Studio: international art (40.1907)

Some New Meissen Porcelain

whether such an artist as Hoesel—one of the two
referred to—would have been able to do much for
Meissen. He was in many ways an admirable
sculptor, but it does not appear that his talents
directed him to porcelain at all as a medium for
the expression of his ideas.

Again, some well-known artists living outside
of Saxony have been asked to furnish models for
Meissen. There is a difficulty connected with this
scheme, too. For all masters of applied art are
with us at present engaged to such a degree that
they have no time to undertake a casual order of
this kind. However, some have responded to the
invitation. Van de Velde sent in a design for a
coffee set. When executed it proved to be not at
all charming, but rather clumsy. His dinner-set
shows better shapes. But like everything that this

artist has done, it is all Van de Velde, and not a
bit porcelain. The ornamentation consists of a
linear design in gold on the plain white ground.
The design is in no way adapted to the material;
it would do as well for a book cover, or a title-
page, or a piece of furniture. As far as the set
appeals to us, it does so because we have come to
accept white and gold as an agreeable colour
combination.

Richard Riemerschmied has also furnished a
dinner set with a simple non-realistic linear decora-
tion in cobalt-blue. The ornamentation is not bad,
but there is nothing overwhelming about it, and it
is not even as original and quaint as the far-famed
“Zwiebelmuster” of Meissen. Besides, there is an
unlucky slight break in the design which runs
along the rims of the dishes and plates, making
them look as if they were
chipped to begin with.
Possibly this is meant to
counteract their appearance
later on, when they actually
will have been chipped.
But this kind of precaution
seems to me to be driving
conceits rather too hard.

A third dinner-set, the
decoration of which con-
sisted of maple leaves, etc.,
was designed by Richter, a
Meissen artist. It did not
prove interesting enough to
become popular.

The first occasion upon
which the Meissen Royal
Factory show some
serious new attempts, hap-
pened a little under two
years ago. Perhaps the
best thing exhibited then
was a Polar bear by the
Viennese sculptor, Otto
Jarl, about a yard high.
The animal was splendid
in drawing and pose, and
there was some very good,
strong colour, taking into
consideration that it was
under-glaze colour. A wild
boar, modelled by Hartung,
and a dancing girl by
Conrad Hentschel,were also
very good. Erich Klein-
hempel had contributed

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“blind-man’s buff” (porcelain) by c. t. eichler