A Bulgarian Lady: C.45-1954

Titles

A Bulgarian Lady

Maker(s)

Factory: Meissen Porcelain Factory
Modeller: Kändler, Johann Joachim

Entities

• Figure

Categories

• Hard-paste porcelain

Description

Hard-paste porcelain painted in polychrome enamels

Hard-paste porcelain, press-moulded, and painted overglaze in blue, yellowish green, yellow, flesh pink, dark pink, mauve, purple, grey, and a little black enamels. The flat underside is unglazed (no ventilation hole). The circular low rocky base rises up a little at the back to support the figure. The top is decorated with applied leaves and flowers: at the back, a blue and yellow, and a yellow and purple each with two leaves; at the front, two purple and white flowers with yellow centre, each with two leaves. The lady stands on her right foot with her left slightly behind it. She looks towards her left, and has her left arm akimbo, and her right slightly bent and extended to the side. Her grey hair is covered by a pale blue conical cap with a white serrated border, white stripes radiating from the top, and a purple bow on each side. She wears a pale purple vest with a purple trimming and bow at the neck, a white skirt with a blue belt, and a flowing three-quarter length mauve coat with a pink lining, and two yellow bows on each side, white stockings and yellow shoes.

Notes

History note: Purchased by the 2nd Lord Fisher of Kilverstone from A. Wittekind, Paris, on June 27 1934 for £32

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
Production date: circa AD 1750

Note

The Bulgarian Maiden, model number 1301, was derived from pl. 83 engraved by Jean-Baptiste Haussard (c. 1680-1749) in in the comte de Ferriol and Le Hay’s 'Receuil de cent estampes représentants différentes nations du Levant . . .', Paris, 1714. This was reprinted in 1715, and a smaller German edition in two volumes with the plates reversed, 'Wahrest und neuest Abbildung des Türchisches Hofes' was published by Christoph Weigel at Nüremberg in 1719 and 1721.