served as personal gifts. An outstanding example in this category is a goblet and saucer with a depiction of Captain Cook’s ships among the icebergs of the Atlantic.
A variety of education programs are being presented in conjunction with the exhibition. For information, www.metmuseum.org or 212-570-3951.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is at 1000 Fifth Avenue.
