Cup and saucer

19th century. Meissen porcelain manufactory. Model form 1740. Porcelain, under-glaze cobalt decoration

In the earlier period of porcelain manufacturing at Meissen, precious Chinese porcelain was set as an example in décor as well as form. The original Meissen décor motif - the so-called blue onion pattern (Zwiebelmuster) – designed for tableware in the 1740s was also modelled after Chinese blue-white porcelain: it represents an artistic interpretation of oriental flowers.

The blue onion-patterned tableware is one of the series that Meissen porcelain is widely known for, and it is still in production even nowadays.