FINE CERAMICS AND WORKS OF ART
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An Important Pair of Early
Meissen models of South American Parrots, modelled by Johann Joachim
Käendler each perched upon a white tree stump and looking to one side,
beautifully naturalistically coloured, the first representing a Green
Amazon Parrot painted in green with puce detailing to its plumage, and
with red wing tips and tail, its tree stump issuing a turquoise leafy
branch, the second representing the Amazon Grey, typically coloured in
tones of grey and black, its plumage highly defined, its tail and
underside of its wings in red, the tree stump with a fruiting branch and
toadstools.
Circa: 1738 – 1742
1st height: 7 ¾ in (19 ½ cms)
2nd height: 7 ½ ins (19 cms)
Marks: Blue crossed swords marks in underglaze blue to the underside of
the base, the Amazon grey with pressnummer 45.
Helmut Borsch-Supan writes in ‘Die Chinamode in der Malerie des 17 und 18
Jahrhunderts’, “In animal sculpture of the 17th and 18th Centuries a
generally exotic character was popular which in painting recalls paradise.
The tiger, elephant, monkey and parrot often turn up in chinoiserie” (i).
The courtiers were also fascinated in the subtle natures of the parrot,
for example, its close affinity and loyal nature that could develop
between it and its master, particularly in its ability to mimic the human
tongue. This tropical descent led to them being regarded as messengers
from paradise and no wonder that therefore Käendler immortalised them in
porcelain.
For similar examples see Rainer Rückert “Meissener Porzellan 1710 – 1810”
p. 266, nos. 1083 and 1084, also Yvonne Hackenbroch “Meissen and other
continental Porcelain in the Irwin Untermyer Collection”, fig. 10, pl.5,
now in the Metropolitan Museum, New York, a pair illustrated Berlin,
Staatliche Museen: “Verzeichnis der Neuermerbungen” seit 1933 p. 161, nos.
117 & 119, also examples illustrated in Carl Albiker “Die Meissner
Porzellantiere im 18 Jahrunderts”, pl. 26, no. 96. A collection of Meissen
parrots formed by the Baron Erich von Goldschmidt – Rothschild sold at
Christies Geneva 9 May 1988.