Cup with Saucer with Early Marine Scenes by Johann Gregorius Höroldt
Meissen, 1723
Dimensions: Cup: 4.5 cm high; Saucer: Ø 12.7 cm
Marks: Underglaze blue crossed swords mark; incised “/” on the inner edge of each footrim; gilt number “73” on both pieces
Provenance:
- Collection of Roswitha and Said Marouf (no. 83)
- Property of the late J.A. Grothe von Schellach, Rotterdam, sold at Sotheby's London, 8 December 1970, lot 129
- The Property of a Gentleman, sold by Christie's London, 8 December 2003, lot 118
Additional Pieces from the Service
- Sotheby’s London, 8 December 1970, lots 124–134 (the present piece = lot 129)
- Part of the renowned early Höroldt service, cf. Lübke I, no. 92 = Christie’s London, 22 June 1992, lot 111 = Sotheby’s Zurich, 10 December 1997, lot 425
- Carabelli, no. 22 = Collection of Albert Weitnauer – Christie’s Geneva, 11 November 1985, lot 369
- Christie’s, 2 February 1976, lot 38 – two koppchen
- Coffee pot with overglaze crossed swords mark at the rim (Arnhold no. 119) = Collection of Wolf – Bonhams, 17 June 1998
- Teapot (Rasmussen sale, 9 June 1971) = illustrated in Weltkunst, September/October 1971
- Christie’s Geneva, 13 May 1985, lot 179
About the Service
This cup and saucer form part of a distinguished early Meissen breakfast service decorated with marine scenes, which is notable for the following features:
- Its early date of production: 1723
- The brilliantly executed marine subjects
- The hand-painting by Johann Gregorius Höroldt himself
- The identical gilded number “73” on both pieces
- The matching cartouches, framed in gold, lustre and iron-red/purple scrollwork
- The non-centred crossed swords mark, placed near the edge of the footrim – a typical feature of this early phase of production
On the Painting
In his discussion of the cup from the Carabelli Collection (no. 22), Ulrich Pietsch highlights the precisely rendered ship types, which are based on Dutch engravings. Lübke (loc. cit.) writes of another cup from this service: “One must assume that Höroldt himself developed the marine landscape painting after etchings by Schenk the Younger, Reiner Nooms, and others. If one is looking for examples of Höroldt’s hand, these porcelains should be considered: the rounded clouds that stretch to the horizon – the painting of the water in blotchy blues – the distinct individuality of the motif…”
On the Crossed Swords Mark
The overglaze crossed swords mark on the Arnhold coffee pot (no. 119), also placed off-centre near the footrim, supports our dating of the present service to 1723. On the early introduction of the Meissen mark, see Halbchinesen-Service Meissen, in: Langeloh 2019, p. 170.
