Turk
1760–70
Medium
Hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height: 5 5/8 in. (14.3 cm)
Classification
Ceramics-Porcelain
Culture
Italian, Florence
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1906
Accession Number
06.390
Tags
Art Historical Context
This small yet striking figure of a "Turk," produced by the Doccia Porcelain Manufactory in Florence between 1760 and 1770, showcases the refined artistry of 18th-century Italian ceramics. Standing just 5⅝ inches tall, the hard-paste porcelain sculpture reflects the manufactory’s expertise in creating durable, finely detailed works that could capture expressive poses and textures. Doccia, one of Italy’s leading porcelain producers, helped establish Florence as a center for European decorative arts during this period. Hard-paste porcelain, prized for its strength and luminous finish, allowed a...
About the Artist
Doccia Porcelain Manufactory · 1737–1896
The Doccia Porcelain Manufactory, founded in 1737 by Marquis Carlo Ginori near Florence, holds the distinction of being Italy's first hard-paste porcelain manufacturer and one of the few European porcelain enterprises to survive from the eighteenth century to the present day without interruption. Unlike most contemporary ventures — which depended on the patronage and protection of ruling courts — ...