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Harlequin

Manufactory Gardner Manufactory Russian
ca. 1770–80
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.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Harlequin
  • Manufactory: Gardner Manufactory (Russian)
  • Date: ca. 1770–80
  • Culture: Russian, Verbilki
  • Medium: Hard-paste porcelain
  • Dimensions: Height: 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm)
  • Classification: Ceramics-Porcelain
  • Credit Line: The Jack and Belle Linsky Collection, 1982
  • Object Number: 1982.60.157
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

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Harlequin Dressed as Columbine, Gardner Manufactory Russian, Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki
Harlequin Dressed as Columbine
Gardner Manufactory
ca. 1770–80
Saucer, Gardner Manufactory Russian, Hard-paste porcelain, possibly Russian, Verbilki
Saucer
Gardner Manufactory
ca. 1780
Cup, Gardner Manufactory Russian, Hard-paste porcelain, possibly Russian, Verbilki
Cup
Gardner Manufactory
ca. 1780
Milkmaid, Gardner Manufactory Russian, Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki
Milkmaid
Gardner Manufactory
ca. 1820
Monkeys, Gardner Manufactory Russian, Hard-paste porcelain, Russian, Verbilki
Monkeys
Gardner Manufactory
ca. 1770

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