America c. 1745

ceramic, hard-paste-porcelain

3d sculpting

germany

3d printed part

sculpture

ceramic

hard-paste-porcelain

jewelry design

3d character model

sculptural image

unrealistic statue

sculpting

framed image

technology juxtaposition

This porcelain figurine, "America," was created by Johann Joachim Kändler, a prominent figure in the Meissen porcelain factory, around 1745. The figure depicts a Native American woman, adorned with feathers and jewels, riding a crocodile and holding a cornucopia overflowing with fruits and flowers. This piece is a testament to the fascination with exotic cultures prevalent during the 18th century, showcasing the artist's skill in capturing detail and capturing a sense of movement and grandeur within the confines of a small-scale sculpture. The figurine, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, is a valuable example of European artistic interpretations of non-European cultures.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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This allegorical figure of America from a set of continents is attributed to one of Meissen's most important sculptors, Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706-1775), whose principal contribution lay in the area of porcelain figurines. Here, "America" is portrayed as a idealized semi-nude Native American woman, who is depicted in regal garb among some of her attributes, animals and plants native to the American continent. Europeans of the period perceived America as an exotic and fertile land, populated by unusual peoples and animals such as the alligator and the parrot. Indeed, animals were a common motif for Kaendler, who even produced some life-size porcelain specimens. His works are prized for their lively, Baroque expressivity and are based on careful study of nature. They stand at the high point of Meissen design.