Blanc-de-Chine Turk head

November 2002

When the porcelain portrait pipe became popular in the second half of the eighteenth century, images of Turks' heads quickly gained popularity. It is not without a reason that this was in keeping with the so-called Turkomania, a fashion that was part of many art forms. In addition, there was the advantage for the designer of the pipe bowls of modeling a turban, which was much simpler than complicated hats. This Turks head follows the usual concept and shows a mustache man's head with a simple turban. A few mantle folds are applied to the stem, with a c-volute on either side, an ornament that points to an early date. The pipe bowl was created in the leading porcelain factory, the Königlichen Sächsischen Porzellan-Manufaktur in Meissen. We know that thanks to the blue painted underglaze mark of two crossed sabers on the inside of the bowl. Remarkable here is that the pipe bowl is not painted in many colours, but is finished in so-called Blanc-de-Chine. Sober design, but not the most economical. At the time, the pipes from Meissen were among the most expensive specimens available, regardless of whether this was with or without painting.

Amsterdam Pipe Museum APM 16.569

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