Rare Meissen tea service with decoration "Exotische. Water plants" for six persons. 15 pieces; teapot, cream jug, sugar bowl, 6 cups with saucers, 6 confectionery plates. "Large cut-out" mould. Flower-shaped curved rims. Large depictions of various exotic plants on the wall and in the centre, including the Miltonia orchid, water lily, marsh milkweed, sun and nymph star and arum in polychrome overglaze painting. Gold rim. Mould designed by Ludwig Zepner, c. 1972, designed by Horst Bretschneider (born 1952), decor no. 500310, year mark. Centreboard mark. Jug h. 20 cm. Cup h. 5 cm. Plate d. 18.5 cm. The exotic plant motifs stand out against the white ground of the porcelain in vibrant colours. Horst Bretschneider's designs, based on nature studies, are arranged into imaginative compositions, whereby the blossoms are delicately surrounded by the leaves, executed with broad brushstrokes and in partly restrained, pale green tones, and their plasticity is underlined by means of fine colour accents. Cf. cat. Staatl. Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen GmbH, painting templates "Exotic water plants", p. 5ff. A rare 15-piece porcelain tea set with polychrome painted decor "Exotic water plants" designed by H. Bretschneider. Form design by L. Zepner. Date marks. Crossed swords mark.