Lot 6001: (left to right) cased hand mirror, oval salt cellar, covered dish, milk jug, mustard pot, pin dish & egg cup
But the beauty of Flora Danica goes far beyond the surface. To hold one of these porcelain pieces is to hold a story - not only of art and nature, but of diplomacy, science, and royal ambition.
The origins of Flora Danica lie in the 18th century, a time when Europe's fascination with nature blossomed into scientific inquiry and national pride. Commissioned by King Frederik V of Denmark in 1752, the Flora Danica project was a monumental botanical encyclopaedia intended to catalogue every plant species in the Danish kingdom. Over the next century, more than 3,240 copperplate engravings of native flora were created under the hands of several leading botanists and illustrators, resulting in one of the most comprehensive botanical works of its time.
When Catherine the Great of Russia became the intended recipient of a spectacular diplomatic gift, King Christian VII of Denmark ordered a porcelain dinner service so lavish, so refined, that it would stun the courts of Europe. Painted by Johann Christoph Bayer, an artist who had contributed to the botanical engravings themselves, each porcelain item was adorned with a unique floral motif taken directly from the Flora Danica volumes.
Tragically (or perhaps luckily for Denmark), Catherine died before the gift could be delivered - and the service remained at home, becoming a jewel of the Danish Crown. Bayer’s masterpiece eventually numbered over 1,800 pieces, many of which are now displayed at royal residences such as Rosenborg Castle and Amalienborg Palace.