As part of the renovation of The Betsy and William D. Lovett Gallery, which contains the museum’s early 18thCentury Collection of Meissen Porcelain, The Cummer wanted to include objects that would help visitor’s understand the relationship between Asian Ceramics and Meissen Porcelain. The earliest forms of porcelain produced by alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger (1682-1719) at the Meissen Manufactory were copies of Asian porcelain in the collection of Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony and King of Poland (reg. 1694-1733).
The Cummer looked no further than the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida, which houses the Koger Collection of Chinese Ceramics since 2002. Last year, the museum formally requested the loan of 11 objects in the Koger Collection, to help visually relate the influence of Asian ceramics on their German counterparts.
Once approved by the Ringling, the loan objects were condition reported, packed and crated and shipped to Jacksonville. After allowing for 24-hour acclimatization, the crate was unpacked and the objects condition reported. Soon, these objects would be measured and prepped for installation in our new display cases alongside pieces from the Cummer’s collection.
Can you guess which are Asian originals? If you need a closer look in order to tell, come check out our new installation of the Lovett Gallery with new a Meissen Porcelain display. This gallery will open to the public on May 13, 2011.