Medium
ceramics
Classification
ceramics
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Eleanor Garnier Hewitt
Accession Number
1931-40-40-a,b
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This elegant tea caddy, crafted by the renowned Meissen Porcelain Manactory around 1740, exemplifies the pinnacle of European porcelain production. Founded in 1710 in Dresden, Germany, Meissen the first manufactory on the continent to successfully produce true hard-paste porcelain—a durable, translucent material long monopolized by Chinese artisans. By the 1740s, under the influence of modeler Johann Joachim Kändler, Me pieces like this one embraced the ornate Rococo style, featuring delicate modeling, gilded accents, and vibrant overglaze enameling that mimicked Oriental luxury wares. Tea ca...