Coffeepot with "Hausmaler" Decor
Medium
ceramics
Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-665-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant coffeepot from theissen Porcelain Manuf, dating to 1725–1735, early 18th-century German ceramics innovation. Founded in 1710 near Dresden, Meissen was first producer of true hard-paste—a durable, translucent material rivaling prized Chinese imports. The "Hausmaler" decor refers to the work of independent outside decorators, or *Hausmaler*, who undecorated white porcelain blanks from the factory and applied vibrant enamel overglaze paintings. These artists added intricate, personalized motifs, blending factory precision with individual flair. In the Rococo era's dawn, such coffeep...