Augsburg, n.d. [circa 1729].
4to [278 x 203 mm] of 20 plates, a few plates numbers cut by the binder, small brown stain on the upper edge of a few engravings, small tears restored at the bottom of plate n° V. Red half-morocco with small vellum corners, spine ribbed and decorated with grotesque, lettering piece in red morocco on the upper cover. Modern binding in the style of the 18th century.
First edition, first issue in contemporary bright coloring.
Extremely rare suite of engravings representing the porcelain table centerpiece of a fantastic “Chinese banquet” organized in Germany in the 18th century.
It contains 20 (out of 23) numbered plates engraved on copper by the artist from Augsburg Johann Christian Leopold.
This sumptuous banquet took place on January 11, 1729 at the Castle of Ettlingen near Rastatt, property of the Margravine Franziska Sibylle Auguste, born Princess of Saxe-Lauenburg (1675-1733), widow of Louis William, Margrave of Baden-Baden, known as the Türkenlouis after his glorious victory over the Ottomans during the war of 1683-1699.
The decorative elements and the pieces of the porcelain set belonged to the Margravine and were part of her personal collection of art objects; it is known that she gathered an important collection of oriental porcelain as well as from Meissen, preserved today in the baroque Castle of the Schloss Favorite just outside Rastatt.
Several personalities of the Court, 36 from what we can see on the seating plan (pl. n°II), were the guests of this banquet, placed under the sign of Chinese culture and art. An orchestra of 21 musicians in Chinese costume enlivened the event, performing tunes by Johann Caspar Ferdinand Fischer, chapel master of the Margrave and Margravine of Baden-Baden, and one of the best composers of his time.
The plates of this formidable engraved suite, described by Georg Wilhelm Schulz, “Augsburger Chinesereien und und ihre Verwendung in der Keramik” in Des Schwäbische Museum (III, 1929, pp. 77-88) represent the different pieces of porcelain composing this superb centerpiece (plates, cups, candle holders, cloches, pagoda-shapes displays, figurines with trays, birds, dragons, crayfish, etc.). The dishes served that day, presented in varied dishes (oyster pyramids, sauerkraut, poultry, pies and cakes, fruit, drinks, etc.), testify to the splendor of this meal.
This themed banquet, part of the emerging trend of chinoiserie, recalls – without equaling them of course – the crazy and grandiose festivities organized by Augustus II the Strong at the Dresden Court at the beginning of the 18th century.
This copy, whose engravings are mounted on guards, lacks the two leaves containing the title, dedication, table and explanation of the plates, as well as plates n° I, II, and XXII.
Only two other copies of this suite are recorded in the computerized catalogues of public funds, one at the Metropolitan Museum of New York (complete), the other at the Berlin Staatliche Museen, Kunstbibliothek (title and 7 plates only).
