This is a porcelain sculpture, by Höchst, representing a boy and girl in what was termed 'Oriental Dress'. The form is striking, with a dramatic, yet graceful silhouette. Note the sinuous curves of the draping fabric, contrasting with the rigid posture of the figures. The colour palette is soft, dominated by pastels: pinks, blues and creams. These hues are carefully chosen to create a sense of delicacy and refinement. The sculpture engages with the semiotics of its time, using costume and pose to convey a narrative, possibly of exoticism and role-play. The very texture of the porcelain lends itself to a sense of idealized representation. The smoothness of the surface, coupled with the detailed rendering of the garments, shows us the height of craft and a fascination with surface aesthetics. The composition as a whole speaks to a society captivated by representation and performativity, where clothes and gestures are not just aesthetic choices, but carriers of complex cultural meanings.
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