19th Century Porcelain Jester in the Pillory and King from Imperial Manufactory Vienna, Austria

Details

Description

Measurements:
height: 19.8 cm; width: 20.5 cm; depth: 10 cm; weight: 1.274 kg

item :
a splendid sculpture in the … Read more Measurements:
height: 19.8 cm; width: 20.5 cm; depth: 10 cm; weight: 1.274 kg

item :
a splendid sculpture in the finest hard-paste porcelain, polychrome, vitrified, solid, and heavy, a structural characteristic that attests to its authentic antiquity. The work is entirely hand-decorated and bears the underglaze blue mark of the imperial manufactory of vienna under the base, made in the early decades of the 19th century. The original model for this famous sculpture was designed in the 18th century by johann joachim kändler for the german meissen manufactory. It depicts king augustus iii of saxony in the act of making his court jester smoke a pipe, having been placed in the pillory as a playful punishment for the sovereign's amusement. The jester depicted may be joseph fröhlich, known as "der sachse" (the saxon): originally from tyrol, he was the king's favorite jester, a multifaceted figure renowned not only for his acerbic wit but also for his skills as a conjurer and illusionist, immortalized in several rococo-era prints and paintings in dresden. Alternatively, he could be joseph michael petz, known as "baron schmiedel," a physically eccentric figure and a favorite victim of royal pranks, whose extravagant misfortunes at court became legendary. Over time, this particular sculpture achieved extraordinary success on the art market, so much so that it was reproduced by the most famous historic european manufacturers. The example presented here was created by the imperial manufactory in vienna. Following the photographs of the object, we have included a photo taken from one of our specialized art volumes in french, which provides historical information on the manufacture and many of the marks used. The one under the base of our sculpture is the number 11, used between 1820 and 1827, in underglaze blue. The type of porcelain used, extremely compact and rich in kaolin, the density of the mixture, the refined quality of the decorations, and the splendid period patina visible under the base fully confirm its 19th-century dating. This is an extremely rare antique object of the highest artistic quality, ideal for discerning collectors.

information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
the imperial vienna porcelain manufactory operated from 1718 to 1864. Established following the founding of the meissen manufactory by the elector of saxony, it received an exclusive 25-year privilege from emperor charles vi in 1718, granted to claudius innocentius du paquier. For this reason, it is historically recognized as the second oldest hard-paste porcelain manufacturer in europe, preceded only by meissen. Vienna's artifacts have achieved significant sales at major international auction houses and are now exhibited in the world's most prestigious museums. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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