Lute Player from the Saxon Silver-Miners Band (Bergsänger mit Laute): C.37-1954

Titles

Lute Player from the Saxon Silver-Miners Band (Bergsänger mit Laute)

Maker(s)

Factory: Meissen Porcelain Factory
Modeller: Kändler, Johann Joachim

Entities

• Figure group

Categories

• Hard-paste porcelain

Description

Hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels

Hard-paste porcelain, press-moulded, and painted overglaze in green, yellow, flesh pink, dark pink, brown, grey, and black enamels, and gilt. The flat underside is unglazed and has a round ventilation hole under the support. The square, low mound base rises up at the back into a heap of rocks, and the front has three groups of applied leaves, the one on the viewer’s right surrounding a red, white and yellow flower. The luteplayer stands on his left foot with his right relaxed behind it. His mouth is open as he sings, and he leans back and turns slightly to his right, holding his lute in both hands. He has grey curling hair, over which is a pillbox hat with a green crown and pink sides decorated on the front with gold crossed picks, and on its left side with a yellow rosette. He wears a white coat with a pleated frill, and gold buttons down the front and on the sleeves, a white waistcoat, white breeches and stockings, black knee caps and black shoes with gold buckles. Behind him he has a long rounded black apron with a brown leather lining, secured at the front with a black pouch. The lute is brown with a black peg, and gold strings.

Notes

History note: Purchaed by the 2nd Lord Fisher of Kilverstone from Willy Lissauer, Berlin, on 5 May 193for £30

Legal notes

Given by Lord and Lady Fisher through the National Art Collections Fund

Place(s) associated

• Meissen ⪼ Saxony ⪼ Germany

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1954-01-14) by Fisher, Lord and Lady

Dating

18th Century, Mid
Circa 1748 - 1750

Note

Mining was one of the most important industries in Saxony and a major source of revenue. The ceremonial costumes of the various ranks of Saxon miners were recorded in a set of drawings by H.C. Fehling which were engraved by Christoph Weigel and published at Nuremburg in 1721 with the title Abbildung und Beschreibung derer sämtlichen BergwerksBeamten und Bedienten nach ihrem gewöhnlichen Rang und Ordnung in behörigen Berg-Habit (Illustration and escription of the costumes of all the mine officers and employees according to their customary rank and class).They commemorated the participation of the miners in the festivities which took place in Dresden in 1719 to celebrate the marriage of Prince Freerick Augustus to the Princess Maria Josepha von Habsburg. This particular figure is wearing a white costume worn for work and on Sundays. Green hats were favoured in the early 18th century, and black ones later. Miners who could not afford new ones were permitted to repair their hats by putting a linen band round the outside, usually pink, and known as 'boy' (see Documentation, Lehmann 2000 and 2003). About 1748-50 Kaendler and Reinicke modelled a set of eight figures of which seven were inspired by Weigel’s prints. The exact date is not known because the factory records of the modellers’ work are missing between 1748 and 1764. In this set the figures are standing, on a square mound base strewn with flowers, and not shown working as some later figures were,

School or Style

Baroque