Meissen plate from the Podewils Service. The centre painted with Kakiemon style flower-sprays, flowerheads and insects. The border with five scattered flower-sprays. The rim of the plate is adorned with six equally spaced moulded gilt scallop shells. The coat of arms incorporates the Royal Order of the Black Eagle of Prussia. Graf Heinrich von Podewils (1695-1760) was the Prussian Ambassador to the court of Copenhagen and Stockholm from 1728-1729, and a cabinet minister for foreign affairs in Friedrich Wilhelm 1's court. During the reign of Frederick the Great he was for a while minister for foreign affairs.
The scallop shells have a religious significance. Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain, where the Apostle St. James is reputed to be buried, was the last stop on the pilgrimage road. According to legend as the boat carrying the body of 'Santiago', St. James, approached land a young man on horseback jumped off the cliff at Cape Finisterra and plunged into the sea. Both horse and rider rose to the surface, covered with scallop shells and swam along side the boat until they came to shore. Since then the scallop shell has been associated with St.James.
An example is illustrated in Meissener Porzellan by R.Rückert illustration 495.
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