White, glazed porcelain with polychrome, ‘en grisaille’ and gold painted decoration
Saxony, Germany, 1774-1790 (Marcolini period)
Meissen porcelain manufactory
Each base with underglaze blue crossed swords mark with star and numerals ‘4’ and ‘I’ respectively
Presumably Johann Georg Loehnig (1743-1806) or Johann David Schubert (1761-1822)
Oval medallions with the portraits of Abelard and his lover Héloise in ‘en grisaille’ painting
With wooden stand (later)
Height of cup: 11.5 cm
Diameter of saucer: 13 cm
Good condition
A rare and important cup and cover with saucer; there are only four other known pieces with identical portraits

Between 1775 and 1790 the Meissen porcelain manufactory produced single cups and sets belonging to a rare group of so-called ‘Werther scenes’. The pieces on offer here depict the portraits of Abelard and Héloise, the protagonists of Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s novel ‘Julie ou La Nouvelle Héloise, which greatly inspired Goethe's work ‘The Sorrows of Young Werther’. The motifs are rendered in finest miniature painting. The painter was presumably Johann Georg Loehnig (1743-1806), who was active at Meissen from 1793 onwards, or Johann David Schubert (1761-1822), who worked for the manufactory between 1781 and 1800. Both are known for their neo-classical figure paintings and ‘Werther scenes’.

The cup features a round domed lid with a golden laurel wreath finial. The cover is decorated with a grisaille motif inscribed ‘Abelard et Héloise’. The front of the cup bears a gilt-edged reserve framed by festoons of red roses with the portrait of the philosopher Abelard and the saucer depicts the portrait of his young lover Héloise in a similar cartouche.

A similar set with identical motif is held in the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg.

Literature: cf. Angelika Müller-Scherf, Wertherporzellan, Lotte und Werther auf Meißener Porzellan im Zeitalter der Empfindsamkeit, Petersberg 2009, p. 64 + 65, fig. 79-82 and Peter-Christian Wegner, Literatur auf Porzellan – Abälard und Heloise, in Keramos 202/2008, p. 39 ff.

The cup and saucer are each marked with the underglaze blue crossed swords mark with star and the numerals ‘4’ and ‘I’ respectively. Both items are in good condition with light signs of age and wear. One end of the bow finial with a small restoration. The gold rim and decoration are a little rubbed in places. The height of the lidded cup measures 11.5 cm and the diameter of the saucer is 13 cm. (tfa)

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.