Colorful parrot studies from the KPM archive, designed by master painters of earlier generations, adorn plates and mugs from the KURLAND collection as part of this year’s “ Heritage Edition ” (Parrots).
With great virtuosity and loose brushstrokes, the master painters of the Royal Porcelain Manufactory Berlin breathe a fascinating vitality into four colorfully plumed companions. A bright red macaw, a green-cheeked parrot, a yellow-crested cockatoo, and a rainbow lory take flight across classics from the KURLAND collection, undoubtedly captivating viewers with the magnificence of nature. The inspiration came from gouaches that porcelain painters created based on the illustrations in an ornithological work and which have been preserved in the KPM archive to this day. Entirely in the tradition of 18th-century porcelain painting, the repertoire of motifs at the Royal Porcelain Manufactory in Berlin included not only floral compositions, landscapes, and figurative scenes but also impressive depictions of animals. The KURLAND “ Heritage Edition ” Parrots collection presents a unique selection of distinctive bird depictions—some perched individually on a branch, others as details from the original drawing—highlighting the multifaceted precision of KPM’s masterful painting.
The four colorfully plumed companions come together again in a five-piece wall plate set. Limited to a total of 100 “ Sets,” which are reserved exclusively for members of the WEISS Customer Club, the scarlet macaw, green-chinned parrot, yellow-crested cockatoo, and rainbow lory—whether depicted individually perched on a branch or as a detail from the original drawing—highlight the rich, intricate detail of KPM’s masterful painting.
