Vase

Fruit basket The fruit basket was made around 1780 in the porcelain manufactory in Meissen. The first porcelain manufactory in Europe was founded in 1710 by August II the Strong, and it is still in operation today. The Łańcut fruit basket was made around 1780, when the factory's director was Camillo Marcolini (1774 - 1814), who was trying to restore its former glory lost after the Seven Years' War (1756 - 1763). Openwork fruit baskets with handles in the shape of rams' heads were characteristic among the classicist vessels produced by Meissen at that time. The above basket from milky white porcelain has an ovoid bowl resting on a round base in the form of a pedestal, with two gilded handles in the shape of rams' heads. Along the upper rim of the basket there is a plastic garland of laurel leaves suspended in four axial points of the vessel: above the medallions with a swirling rosette placed in the middle of the bowl of the basket and placed through the horns of the rams' heads. The inside is covered with painting decoration. There are four oval painted medallions with maritime scenes, framed by a gilded ornamental trail, which also surrounds the upper rim of the vessel. The base of the basket is decorated with naturalistic painted butterflies, beetles, ladybirds and flower twigs; it is encircled by a plastic garland made of a wreath of leaves and roses threaded through four gilded plastic rings. The lower ring of the base is decorated with a meander. The edges of the dish are accentuated with gilded stripes. Barbara Trojnar