Designer Gerhard Henning took inspiration for this porcelain vase from H.C. Andersen’s fairy tale “The Princess and the Pea.” Designed in 1911, the piece earned the gold medal for ceramics at the 1912 Paris Salon, the most competitive art show of its time. It is considered one of the finest examples of Danish ceramics.

The entire piece features over 50 different colors. Producing one copy can take up to eight months because it has to be fired after specific colors are applied. The top half of this piece was completed in May 1918, while the bottom half is dated August 1918.

“The Princess and the Pea” is still produced today by Royal Copenhagen’s Flora Danica department. The tradition and craft of painting Flora Danica is developed, refined and passed down through generations. The art of painting Flora Danica is a rare talent; there are fewer than 20 Flora Danica artists in the entire world.

The Princess and the Pea
Denmark 
1911(designed); 1918 (produced)
Porcelain with overglaze painting
Gift of The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History 
2024.019.008a/b