King Vulture
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain and polychrome enamels
Dimensions
58 × 43 cm (22 13/16 × 16 15/16 in.)
Classification
ceramics
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
189715
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
As elector of Saxony and king of Poland, Augustus II (r. 1694/97–1733) presided over the ambitious transformation of his capital, Dresden, through advances in architecture, the arts, science, and technology. Produced beginning in 1710 through royal sponsorship and funding, Meissen porcelain was an exclusive luxury good of its time. Around 1728 Augustus conceived of replicating the animal kingdom in porcelain for display in a Baroque palace that he was transforming into a showcase for his collect...