Ceres Instructing in the Art of Husbandry
19th century
Medium
Porcelain
Dimensions
16 1/2 × 22 1/2 in. (41.9 × 57.2 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
Italian, Doccia
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of Mrs. Nathaniel Pendleton Hosack, in memory of her husband, 1891
Accession Number
91.22
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite porcelain relief from the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory captures the Roman goddess Ceres instructing humanity in the art of husbandry. Created in 19th-century Italy, the work portrays the deity—associated with agriculture and fertility—guiding figures amid a lively scene that includes putti, cattle, and a chariot, evoking themes of abundance and cultivation. The medium’s smooth, luminous surface allows for intricate modeling of drapery, expressions, and dynamic forms, highlighting the technical mastery of Doccia artisans. Founded in the 1730s near Florence, the Doccia factory be...
About the Artist
Doccia Porcelain Manufactory · 1737–1896
The Doccia Porcelain Manufactory, founded in 1737 by Marquis Carlo Ginori near Florence, holds the distinction of being Italy's first hard-paste porcelain manufacturer and one of the few European porcelain enterprises to survive from the eighteenth century to the present day without interruption. Unlike most contemporary ventures — which depended on the patronage and protection of ruling courts — ...