Wine Pot

This vessel is really a "trick" pot. When wine is poured in at the base into a long funnel, the liquid does not spill out when the pot is righted, although there is no cover on the bottom. The wine pot copies a Chinese model in the form of a peach, a symbol of longevity in the Far East. The Meissen porcelain manufactory, where this wine pot was produced, was the first European factory to discover the recipe for making true hard-paste porcelain. The form of early vessels copied actual Chinese wares, while the painted decoration was based on fanciful chinoiserie motifs. This pot depicts various imaginary scenes such as a tea ceremony and a goat herder.