Bust of August William, Duke of Brunswick-Bevern
Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1984-131-1
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant ceramic bust, created around 1771 by the Fürstenberg Porcelain Manufactory, portrays August William, Duke of Brunswick-Bevern. Established in 1747 in northern Germany, Fürstenberg quickly became renowned for its refined porcelain works that captured the elegance of European nobility during the late Rococo and early Neoclassical periods. Such portrait busts served as prestigious commemorative objects, blending sculptural tradition with the delicate possibilities of ceramic material. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the piece reflects the 18th-century fascination with...