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303 - FOUR STATUETTES OF THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE IN WHITE STRASBOUR…
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Estimate €30,000 - €50,000
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Description
FOUR STATUETTES OF THE COMMEDIA DELL'ARTE IN WHITE STRASBOURG FAIENCE FROM THE 18th CENTURY Attributed to Paul Hannong, circa 1745-50 Representing Pierrot, l'Abbé de Cour, l'Indifférent and Mezzetin, each depicted standing leaning against a tree trunk or rocks, on a square rock base; the last with his right hand (one finger broken and glued back together) and an element of drapery restored, small chips and scratches. H. 32.5 to 35 cm (from 12 ¾ to 13 ¾ in.) Provenance : Galerie Rudigier, Munich ; Collection of the Princes of Oettingen-Wallerstein, Wallerstein Castle, Bavaria (numerous labels from this collection on the pieces). Bibliography: Leprince and Bastian, Comédies de faïence, La sculpture à Strasbourg sous Paul Hannong (1740-1754), Paris, 2017, pp.33-57. Four white glazed Strasburg faience figures from the Commedia dell'Arte, 18th century, circa 1745-50, attributed to Paul Hannong The Strasbourg factory of Paul Hannong As can be seen from the above-mentioned important study on Paul Hannong's statuary in Strasbourg, which includes this very rare Comedia dell'Arte series produced around 1740-50, this production was heavily influenced by the canons of sculpture used for statuary in Versailles. The white colour of the enamel used for these pieces is certainly not insignificant, and the quality of Paul Hannong's enamel, which does not "impasto" the sculptor's work, only reinforces the volumes. The Commedia dell'Arte theme Originating in popular theatre, the Commedia dell'Arte theme was used in many fields. In ceramics, it flourished in both porcelain (Meissen, Nymphenbourg, Frankenthal, Mennecy and Sèvres in particular) and earthenware (Fulda, Ansbach and Strasbourg in particular), often drawing direct inspiration from paintings or engravings by the great artists of the 18th century, such as Watteau, Lancret and Pater. The different versions Produced in large scale in Strasbourg, these series are very rare. The series we are interested in comprises four characters: Pierrot, the Abbé de Cour, Mezzetin, and the Indifferent (sometimes also known as Mezzetin dansant or Pantaleone). Very few models from this set seem to have been catalogued to date: - Pierrot: two models with polychrome decoration, one preserved in the collections of the Althes Rathaus Museum, Bamberg (Inv. L.188), another presented at Christie's, London, on 5 July 2012, lot 17. And one in white earthenware presented at Sotheby's, London, on 16 July 1991, lot 33. - Abbé de Cour: two models with polychrome decoration, one in the collections of the Althes Rathaus Museum, Bamberg (Inv. L.187), another exhibited at Christie's, London, 5 July 2012, lot 17. And one in white earthenware presented at Sotheby's, London, on 16 July 1991, lot 33. -Mezzetin: a model with polychrome decoration in the collections of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Strasbourg. Two others in white earthenware, one in the collections of the Institute of Arts, Minneapolis (Inv. MIA.54.27.80), another recently on the English market. - L'Indifférent (or Mezzetin dansant or Pantaleone): only one other example seems to be known; it was recently presented on the Anglo-Saxon market. The Oettingen-Wallerstein family collections The Oettingen family split into two branches in 1522: the Protestant Oettingen-Oettingen, who became a prince in the seventeenth century, and the Catholic Oettingen-Wallerstein, who also became a prince in the second half of the eighteenth century. The collection on display today comes from the collections of this second branch and their castle of Wallerstein, in Bavaria. One of the family's greatest collectors was Count Kraft Ernst of Oettingen-Wallerstein (1748-1802), and a large part of his collection was sold at the end of the 1990s.
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About the sale Furniture and Works of Art - Sale of the day (Lot 171-Fin)
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Auction time 06/17/2026 at 2:00 PM
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