Saucer (part of a set) 1720 - 1735

This porcelain saucer was created at the Meissen Manufactory, and presents a serene, picturesque landscape framed by elaborate gilded patterns. The central motif—a couple seated by the water under a tree— evokes a sense of pastoral tranquility, an idealized version of nature that was favored in art across time and place. We see this imagery echoed in the Georgics of Virgil, in the Garden of Love by Rubens and in the Rococo paintings of Watteau. These images are more than mere depictions; they're vessels carrying profound psychological weight. In our collective memory, gardens and idealized landscapes are often linked to primordial images of paradise, to childhood fantasies of unspoiled nature, and to a collective yearning for harmony. This motif speaks to our deep-seated desire for peace, security, and a return to a state of natural innocence. It reappears across cultures, evolving in form but consistent in its emotional appeal, reminding us of the enduring power of archetypal imagery.