The back of the dish inscribed in black cursive script with ‘Gezight van de Stad Delft’
At 26.1 cm diameter this dish is slightly larger and deeper than a plate (at 24.0 cm) and is an uncommon size in the service, Den Blauwen only lists two other examples.[1] (no. 61 & 62 on p. 52).
J.C. Philips after Cornelis Pronk, 1742
The image is taken from a print after a drawing Cornelis Pronk. The view of the City of Delft seen from de south was also used by Johannes Vermeer in his famous ‘View of Delft’ of around 1660-1661. Noticeable are some changes to the architecture since then; the building with the two towers and a brick wall on the right in the engraving have disappeared.
Johannes Vermeer ‘View of Delft’ (Het Mauritshuis, The Hague)
The complete service, consisting of more than 435 pieces was presented to the Stadtholder William V by the Ostindiansche Compagnie, the VOC, of which he had been chief director from 1766. It was the most ambitious Meissen service of the latter part of the 18th century and the first to have been decorated with topographical views (Prospekte). It is thought that William himself was involved in their selection as he had a great interest in topographical drawings and prints.[2] J. J. Kaendler records modelling a big lion for the top of a tureen in October 1772 for a service for the Stadholder of Holland. [3]
William V was the last hereditary Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic and took the service with him when he went into exile in England on 18 January 1795. He had to sell the service before leaving England for Germany in 1801. In October 1823 it was auctioned as part of the collection of William Beckford, split across four lots, and listed as ‘A matchless and extensive dinner and desert service of the rare OLD DRESDEN PORCELANE, elaborately enamelled in views of all the principal sea- ports and towns of Holland, painted expressly for the PRINCE of ORANGE […]’. All four lots were acquired by F. Hodges for a total of more than 336 pounds. In December 1868 the entire service came up for auction again this time at Christie’s in London and was split into 75 lots.
A large part of the service has been reassembled and is held by the Palace of Het Loo in the Netherlands.
Condition:
Small chip to rim at 11/12 o’clock. Minor wear to cartouche.
Provenance:
Stadtholder Willem V, Prince of Orange and Nassau (1748-1806), The Netherlands
William Beckford (1760-1844), Fonthill Abbey, Wiltshire, his sale, listed in the Oak and Tapestry Dining Parlour, The Unique and Splendid Effects of Fonthill Abbey, Phillips, 1 October 1823 (Seventeenth Day) lots 762-765
Acquired from the above sale by F. Hodges, 16 Cavendish Square, London
Henry G. Bohn (1796-1884)
Sale, Christie’s London, 19 December 1868, lots 564-638
Barber family of Lamb Close House, Derbyshire
References:
Den Blauwen 1993
A. L. den Blaauwen, Het Meissen servies van Stadhouder Willem V, (Paleis Het Loo, 1993)
———————————————————————————————————–
[1] Den Blauwen 1993, p. 52, nos. 61 & 62.
[2] Den Blauwen 1993, p. 25.
[3] Den Blauwen pp. 17 & 19.
Price: £12,500
