Biedermeier Butterfly Cup and Saucer

The Vienna Porcelain Factory (second oldest after Meissen accomplished the finest quality in painting on porcelain, because it was there that Josef Leithner made his numerous pigment discoveries, laying the groundwork for elaborate and sophisticated painting techniques on porcelain. Following the lead of Vienna, all the great factories soon divided their decoration department into history and landscape painting, pattern work and flower painting. This cup and saucer is a fine example by the painter Josef Geyer, decorated in 1820.