Bouillon cup and saucer

The bouillon cup and saucer (inventory no. S. 11669MŁ) were made in the second quarter of the 18th c. in the porcelain factory in Meissen. Founded by Augustus II the Strong in 1710, it was the first European porcelain factory. The bouillon cup is made of milk-white porcelain; it is shaped like a large, rotund teacup with two double channel motif handles. It is decorated with painted genre scenes in the chinoiserie style framed by decorative cartouches made out of rocaille, shells, tents, lambrequins, bouquets of flowers, and bunches of reeds. The edges of the cup and handles are lined with gilded stripes. The lid is slightly arched, the edge is lined with a gilded stripe and an ornament of flowers, vines, and channel motifs. Like the bouillon cup, it is decorated with painted genre scenes in the chinoiserie style, framed by decorative cartouches with grid rocaille. The lid handle is in the shape of a plastically modelled gilded dragon with a wide-open mouth.