Rare Meissen plate with "Red Lion" decoration from the royal collection of Augustus the Strong Round shape with smooth rim. Elongated bamboo branch above the centre and rim, opposite a red lion or tiger. Painted in iron red, sea green and gold with black outlines. Incised Johanneum (or palace) no. "N=72= w" (inv. no. of the Japanese Palace). Mould mark. Minimally rest.; sword mark in onglaze blue. D. 23 cm. Unknowingly labelled as a lion in the inventory of the Japanese Palace, the cat of prey in the mirror of the plate depicts a tiger. The Meissen model was modelled on a Japanese plate with the same shape and decoration that belonged to Augustus II. Furthermore, 85 plates "with red lions" were found in the possession of Count von Hoym (the so-called "Hoym-Lemaire affair"). Further plates in the former Hoffmeister Collection and in the Staatliche Kunstslg. Dresden, porcelain collection, inv. no. PE 5176. Cf. Weber/Eikelmann, Meissener Porzellan mit Dekoren nach ostasiatischen Vorbildern, vol. I, pp. 95 ff. and fig. 43; cf. ibid. vol. II, pp. 290 ff. and nos. 272-273; cf. cat. Hoffmeister Collection, vol. I, no. 104. Provenance: formerly from the royal collection of Augustus the Strong in the Japanese Palace. A rare porcelain plate with Kakiemon decor "red lion" from the Royal collection of August the Strong. Incised Inv. no. "N=72= w". Former's mark. Minor restored. Overglaze-blue crossed swords mark. Meissen. Circa 1729 - 1731.