"The gilded porcelain vase, a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Prince Eulenburg, is an important piece of queer history. The relationship between the Kaiser and the prince was at the center of a scandal, the so-called Eulenburg Affair, that shook all of Europe to the core and transformed public opinion on the monarchy."
"Members of that circle would refer to Eulenburg as 'Phili' or 'Philine' and Kaiser Wilhelm as 'Liebchen' ('sweetheart'). It also became clear that they cultivated a cult of neo-romantic male friendship, and their correspondence was filled with seemingly homoerotic attestations of friendship."
A porcelain vase, adorned with a gilded iguana and fruits, is for sale at Lempertz auction house in Berlin, estimated at $350,000-$525,000. This vase is believed to be a gift from Kaiser Wilhelm II to Prince Philipp of Eulenburg-Hertefeld, whose relationship was central to the Eulenburg Affair, a scandal that impacted European public opinion on the monarchy. Eulenburg was a key advisor to Wilhelm II, and their circle fostered a culture of male friendship with homoerotic undertones, which drew criticism from Wilhelm's opponents.
Read at www.dw.com
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