The saucer painted in the well with a kneeling figure of Mary Magdalene, dressed in a pink long robe with a blue cape, before a cross. A jar painted in gold in front of her, behind her an open tomb. Faint traces of a halo around her head. The border painted with swags of garlands of flowers. The rim and well with a gold band.
The scene refers to Mary Magdalene visiting the tomb of Christ, three days after his body was placed there, to anoint the body, but she found it empty.
The importation of Chinese porcelain on a large scale may have contributed to the late development of porcelain production in Portugal. The first experiments were made by Lieutenant Colonel Bartholomeu da Costa who was also an engineer. He made some experimental pieces, with kaolin found while testing different fire clays to build kilns for a military foundry. One of his first pieces was a rectangular plaque with a depiction of the erection of the equestrian statue of King José I of Portugal with a detailed inscription describing his discovery, dated 1773. https://www.rare-ceramics.com/stock/other-european-porcelain/biscuit-porcelain-plaque-commemorating-the-erection-of-the-equestrian-statue-of-king-jose-i-of-portugal/
(Also see cover of ‘Portugal and Porcelain’, Exhibition catalogue Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 88)
Apart from these experiments in the eighteenth century it was only in the early nineteenth century that Portuguese porcelain was made commercially. A businessman, Jose Ferreira Pinto Basto (1774-1839), realised there was a local demand for tableware and obtained a licence on July 1st 1824, which allowed him activities in four categories: earthenware, porcelain, glassware and chemical processes. He bought the property of Vista Alegre da Hermida and built his factory opposite the manor. A pale stoneware was made at first until clay containing kaolin was found.
Vista Alegre, painted by João Maria Fabre (1805-29), dated 1827
Museo Nacional del Arte Antiga, Lisbon
A documentary cup and saucer signed by João Maria Fabre and dated 1827 (see ‘Portugal and Porcelain’, ill. 102, 103, p. 60) must have been made with clay from this early discovery. Fabre grew up in the local orphanage of which Basto was president.
Our saucer with similar neo-classical swag decoration is by the same hand and also dates from this early period when the quantity of kaolin found was limited. Pieces of this period are extremely rare.
It was not until 1832 when the principal deposit of ‘china clay’ was found in Vale Rico in the village of Feira (district of Aveiro) and larger scale production could begin. Interestingly this was the exact area where Bartholomeo da Costa had obtained kaolin in the eighteenth century.
Condition:
Good
Provenance:
Klaber and Klaber, according to label
Sir Bruno Welby Bt.
References:
‘Portugal and Porcelain’, Exhibition catalogue Metropolitan Museum of Art, November 19th, 1984 to February 3rd, 1985
Price: £1,800
