In 1744, the Manufactory was taken under Imperial ownership by Empress Maria Theresia. Since then, every piece produced by Augarten has borne the blue-striped shield from the coat of arms of the Dukes of Austria underneath the glaze to confirm its authenticity. Maria Theresia ruled during the lively Rococo period, the spirit of which was reflected in the products of the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory. Fanciful genre scenes borrowed from the works of famous painters like Antoine Watteau are an unmistakable hallmark of that era.