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Lot Essay
The view of Dresden is taken from the right bank of the Elbe, and is derived from an engraving by Bernardo Bellotto (1721-1780) of about 1748-49 after his painting of 1748. For a box on loan to the Rijksmuseum with a similar view painted on the interior of the cover see Barbara Beaucamp-Markowsky, Collection of 18th Century Porcelain Boxes (Amsterdam 1988), pp. 76-77, no. 37. The subject on the cover, an interesting combination of a Watteauesque scene and huntsmen, was perhaps derived from two different graphic sources available at the factory.
This forms part of a group of Royal boxes, all of this shape and size, with views of Dresden and all with more or less elaborate gold mounts. They were the finest products of the factory around 1750 and were reserved for diplomatic gifts or as presents given to members of the Saxon Royal family who were successfully married off to foreign monarchs as consorts. This group includes the box given to Maria Josepha, Dauphin of France, decorated with fleur-de-lys in the interior and the boxes on loan to the Rijksmuseum with AR monograms to the interior. The kupfer-grun decoration on the present lot would suggest a link with Maria Amalia, Queen of Naples, to whom many pieces were sent decorated in this technique.
This forms part of a group of Royal boxes, all of this shape and size, with views of Dresden and all with more or less elaborate gold mounts. They were the finest products of the factory around 1750 and were reserved for diplomatic gifts or as presents given to members of the Saxon Royal family who were successfully married off to foreign monarchs as consorts. This group includes the box given to Maria Josepha, Dauphin of France, decorated with fleur-de-lys in the interior and the boxes on loan to the Rijksmuseum with AR monograms to the interior. The kupfer-grun decoration on the present lot would suggest a link with Maria Amalia, Queen of Naples, to whom many pieces were sent decorated in this technique.