Vase, ca. 1730–35
German; Meissen
Hard-paste porcelainH. 16 in. (40.6 cm)
The Lesley and Emma Sheafer Collection, Bequest of Emma A. Sheafer, 1973 (1974.356.363)
On view: Gallery 533 Last Updated April 19, 2011
The production of large vases was one of Meissen's greatest technical achievements. Vases of this scale were difficult both to form and to fire in the kiln; even this highly accomplished example displays a slight warping from the firing that has caused the tall neck to lean slightly. The vase is decorated with a yellow enamel ground inspired by Chinese porcelains, while the three reserves are painted with chinoiserie scenes, each of which depicts three Chinese figures in a landscape. The painting is of a very high quality, and has been attributed to Adam Friedrich von Löwenfinck (1714–1754), a talented artist who worked at Meissen from 1727 to 1736.
The base of the vase is marked with the initials AR painted under the glaze. It is probable that AR stands for Augustus Rex, and it is thought that pieces of Meissen marked in this way were intended either for Augustus II (r. 1709–33) or to be given as gifts by him
Source:
Vase [German; Meissen] (1974.356.363) | Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History | The Metropolitan Museum of Art 
