Beschreibung:

A Jacob Petit porcelain model of Catherine II's favourite dog Fontainebleau Porcelain Manufactory, c.1840 The hound resting on a cushion finely decorated with colourful flower sprays, the front with two elaborate gilt-rimmed pounce pots, 35cm x 22cm x 16cm, Painted mark. Fußnoten Provence: Sold in these rooms in The Russian Sale, 27 November 2006 lot 265. This model was originally commissioned from the Meissen Manufactory by Catherine II to commemorate her deceased favourite dog 'Lisetta,' which appears to have been a kind of greyhound. Johann Joachim Kaendler subsequently produced a model in June 1766 after a drawing. In his report he wrote: 'Modelled a large dog based on a drawing posted from Moscow, diligently following all details. Such a dog lies on a 21 inch long, stuffed pillow that looks like velvet. It is over and over embroidered in gold and embellished with golden trimmings and carefully decorated with tassels on all four corners. The dog is one similar to greyhounds if the latter had big and bushy tails. While the dog is lying down, the animal and the collar it wears were copied as closely as possible from the drawing.' Meissen and other factories continued to produce the model until the late 19th century. Lisetta is also commemorated on a snuffbox by Johan Scharff in the Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg. Literature: Residential Palace, Dresden, Meissen for the Czars, Munich, 2004, Cat. No.146, p.94