Page 137 - Asian Art December 2017 Lempertz (German Text)

JAPAN

Abb. 1 Postkarte. Schloss in Karlsruhe. Um 1900

Kakiemon dishes such as these, large and small, as well as palace in Karlsruhe (fig. 1). In 1883 the art historian Karl
jugs and cups, would have been displayed symmetrically on Koelitz (1852-1932) compiled the “Beschreibende Inventar
small consoles in a wooden trellis, which dressed the wall, (Katalog) der Allerhöchsten Privatsammlung kunstgewerb-
often flanking a mirror or fireplace. The great royal residencies licher Gegenstände (Zähringer-Museum), Aufgestellt in den
in Munich, Dresden and Berlin all possessed such porcelain Räumen des ehemaligen Großherzoglichen Naturalienka-
rooms, which were copied by the small courts. binets“ (Descriptive inventory (catalogue) of the most high-
est private collection of arts and crafts objects (Zähringer
There are many decorative varieties of this well-known Museum), exhibited in the rooms of the former Grand Ducal
Kak-iemon type of the octagonal dish. The wall to the outside Naturalia Cabinet). Here on page 121 under the heading “Fran-
can be ornamented with hôô, bamboo and prunus (Rijksmuse- zösisches Fritten- oder Weich-Porzellan” (French fries or soft
um, Amsterdam, cf. Menno Fitski, Kakiemon Porcelain. porcelain), is listed: 1756.57. 2 octagonal bowls decorated with
A Handbook, Rijksmuseum 2011, p. 76, fig. 76), with horses flower bushes (peach) and bird of paradise” (fig. 2).
in a meadow, (Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, cf. Porcelain for
Palaces, Oriental Ceramic Society, London 1990, p. 170, cat. After the collapse of the German Empire, the abdication of
no. 150) or with bamboo, rocks and birds (Landesmuseum Grand Duke Friedrich I von Baden (1826-1907) on November
Kassel, cf. Porzellan aus China und Japan, Berlin 1990, p. 451, 22, 1918 (henceforth he called himself Margrave von Baden)
cat. no. 223). The design spreads across three to four panels and as a result of the separation of the estate between the
depending on the shape and a medallion of two hôô birds is Grand Ducal house and the state of Baden in 1919, the works
typically found inside. of art were transferred to the Neues Schloss in Baden-Baden,
which was now privately owned by the Margrave. These works
The motif of the hôô bird, generally referred to as a phoenix, were compiled by the gallery inspector Richter in the “Inventar
is often seen on Kakiemon porcelain. It is a composite creature des Zähringer Museums, aufgestellt in den Räumen des Kava-
bearing elements of a rooster, pheasant and bird of paradise. lierbaus des Großherzoglichen Schlosses in Baden-Baden“ (In-
In China it symbolizes the Empress, whilst in Japan it is ventory of the Zähringen Museum, exhibited in the rooms of
rather associated with marital harmony. In general the hôô is the cavalier house of the Grand Ducal castle in Baden-Baden).
considered as auspicious. In Europe, however, it represents the
embodiment of the exotic. In particular, the combination of The new Zähringer Museum remained in this castle until
phoenix and prunus or peony became a leitmotif of the Meis- 1981. The art collection and inventory were auctioned by
sen decoration “à la Chinoise”. Sotheby‘s under the banner “Margrave‘s Auction” in 1995 in
order to cover the Baden house‘s debts of 140 million Deutsch-
The pair of dishes offered here for auction was once in the marks and to pull them out of financial difficulties. The castle
private art collection of the Grand Duke Friedrich I von Baden was sold in 2003. Having changed hands a number of times, it
(1826-1907), which he acquired for his Kunstkammer found- is currently being converted into a luxury hotel by the Hyatt
ed in 1880. The dishes had been on display since 1879 in the group.
rooms of the Grand Ducal Naturalia Cabinet in the residency

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