A rare Meissen porcelain Augustus Rex vase and cover with pea green ground
Of stout baluster form, presumably with the original lid. Decorated with figures in river landscapes within two brown rimmed reserves and large "indianische blumen". Blue AR monogram, dreher's mark +, probably that of Johann Christoph Pietzsch sen. The neck and lid restored. H 23.1, H with lid 31 cm.
Ca. 1735, decor attributed to studio of Johann Gregorius Hoeroldt.
This ground colour, often referred to as "erbsgrün" or pea green in academic literature, was developed in the manufactory by the year 1726 at the latest following numerous experiments with ground colours by Johann Gregorius Hoeroldt. In manufactory documents it is known as "oliven-couleur" and mentioned several times in price lists after 1731. It was used for tea services, bowls, and vases presented to the king. Despite an appeal from the accountant Johann David Reinhardt in a memorandum of March 1727 "[...] that he [Obermeister Stölzel] should expend more effort in the production of pale brown and pea green grounds and produce entire tea services in this colour", objects in this colourway are comparatively rare (SPMM, Archiv AA I Aa 10, fol. 243b, 244a).
Provenance
Hessian Collection.
Literature
For more on the development of pea green ground, see: Weber, Meißener Porzellane mit Dekoren nach ostasiatischen Vorbildern, vol. II, Munich 2013, p. 415.
Cf. a pair of vases with the same ground and birds in: bei den Blaauwen, Meissen Porcelain, Amsterdam, 2000, cat. 24.