Meissen
Porcelain, titled
"Carpenter" by Johann Joachim Kandler.
Circa 1840.
This
beautiful Meissen porcelain is from Saxe (Germany). It is titled "Carpenter"
by Johann Joachim Kandler. Circa 1840. He is sure to be a Fellowcraft Mason by the way he is wearing his apron and the working tools he
is in possession of. It is marked bibliography: Dr. Berling, Meissen
Porcelain.
Johann
Joachim Kandler (1706-75)
A master modeler, was the most
notable of the artisans engaged in this work at Meissen and rivaled the famous
Franz Anton Bustelli (1723-63) of Nymphenburg. The methods used to
produce porcelain figures as developed by Kandler imparted a new dimension to
the art. German porcelain figures were usually produced from molds, which, in
turn, were cast from an original master model made of wax, clay, or,
occasionally, wood. The use of molds facilitated unlimited reproduction.
Because the figures shrank during firing, allowances had to be made in their
sizes; they were also provided with a small venthole in the back or base to
permit excess heated air to escape. Because different factories placed these
holes differently, their positions help determine the provenance and
authenticity of given pieces. When considerable undercutting was necessary,
porcelain figures were usually made in sections, using separate molds.
Portions of elaborate groups and single figures were later joined by a
specially trained assembler (known as a "repairer") who usually worked from a
master model.
Here is another Masonic Meissen
porcelain by Kandler. This figure pictures a Master Mason with his
faithful friend... the Pug!
