Casgliadau Arlein

Teapot, hard-paste porcelain, in the form of a squatting bearded man, on an upturned scallop shell, wearing a mantel which flows from his helmet, the crown of which, a lotus leaf surmounted by a frog, forms the cover, the brim making the upper rim of the pot, the handle created by a caryatid herm supporting on his shoulders a female satyr who stretches her arms to hold the man's head, he holds in both hands a dolphin forming the spout, large bare feet appearing from beneath his cloak, the hem of which is embroidered as is his waistcoat below the dolphin's tail, bearded features are strongly modelled.

This Meissen teapot was press-moulded into a shape created by an assemblage of creatures and characters. The largest which forms the body of the vessel is a squatting bearded man. His large bare feet are visible standing on the scallop shell that forms the base. A frog is perched on a lotus flower on top of his helmet which forms the lid. He holds a dolphin with both hands which forms the spout. The handle is created by a caryatid herm supporting female satyr on his shoulders. She stretches forward to hold the man's head.

The design was adapted from Jacques Stella’s Livre des Vases. This was engraved by Françoise Bouzonnet in 1667. The teapot we see here is mix of decorative elements from multiple engraved plates.