Bonhams
Lot 20
Deux figures en porcelaine formant pendants représentant un dandy et une femme, Meissen, circa 1919-1923 A pair of Meissen figure of a dandy (Geck) and a lady (Biedermeierdame), circa 1919-1923Modelled by Paul Scheurich, the dandy wearing a suit in the style of the 1830s of a pale purple jacket, black bow tie and white trousers, holding a book in his right hand, his left arm on his hip, leaning on a pedestal moulded with a medallion of a putto and trailing ivy, applied with a flower and leaves, on an oval base, the reverse incised 'Scheurich'; the lady wearing a dress in the style of the 1830s edged in blue, leaning on a pedestal with her hands crossed, a rose and an evening bag in her hands, on an oval base applied with a flower and leaves at the base of the pedestal, 24.5cm (Geck) and 24.1cm (lady) high, crossed swords marks to both in underglaze-blue, incised model number F. 235, impressed 'Bossierer' numeral 49 and painter's numeral 65 in grey (Geck); incised model number F 241, impressed 'Bossierer' numeral 86 and painter's numeral 74 in iron-red (lady) (minuscule chips to applied flower on lady) (2)Footnotes:Literature:Rafael 1995a, nos. 7 and 8Exhibited:Meissen, Schauhalle der Staatlichen Porzellan-Manufaktur Meissen, Paul Scheurich 1883-1945 Porzellane für die Meissener Manufaktur, 21 September 1995-10 January 1996;Paris, Musée National de Céramique à Sèvres, Chefs d'oeuvres céramiques de collections privée allemandes, 30 June-20 July 1996, nos. S2 and S3Scheurich's background as a graphic artist is evident in his close attention to detail on both the dandy and the lady: they are drawings translated into porcelain (Rafael 1995a, p. 34). The dandy derives from illustrations by Scheurich of 1912 for an edition of Jean Paul's 'Doktor Katzenbergers Badreise' in which all the men are depicted in Biedermeier costume. In particular, the character of the conceited playwright Theudobach appears to have been the model for the dandy (Rafael 1995a, ill. 7/8.2). Scheurich depicted both characters in later illustrations, as well as the lady in the group 'Geschwister' (see lot 84), albeit in a different costume.Scheurich offered the model of the dandy to the Meissen manufactory in November 1916, though it took another three years until it was produced in porcelain. The manufactory requested a pair to the figure, which Scheurich had not planned, and so he reworked the plaster model of the dandy and created the figure of the lady to go with it, which the manufactory purchased in October 1917 (both figures cost RM 3,000). Delays caused by the war and Scheurich's illness in late 1917/early 1918 meant that the Scheurich's designs for the colouring were only delivered in August 1918, and the first painted examples were produced in May 1919.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
