Meissen Chocolate Cup and Saucer c1790

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Our antique chocolate cup and saucer from Meissen celebrates the lovers, Abelard and Heloise, protagonists from the novel Julie ou La Nouvelle Héloise by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, known for inspiring Goethe's work, The Sorrows of Young Werther’.  The painter was presumably Johann Georg Loehnig (1743-1806), active at Meissen from 1793 onwards, or Johann David Schubert (1761-1822) who worked for the firm 1781-1800, both known for their neoclassical figure paintings and Werther scenes.

Cup has 2 1/2 inch diameter and measures 4 inches tall with lid.  Saucer diameter is 5 1/4 inches and height of the rim is 1 inch.  Each with underglaze blue crossed swords mark with star, and the dish with number 4 and overglaze number 12 in dark red/brown.

The cup features a domed lid with finial and cartouche depicting torch resting on white marble pedestal entitled "ABELARD et HELOISE", and portrait of the philosopher, Abelard, in gilt-bordered reserve depicting ribbons, laurel wreaths and roses on the side opposite the handle.  The saucer depicts the portrait of his young lover, Héloise, in a similar cartouche, finely painted over cobalt blue glaze matching the cup.

Each in good condition.  There is modest rubbing wear to the gilding throughout, mostly on the pattern surrounding the edges of the lid, to the rim of the cup, and to the very edges of the dish.  There are very tiniy chip losses to the underside of the lid and foot of the saucer.

Literature: cf. Angelika Müller-Scherf, Wertherporzellan, Lotte und Werther auf Meißener Porzellan im Zeitalter der Empfindsamkeit, Petersberg 2009, p. 64 + 65, fig. 79-82 and Peter-Christian Wegner, Literatur auf Porzellan – Abälard und Heloise, in Keramos 202/2008, p. 39 ff.

 

Item Details

Reference #:
ha-3458
Quantity
1
Category
Ceramics & Porcelain
SubCategory
Department
Antiques (approx100yrs)
Year
c1800
Dimensions
(Width x Height X Depth)
x x
Weight
Unknown
Condition
Good
Material
porcelain