Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
German, 1710–present
Cup and Saucer
c. 1760–70
This cup and saucer is decorated with scenes from the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. Extremely popular in the eighteenth century, animal characters from these stories—like the cat, turkey, fox, goose, and monkey that appear here—were often used as a form of social allegory. Although the animals' activities are curious and specific, no single fable has yet been identified as the source.
| Medium | hard-paste porcelain |
| Dimensions | Height of cup: 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm); diameter: 3 in. (7.6 cm) Saucer: 1 1/8 x 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. (2.9 x 13.3 x 13.3 cm) |
| Object Number | 1955.1211a-b |
| Acquisition | Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955 |
| Status | On View |
Image Caption
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, Cup and Saucer, c. 1760–70, hard-paste porcelain. Clark Art Institute, 1955.1211a-b
Select Bibliography
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Exhibit Twenty-six: Fine Cups and Saucers. Exhibition catalogue. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1964.
