Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
German, 1710–present
Modeled by Johann Joachim Kaendler, (German, 1706–1775)
Bowl from the Swan Service
c. 1738–39
This shallow bowl comes from a dinner service comprising over 2,000 pieces, commissioned by Heinrich von Brühl, whose coat of arms appears on the bowl's upper rim. A statesman and politician, Count von Brühl was also director of the Meissen Manufactory for thirty years. The relief decorations, including herons, water, reeds, and swans, demonstrate the skill of the porcelain designer. Such an extensive and lavish service would have made a spectacular impression on the count's guests.
| Medium | hard-paste porcelain |
| Dimensions | 2 5/8 x 11 11/16 x 11 11/16 in. (6.7 x 29.7 x 29.7 cm) |
| Object Number | 1972.4 |
| Acquisition | Acquired by the Clark, 1972 |
| Status | On View |
Image Caption
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, Bowl from the Swan Service, c. 1738–39, hard-paste porcelain. Clark Art Institute, Acquired by the Clark, 1972.4
Select Bibliography
Lovett, Jennifer Gordon. A Glimpse of Rococo France: The Amorous Proposal by François Le Moyne. Exhibition brochure. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1987.
