Large Salon Vase With Floral Bouquets. Ernst August Leuteritz Germany, Meissen

A large museum-level salon vase produced at the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory after a model by the distinguished sculptor and modeller Ernst August Leuteritz. The monumental form, rooted in Neo-Renaissance and Neo-Baroque traditions, is conceived as an elongated baluster set on a profiled circular foot with a broad, stable base. The vase is constructed in two parts and displays a pronounced architectural silhouette. The high neck with a richly articulated rim is decorated with an ornamental frieze and a sculptural "pearl" moulding. Two powerful scroll handles, accentuated with gilded mounts, create a ceremonial and symmetrical rhythm. The lower body and base are enriched with finely modelled acanthus leaves, lavishly highlighted with gilding and executed with exceptional precision. The body is covered in a deep royal cobalt glaze, characteristic of Meissen's prestigious works of the nineteenth century. On the central reserves, finely painted polychrome floral bouquets depicting roses and chrysanthemums are rendered in a highly accomplished overglaze technique. The painterly treatment reveals subtle tonal gradations, delicate modelling of petals and foliage, and a refined chromatic balance. Rich gilding frames the composition and enhances the overall impression of opulence and decorative splendour. Marks: Underglaze blue crossed swords mark of the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory; first quality mark. Dimensions: Height: 60 cm. Width: 35 cm. Depth: 35 cm. Material: Porcelain. Underglaze and overglaze painting. Cobalt glaze. Gilding. Condition: Good. Minor signs of age consistent with period. No chips or cracks. Gilding well preserved.

Ernst August Leuteritz occupies a central position in the history of the Meissen Porcelain Manufactory as one of its leading sculptors and modellers in the second half of the nineteenth century. His work coincided with a period of renewed engagement with historical styles, during which Meissen sought to reaffirm its status not merely as a producer of luxury porcelain, but as a centre of sculptural and artistic excellence within the European decorative arts tradition. During this period, Meissen devoted particular attention to large-scale salon vases intended for representative interiors of aristocratic residences and grand urban salons. Such works formed an essential part of the interior culture of Historicism, uniting architectural form, sculptural modelling and painterly decoration. The cobalt ground with lavish gilding consciously recalls eighteenth-century Meissen traditions, while the nineteenth-century interpretation introduces greater monumentality and visual richness. The floral decoration reflects the era's sustained fascination with botanical accuracy combined with decorative exuberance. Roses and chrysanthemums, long-established motifs in Meissen painting, are here treated in a freer, more painterly manner that closely parallels contemporary academic painting. Models by Leuteritz are well documented in specialist literature on Meissen porcelain and are represented in major European museum collections, where they are regarded as exemplary expressions of Meissen's mature nineteenth-century production.