Two Meissen porcelain busts of children
Wiped bases, the girl with faint blue crossed swords mark. Restorations and minor chips to the floral appliques. H c. 24 cm.
C. 1750 - 60, models attributed to Johann Joachim Kaendler.
Otto Walcha published these two busts as portraits of Louis Charles de Bourbon (1751 - 61) and Marie-Zéphirine de Bourbon (1750 - 55). It was not possible for Kaendler to portray the French royal children during his stay in Paris in August 1750 because Marie Zéphirine was not born until 26th August. They could therefore have been idealised portraits created at a later date.
The popular busts were reissued in the 19th century, but these are two rare early versions.
Provenance
Röbbig, Munich.
South German private ownership.
Lempertz Cologne auction 946, 20th November 2009, lot 60.
Private collection Westphalia.
Literature
Cf. Walcha, Kaendlersche Kinderbüsten - eine Entdeckung, in: Manufaktur Echo 9/1966, p. 35 ff.
Cf. den Blaauwen, Meissen Porcelain in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 2000, cat. no. 330.
Cf. Eikelmann (ed.), Franz Anton Bustelli. Nymphenburger Porzellanfiguren des Rokoko. Das Gesamtwerk, Munich 2004, illus. 24, for the bust of the princess in the Pauls-Eisenbeiss-Stiftung in the Historisches Museum, Haus zum Kirschgarten, Basel.