Potpourri in gilded bronze and Saxon porcelain, 18th century

A highly decorative potpourrit in Saxon porcelain. It represents the decorative art of the mid-18th century. Two Saxon porcelain figurines depicting Pierrot and Colombine, famous characters from the Commedia dell'Arte.

The young man, dressed in a vibrant costume with bright colors and floral motifs, plays the bagpipes, while the elegantly dressed young woman wields a hurdy-gurdy. The figures are inspired by models by Johann Joachim Kändler and Peter Reinicke, two of the greatest modelers of the Meissen manufactory, responsible for numerous lively and expressive figurines.

They sit on flowering rocks and gaze at each other while playing music.

The all rests on a finely chiseled, openwork gilt bronze rococo base typical of the Louis XV period.
The two figures are surrounded by gilt bronze branches and foliage, where polychrome porcelain flowers in pastel shades bloom.
At the top sits a porcelain vase with an orientalist decoration, a highly prized motif in Meissen, featuring a blue bird and a red phoenix on a pale yellow background, reminiscent of Chinese porcelain.

The choice of Pierrot and Colombine as figures reflects a taste for theater, music, and pastoral scenes, which were very fashionable in aristocratic salons at the time.

The lively, almost theatrical aspect of the scene testifies to the festive aristocratic enthusiasm of the 18th century, as can be seen in paintings depicting gallant scenes.

This delightful potpourri illustrates the quest for harmony between nature, artifice, and narrative. But also taste in the 18th century, between festivity, refinement and exoticism.

The use of Saxon porcelain, then an alternative to highly prized oriental porcelains, marked the technical autonomy acquired by European manufacturers.

This type of piece was intended to adorn the interiors of the elite, combining the charm of decoration with the practical function of potpourri, containing dried and scented flowers, which diffused a pleasant fragrance throughout living rooms.

Beautiful original gilding

Dimensions: H 36 cm x W 16 cm x D 12 cm