THE PORCELAIN PERHAPS CIRCA 1715, THE DECORATION 19TH CENTURY

This figure shows the king dressed as a Roman Emperor, which is how he was dressed for his coronation in 1697. According to Johann Melchior Steinbrück's 'Report on the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory from the Beginnings to the Year 1717', Böttger had promised to make two chess sets, one in porcelain and one in gem stones. Two figures of the king (one in porcelain and one in stoneware), as well as one of the queen, had been made by September 1713. As no other figures from the desired chess set have emerged, it seems possible a number of these small figures were produced and ended up as gifts from the king.

The 1719 Inventory of the Dresden Warehouse lists '14 pieces of lacquered royal statues' under the heading of porcelain¹. The present lot may well have been one of the undecorated white figures, with enamels added to it in the 19th century.

Both a stoneware and a porcelain example are in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen, Dresden (PE3797, the porcelain example, and PE890, the stoneware example). A similar figure with decoration, but with some differences to the modelling and on an armorial pedestal is in the Gardiner Museum, Toronto (G83.1.581). Another example made in porcelain and decorated in gilding was sold Bonhams London, 22 July 2020, lot 18.

This figure of Augustus has been attributed to Johann Joachim Kretzschmar (1677-1740)², who was active in Dresden before 1712 and worked on many models at the factory.

1. See Rolf Sonnemann and Eberhard Wächtler (ed.), Johann Friedrich Böttger, Die Erfindung des europäischen Porzellans, Leipzig/ Stuttgart 1982, p. 301-302, figs. 215 & 216.
2. See Siegfried Asche, 'Die Dresdner Bildhauer des frühen achtzehnten Jahrhunderts als Meister des Böttgersteinzeugs und Böttgerporzellans' in Keramos, no. 49, 1970, pp.82-89.