A Fine and Highly Important Meissen ’Zitronenkorb’
Modelled by Johann Joachim Kaendler
For Graf Heinrich von Brühl
June 1737
The present example circa 1738-1739
Acquired by private collectors, Chicago
Marks
None
Measurements
L 17 ¾ in. 46cm; H10 3/4in. 27cm; W 11in. 25.5cm
Condition
Restoration to one shell and one wing. Minor restoration to one shoe, several flowers and leaves, one hand and umbrella-stick and both beaks. A firing crack to the inside of the bowl has been sprayed. Some re- gilding to edge.
The baroque-shaped body with gilt-edged lambrequin border and two large, pierced and gilt shells applied with crisply moulded fanciful birds forming the handles. Each bird is shown poking its head through a large scroll and supporting its body on a flowering branch issuing from a large scroll foot. The head and plumage painted in the Kakiemon palette of shades of green, blight blue, yellow, iron-red and black.
Two fanciful oriental figures are shown happily conversing and seated on the upper end of the lion’s paw feet. They are wearing finely patterned loose robes in purple with yellow lining and iron-red with blue lining. Each of their shoes is finely decorated in similar colours.
Note
Lemon Baskets were made in two sizes and it has been suggested that the smaller baskets were intended to accompany the central, larger baskets on either side.
Other examples of the smaller baskets are in:
Chicago, Institute of Art, published in Keramikfreunde der Schweiz 60/1963 – with very similar decoration.
Konsul Gutmann collection, Berlin, see K. Berling, Meissen, 1900, pl.IV, no. 5 and Reinheckel, 1989, ill.no.45. This example is most probably identical to the example in the H. Feist collection.
In the white:
Victoria and Albert Museum, London (Inv. no. C 258-1921)
Mittag collection, Bad Münder
Other examples of the larger basket (L 55.5cm; H 34cm; W 37.5cm) are in:
Schneider collection, Lustheim
Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe, formerly Haniel collection, Baden-Baden (sold at Christie’s London March 1968.
Italy, private collection, formerly Caviglia, Lugano, London, Christie’s sale 9.11.1987 and 25.2.1991
