Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Anatomical Crockery, 18th C





This wonderful 18th-century coffee service was brought to my attention by design history MA student Patty Edmonson. Thanks, Patty!

Here is her description:
This porcelain cup, saucer, and bowl cover were part of a coffee service exported to Western Europe from Jingdezhen, China during the 18th century. They most likely arrived in the Netherlands undecorated, where an anonymous artist painted the en grisaille anatomical images, probably during the 1760s. Though the print source remains unidentified, it has been suggested that the images could be based on the work of Danish physician Thomas Bartholin, whose work was published in London and Leiden. It has also been suggested that the unknown author "Pira," credited on the bowl cover, might have been a surgeon in the Dutch East India Company, copying anatomical works for the service.

7 comments:

dorkas said...

i am at this moment in an apopleptic fit of joy over these.

JE said...

Thanks Dorkas! So glad you like them! I am rather fond of them myself...

Anonymous said...

i found your wonderful site via jahsonic. am off to add you to my blogroll straight away

bioephemera said...

That's the bomb! Unbelievable that it's not a modern line of trendy home decor, like from Anthropologie. . . I am in awe. Great find.

dmtls said...

these are some truly amazing pieces of crockery.
and by the way this is a great blog.

dmtls
@ dmtlsmerzbau.wordpress.com/

Grace said...

These made me literally laugh out loud with joy!

(I found your blog via bioephemera, and it's fabulous.)

Anonymous said...

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