CIRCA 1775, UNDERGLAZE BLUE SHIELD AND IMPRESSED P MARKS

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GBP 2,500 - GBP 3,500

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A VIENNA WHITE PORCELAIN FIGURE PROBABLY OF EMPEROR JOSEPH II OF AUSTRIA

CIRCA 1775, UNDERGLAZE BLUE SHIELD AND IMPRESSED P MARKS

Modelled by Anton Peyer, the Emperor standing with his right hand tucked into his waistcoat, wearing a long jacket, standing beside a neoclassical urn on cylindrical column, moulded with swags and ram's heads, on a shaped rectangular base
8¹⁄₈ in. (20.3 cm.) high

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Lot Essay

This unrecorded figure is almost certainly a depiction of Joseph II, Emperor of Austria (1741-1790). He is shown standing in a courtly pose, his hand tucked beneath his waistcoat. He is wearing what appears to be a breast star, possibly that worn by holders of the Grand Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa. The modeller, Anton Peyer (1762-87) has chosen a pose that conveys a calm, confident and firm leadership. This popular stance was frequently used in portraiture throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. Several portraits of Emperor Joseph II are known, including works by the artist Joseph Hickel (1736-1807), in which he is depicted in the same position. It is probable that Peyer looked to one of these portraits for his inspiration for the present model.