Strasbourg, Paul Hannong, no mark, ca. 1735/48
Faience with mixed technique of painting, 'high temperature' pigments and on glaze with enamel colours
height 16 cm
Inv. 1986.310.
This piece of hors d'oeuvre tableware, which has no known parallel, may have been part of a table decoration. If the lower bowls were intended for boiled eggs, the upper ones could have been used for salt, or for nutmeg, pepper or mustard, which last had been in use from the C14. The upper part is detachable and could be used on its own as a spice dish. The painted decoration combines /fleures des Indes, the fantastic flowers and insects evolved by Paul Hannong between 1735 and 1748, with realistic garlands of fruits and flowers. This is a first venture, still with a restricted range of colours, towards the European style of flower decoration in enamel colours.
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