Harlequin

Manufactory Gardner Manufactory Russian

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 543

In 1766, the English entrepreneur Francis Gardner, with the permission of Catherine the Great, established the first great porcelain factory in the Russian empire, in the town of Verbilky. The factory operated under the Gardner name until 1892, when it was acquired by M. S. Kusnetsov, who continued the production as Kusnetsov Brothers until 1917.

This pair of porcelain figures (see also 1982.60.158)　reflects the enchantment of the Saint Petersburg nobility and the imperial court with masquerades, metamorphoses, and theme balls. Such figures also reflect the fascination of the so-called Venice of the North with southern Europe and its theatrical characters, such as those of the commedia dell'arte.

Harlequin, Gardner Manufactory (Russian), Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.

Harlequin, Gardner Manufactory (Russian), Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki
Harlequin, Gardner Manufactory (Russian), Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki

This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.