Rabbits and cabbage leaves

Vilhelm Theodor Fischer (1857-1928) for Royal Copenhagen, vase with depiction of rabbits under cabbage leaves, 1897, unique, cast porcelain with slip relief and underglaze painting, height 42 cm. Photo: Alice de Groot

Seven albino rabbits adorn this vase by Vilhelm Theodor Fischer (1857-1928). One alert and on guard, another unsuspectingly focused on the grass. Fischer and other porcelain painters who worked for Royal Copenhagen liked to draw from nature, and it is not unlikely that a single rabbit in Fischer’s studio served as a model for the various poses.

Fischer has rendered the rabbits without depth, with the white fur creating a strong silhouette against the unmodulated dark background. In this respect, he was undoubtedly influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, of which he owned several examples.

The rabbits are depicted beneath a band of broad cabbage leaves with a subtle slip relief, which was very unusual for this kind of large unique piece by Royal Copenhagen. Its competitor Bing & Grøndahl used relief decoration precisely to distinguish its products, but Royal Copenhagen focused on a smooth surface and the perfection of the underglaze painting.