Chinese emperor and attendant

Art Historical Context

This delicate hard-paste porcelain figure group, created at the Ludwigsburg Porcelain Manufactory in Germany around 1765–67, captures the era’s widespread fascination with chinoiserie. European courts eagerly collected objects that evoked imagined Asian courts, and Ludwigsburg modelers like Joseph Weinmüller responded with lively, brightly painted figures that blended European porcelain techniques with fanciful “Chinese” costumes and poses. The emperor, accompanied by a youthful attendant, stands just over eleven inches tall, its crisp modeling and glossy glaze showcasing the factory’s mastery...