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Description

In 1810, Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria ordered a dessert service from the Nymphenburg Porcelain Factory with copies based on the 'most exquisite paintings' in the Royal Gallery - a great challenge for the commissioned painters. When the paint slipped only just so slightly during the firing of the plate, porcelain painter Auer had to repeat the copy. The successful version is preserved in the collection of the Munich Residenz. The misfired piece with its special history finally entered our collection. The original painting was long considered to be Raphael's self-portrait; therefore the Crown Prince had been highly interested in acquiring it. Today, the portrait of the Florentine banker Altoviti is in the National Gallery in Washington D.C.