Faustian service
In 1821, the Prussian King Friedrich Wilhelm III commissioned the Royal Porcelain Manufactory to create a set of 24 plates featuring scenes from "Faust." The gift was intended for his cousin, Princess Louise, for the premiere of a musical production written by her husband, Prince Antoni Radziwiłł, who was inspired by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's tragedy. The designs for the paintings were taken from Moritz Retzsch's illustrations, which were published in 1816 and spread throughout Europe. Thus, the tragedy of selling one's soul found its way to the dining table.