Figure Group of Bacchus and Ariadne, c. 1759, Orléans Porcelain Factory, Germany, mid-18th century. Soft-paste porcelain, 25.4 x 18.8 x 16.9 cm. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of A. & R. Ball 1946.221.

This object’s molding and all-white design is characteristic of blanc de chine, the French term referencing the highly prized porcelain produced in the southeastern Fujian province of Dehua, China, known for its pure color and high degree of translucence.

Porcelain figurines decorated the tabletops and living spaces of wealthy Europeans. Though seen in three-dimensions, their inspiration was often drawn from two-dimensional print sources. Swathed in flowers, this figure group depicts Cretan princess Ariadne pouring a drink for the Roman god of wine, Bacchus. Their pose and surrounding scenery was based on an etching by French engraver Jacques Philippe le Bas.