Kaendler's figural tablewar

The special exhibition ‘Magnificence of Rococo’ offers visitors a comprehensive overview of the sculptural porcelain work of the famous Meissen master modeller Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706–1775). However, one theme has been left out: the figural tableware. 

The best-known example of this is certainly the swan service, which included free-plastic figures serving to crown the tureens, among other things, as well as the eponymous relief with the swan couple that adorns the inside of the plates, bowls, and dishes. 

But what made Kaendler create such an elaborate service that would take five years to produce, or even seven years from the initial designs? What did other services made in the 1730s and 1740s look like? And what influence did the swan service have on them? 

Join us on a journey through the last years of the splendour-loving late Baroque and the dawn of the Rococo era.