In around 1660, Johann Schaper (1631-1679) was the first artist to transfer the art of schwarzlot decoration from flat glass (Tafelglas) to form glass (Hohlglas). He was predominantly a glass decorator but this may have had more to do with access to materials than preference. There was no faience production in Nuremberg at this time, whereas there was an established glass industry. Schaper procured most of his white faience from the Delft potters of the Netherlands. He and other early Nuremberg hausmaler also used faience from Hanau and Frankfurt.

This jug, along with one other, is the earliest dated work on faience by Schaper; there is one earlier signed work on glass, a beaker dated 1660 [see Manners 2024]. The main scene of this jug is a sepia landscape with figures taken from an engraving by Gabriel Perelle, framed within a simple cartouche tied into a bow at the top with delicate fluttering ribbons. This shell basin and fountain is an image that is often repeated in Schaper’s work.

Helmut Bosch notes [see Bosch 1984], that over the course of the ten years that Schaper produced his works on faience or form glass there is hardly any recognisable change in his style. Although he did choose other motifs for his decoration, imaginary arcadian landscapes such as this were predominant by far. Occasionally he would use famous buildings as a focal point for his landscapes, but he was not interested in placing them in their actual context. As we find here, he would often include characters from everyday life. While he always based his landscapes and scenes on graphic sources, he produced his own interpretation of these scenes. This is notably different from many of the other hausmaler who would copy engravings exactly.

Condition:

The jug in good condition, the silver lid has been re-gilded. 

Provenance:
von Dallwitz Collection
Hans Cohn Collection
Helmut Bosch Collection

Literature:

Bosch 1983
Helmut Bosch, Deutsche Fayencekrüge des 17. and 18. Jahrhunderts, (Mainz 1983), p. 29

Bosch 1984
Helmut Bosch, Die Nürnberger Hausmaler. Emailfarbendekor on Gläsern and Fayencen the Barockzeit, (Munich 1984), p. 37, no. 11

References:

Manners 2024
E & H Manners, ‘Decorators on Ceramics and Glass’, (2024), pp. 13-15 & p.20

Price: £48,000