Harlequin and Columbine
Inspired by a variety of contemporary cultural influences, including the theater and everyday life, the figures in this case represent the inventive capabilities of 18th-century porcelain production. The repertoire of porcelain forms expanded to include figures such as the Meissen Tailor, one of a series of craftsmen and artisans. The tailor is realistically rendered, equipped with a roll of cloth, pair of shears and yardstick. Kändler's Harlequin and Columbine, as well as the Italian Pulcinella (in the adjacent case), represent characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte, a type of improvised comic drama popular in Europe. Kändler's probable attendance at performances appears in his charact...
1740-1743
Hard-paste porcelain with enamel and gilding
6.0 x 6.5 x 5.0 in
34-128
Image and text: The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2023
Where you'll find this
Permanent collection