Meissen Porcelain Jug, 18th Century.

This lovely German porcelain jug is painted, on both sides, on the belly and on the lid, inside cartouches, with genre scenes in purple shades. On the belly, on one side, it seems to be a departure for the hunt, a rider accompanied by a valet and two dogs are represented on a background of landscape with trees and buildings of a kind temple, on the other, perhaps it is the return from the hunt, we can see a horsewoman, mounted side-saddle and holding a parasol which seems to welcome the hunter and his valet on their return, a dog is drinking to a fountain and on the right is a large Medici vase, supported by a wall sculpted with a low relief. The lid is painted with more modest scenes, on one side a man is playing with his dog sitting on the ground and on the other a woman is sitting with her child on her lap while her husband seems to be waiting for them. The medallions are surrounded by a frieze of ovals between two gilded nets and bordered all around with bouquets of polychrome flowers, the body is strewn here and there with small bouquets and the neck and the handle are enhanced with gold. The fretel is in the shape of a blossoming button, the birth of the beak is molded with small golden petals and the attachment of the handle is decorated with flowers and leaves in relief. A tiny little chip is to be reported on the fretel. The mark with two crossed swords accompanied by a star is that of Meïssen during the Marcolini period. Period last quarter of the 18th century. Height 25cm.