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Meissen Porcelain Manufactory
German, 1710–present
Cup and Saucer
c. 1760–70
This cup and saucer is decorated with scenes from the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. Extremely popular in the eighteenth century, animal characters from these stories—like the cat, turkey, fox, goose, and monkey that appear here—were often used as a form of social allegory. Although the animals' activities are curious and specific, no single fable has yet been identified as the source.
Image Caption
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory, Cup and Saucer, c. 1760–70, hard-paste porcelain. Clark Art Institute, 1955.1211a-b
Medium
hard-paste porcelain
Dimensions
Height of cup: 2 9/16 in. (6.5 cm); diameter: 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Saucer: 1 1/8 x 5 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. (2.9 x 13.3 x 13.3 cm)
Object Number
1955.1211a-b
Acquisition
Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955
Status
On View
Select Bibliography
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. Exhibit Twenty-six: Fine Cups and Saucers. Exhibition catalogue. Williamstown, MA: Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, 1964.