The biscuit depicts an elephant lying on its side. It is covered with a bright turquoise-glaze.
The biscuit depicts an elephant lying on its side. It is covered with a bright turquoise-glaze.
The elephant is an auspicious symbol used in numerous rebuses to convey peace, prosperity and good fortune. He is also one the Seven Treasures of Buddhism and in a broader context is seen as symbol of strength, wisdom and power.
Gifted by kings to impress the recipients, several Asian elephants were presented to various European courts, contributing to the legendary status of this still-rare animal in Europe during the 17th and 18thcenturies. In 1637, Rembrandt portrayed Hansken, one of the first elephants to arrive in Europe, intended for the menagerie of Prince Frederick Henry of Orange, who was the stadtholder (chief magistrate) of the Netherlands at the time. The elephant became an attraction and traveled throughout Europe.
An elephant was sent to Louis XIV’s as a diplomatic gift from the King of Portugal in 1688. The animal lived in the Royal Menagerie of Versailles.
Rarely depicted on porcelain, elephants are part of the imagery of chinoiserie in Europe during the 17th and 18th centuries.
If you would like to be among the first to be notified of our new items, send us your email address
© All rights reserved
