Vase Amphora “Allegory of Gemany” ca. 1899
Portrait vase “Allegory of Germany”, design Nikolaus Kannhäuser, manufactured by Amphora-Werke Riessner Stellmacher & Kessel in Turn-Templitz, ca. 1899, ivory porcelain, marked
Description
Allegories of great European nations form their own group among the portrait-vases from the house of Amphora. They represent the powerful monarchies of the time, Russia, Austria-Hungary, France and Germany. All designs are by Nikolaus Kannhäuser.
On this particular vessel, we see the personification of the German Empire. Germania is depicted in profile, with an eagle adorning her helmet, the heraldic animal of Germany clearly recognizable. Her ceremonial armor is richly decorated and extends up to the lady’s gilded neck rings.
Her finely drawn face, the landscape in the backdrop and all the lavish ornamentation, offered the porcelain painters, enamellers and gilders from the house of Amphora an ample opportunity to display all their virtuosity and technical finesse.
Thus, this Allegory of Germany is fully in tune with the contemporary taste of the time and
impresses with its high-quality ceramic craftsmanship.
Execution
The "Amphora-Werke k.k. priv. Keramische Werke Rießner, Stellmacher & Kessel" was founded in 1892 by Hans and Carl Rießner, Eduard Stellmacher and Rudolf Kessel in Turn-Teplitz. The Austro-Hungarian company produced high quality ceramic objects and is one of the most famous manufactories of the Art Nouveau period. Soon after its founding, the company employed 300 people and exported its sought-after products all over the world. Besides rather commercial products, more elaborate objects were created for world exhibitions and other international art fairs. These partly monumental exhibits include vases with grotesque animal creatures such as dragons and sea monsters, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, as well as vessels with maiden and delicate female figures in allegorical designs. The high-quality standards of the founding members brought along the so-called "ivory porcelain", a glazed thin-walled type of ceramics, which was often enhanced with gold, cold enamel painting and gemstones. Even then, the company won high awards with this technique and the elaborate surface design, including four "Grand Prix" at various world exhibitions. Today, exceptional specimens are represented in famous art nouveau museums such as the Badisches Landesmuseum, Karlsruhe and the Bröhan Museum, Berlin.
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