Centennial Pedestal
Medium
Porcelain
Dimensions
H. 42 1/2 in. (108 cm); Diam. 16 3/8 in. (41.6 cm)
Classification
Pedestal
Culture
American
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Anonymous Gift, 1968
Accession Number
68.99.1a–d
Tags
Art Historical Context
Crafted in 1876 by Karl L. H. Müller for the Union Porcelain Works, *Centennial Pedestal* stands as a monumental tribute to America's first centennial celebration of independence. This towering porcelain sculpture, reaching over 42 inches in height, was designed for display at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition, where it showcased the burgeoning prowess of American ceramics manufacturers. Union Porcelain Works, based in New York, competed boldly with European giants like Sèvres and Meissen, proving that the U.S. could produce world-class porcelain on its own soil. The pedestal's intricate...