Partridge (one of a pair) 1741

These two partridges were made out of porcelain at the Meissen Manufactory, which was established in Germany in 1710. The Manufactory was the first to discover the secret of hard-paste porcelain outside of China. These birds were created at a time when European royalty collected exotic animals. It was fashionable to have menageries to show off wealth and power. These porcelain birds spoke to the same impulse, and were often made as table decorations for aristocratic banquets. The Meissen Manufactory had a profound influence on the history of European art. It was the first of many such manufactories, and produced not only tableware, but also large-scale sculptures and even architectural elements. To fully appreciate these partridges, one needs to understand the social and economic conditions that shaped their production. We can look at the factory's archives as well as the court records of the time. The beauty of these birds, therefore, is not only aesthetic, but also historical.