Mezzetino
c. 1765
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain with polychrome enamel decoration
Dimensions
H.: 20 cm (7 7/8 in.)
Classification
sculpture
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
8249
Art Historical Context
Created around 1765 by Franz Anton Bustelli, *Mezzetino* captures the lively spirit of a commedia dell’arte character in a delicate hard-paste porcelain figure. Standing just under eight inches tall, the sculpture showcases the technical mastery of eighteenth-century European porcelain production. Its polychrome enamel decoration brings vibrant color and expressive detail to the theatrical figure, transforming a humble servant character into an elegant decorative object. Bustelli’s work reflects the period’s fascination with theater and courtly entertainment, when porcelain figures were prize...