Nymphenburg Sketch (Animal Bowl)

Hella Jongerius’s series Nymphenburg Sketches is a celebration of the animal collection found in the archives of the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Germany. The large decorative patterns on each bowl were originally used on the factory’s cups and saucers. Representing stylistic periods from Rococo to Art Nouveau, the Nymphenburg figures were originally created to satisfy demand for realistic depictions in porcelain. With her Nymphenburg pieces Jongerius has given a selection of these animal figures a new context. A lighthearted playfulness marks each object, and despite the unconventional appearance of a fawn or hippopotamus in a serving bowl, each piece is functional.