A rare Meissen porcelain cup and saucer from the armorial service for Pope Benedict XIV
Cup with gilded handles, tall gilded basal ring and deep original saucer. The well of the saucer and the cup's display side both painted with the coat of arms on a gilt contoured grisaille cartouche. The back of the cup painted with a scene of several men on a palace terrace within a black and gold cartouche. The lip with a gilt lace rim. Blue crossed swords mark, cup with incised dreher's number 2 for Johann Christian Dietrich, saucer incised 4?, possibly for Johann George Schuberth. A hairline crack below the handle, minor wear to the glaze of the saucer, gilding retouched. H 6.8, D saucer 13.3 cm.
1741 - 42.
The Roman chronicle mentions the successful presentation of a special gift to the holy father Pope Benedict XIV (1675 - 1758) on 18th May 1743 by Cardinal Annibale Albani San Clemente, protector of the Kingdom of Poland. The gift in question was a sumptuous coffee, hot chocolate and tea service decorated with the papal coat of arms. Two Polish miners in gold and silver parade uniforms accompanied the presentation and were permitted to kiss the feet of the Pope in the garden of Quirinal Palace in thanks.
King August III commissioned this extensive service in gratitude for the Vatican's support in the construction of the Hofkirche in Dresden. Each item was richly decorated with finely etched gilding and courtly Italian vedutas engraved by Melchior Küsell after designs by Johann Wilhelm Baur. The view decorating this piece is based on the sheet titled "Prospect zu Rom in dem Lust-Garten deß Card: MontAlto".
Provenance
Acquired in 1996 from Heinz Reichert, Munich.
Literature
Illus. in cat.: Blütenlese. Meißener Porzellan aus der Sammlung Tono Dreßen, Munich 2018, p. 101, no. 67.
Cf. a coffee pot, sugar box, scalloped dish and six tea bowls and saucers in the Ludwig collection (in cat.: Glanz und Barock. Sammlung Ludwig in Bamberg, Bamberg 1995, no. 73).
Cf. a tea pot and tea bowl and saucer formerly housed in the Hoffmeister collection (Sammlung Hoffmeister, vol. II, Hamburg 1999, no. 316-317).
Cf. a slop bowl with the view of Dresden by Bellotto with the Hofkirch formerly housed in the Arnhold Collection (in: Cassidy-Geiger, The Arnhold Collection of Meissen Porcelain, London 2008, no. 161).
For more on the history of this service, see: Paul Schnyder von Wartensee, Meissner Wappenservice des 18. Jahrhunderts, in: Keramikfrunde der Schweiz, Mitteilungsblatt 50/1960, S. 43 ff. Schnyder von Wartensee mentions a slop bowl from this service dated "Dec 5 Jar 1741" and with the initials AR, whereby the date would support the production date suggested for this service.
Cf. also: Cassidy-Geiger, Princess and Porcelain on the Grand Tour of Italy, in: dies., Fragile Diplomacy Meissen Porcelain for European Courts, New York 2007, p. 231 ff.