Example Of Wine Ewer And Cover/ Lacma( Write About This Object) Report

Wine Ewer and CoverJohann Friedrich Böttger (Germany, 1682-1719)Meissen Porcelain Manufactory (Germany, Meissen, founded 1710)Germany, Saxony, Meissen, circa 1712-1715Furnishings; ServicewareRed stoneware, glaze, gildingHeight: 7 1/2 in. (19 cm)Purchased with funds provided by the William Randolph Hearst Collection by exchange.
This beautiful piece of porcelain demonstrates the great skills of the ceramist Johann Friedrich Bottger. It is made out of fine Meissen porcelain which was one of the most celebrated of china manufacturers. The wine ewer and cover was made to store choice wines and was made around 1712 showcasing some of the most important features which were to make Meissen china one of the most celebrated materials in the world.
This work comes from the latter part of Bottger’s life where he had eventually perfected the use of porcelain as an object for creation. Bottger was in fact the creator of porcelain after several chemical experiments although there had also been considerable competition from the continent on that score. The red stoneware is a beautiful material and lends itself to the most exquisite of creations especially in designs which are amply demonstrated on this wine ewer and cover.
Bottger’s work reached fruition in the Meissen factory which began in 1710 and was actually the first one to begin the making of porcelain in Europe. The ewer and cover is reminiscent of other similar vases made by the Chinese especially those made during the Tang Dynasty. It is indeed a beautiful piece of sculpture, full of intricate detail and extremely smooth and durable at the same time.
The influence of Chinese traits which were imported into Europe from the 17th century resulted in a clamor to come up with the relative methods to construct such vases and materials. The need for large, ornately decorated jars and other storage implements was largely due to the importation and dissemination of several drinks which came from the East such as tea or coffee and also in this case, wine. This hunger for such beverages resulted in what was termed as the Age of Porcelain where royalty and rich families did their utmost to acquire expensive porcelain and china designs from the East paying exorbitant prices for such materials. This led to the necessity for the creation of a European based porcelain which had eluded chemists and which set Bottger on the trail of this elusive material.
However the quest to develop porcelain in Europe was not an easy task and it took Bottger several years of experimentation to find the right formula. Finally around 1710 he came up with a fine white coloured material which was tried and tested and which could be used to manufacture vases and other ornaments.
This jar differs from the others produced contemporaneously since it was produced for the storage of wine and not tea or coffee which were the beverages normally used for such a material. The glazing and gilding techniques are also quite a work of art to behold and the vase’s shape make it quite an original implement for its time. In fact it is probably the only jar of its kind to be produced by the world renowned Meissen factory and as such is a unique exhibit at the Los Angeles Museum of Art.
Johann Friedrich Bottger’s contribution to the firmament of porcelain making is invaluable since he was the one who came up with the actual chemical compound. This resulted in a large number of exhibits and wares which culminated in several important designs such as this ewer. The storage of wine was an important part of any nobleman’s beverage habit so this ewer was most probably one of the most coveted pieces of porcelain made in that period.