Shell basin
Dateca. 1730
Model by
Johann Gottlob Kirchner
German, 1706 - after 1738
Label TextAlthough modeled in the scallop-shell form that became so popular in the rococo period, this basin still exhibits the symmetrical style of the baroque. Its designer, Kirchner, a court sculptor before he came to Meissen in 1727, had previously been occupied with a commission of baroque sculpture ordered by Augustus the Strong for the courtyard of his palace, the Zwinger. At Meissen, Kirchner experimented with porcelain vases and figures on a grand scale, many of which exhibit a myriad of cracks. Also large for its time, this basin was nevertheless manageable.
Object number83.222
Photo CreditPhoto: Paul Macapia
Exhibition HistorySeattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, "Porcelain Stories: From China to Europe", February 17, 2000-May 7, 2000 (2/17/2000 - 5/7/2000)Published ReferencesEmerson, Julie, Jennifer Chen, & Mimi Gardner Gates, "Porcelain Stories, From China to Europe", Seattle Art Museum, 2000, pg. 210Credit LineGift of Martha and Henry Isaacson in honor of the museum's 50th year
Dimensions2 3/8 x 18 x 15 in. (6.03 x 45.8 x 38.1 cm)
MediumHard paste porcelain
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