November 1760 - 1770

This porcelain sculpture, "November," from the Real Fabrica de Buen Retiro, presents a captivating tableau of allegorical form. At first glance, the eye is drawn to the figure’s dynamic pose and the contrast between the smooth, pale porcelain of the skin and the textured details of the drapery and the overflowing basket he carries. The figure’s body, rendered with a delicate, almost fluid quality, leans slightly, creating a sense of movement. This tension is echoed in the contrast between the idealized human form and the more stylized, bas-relief decoration on the shield, which depicts a centaur—a mythological symbol blending human intellect with animal instinct. The sculpture plays with classical motifs, yet destabilizes them through its material and composition. The choice of porcelain, a medium prized for its fragility and refinement, lends a certain preciousness to the traditionally robust subject matter of seasonal allegory. This creates a dialogue between the classical and the baroque, challenging our understanding of form and representation. This porcelain sculpture thus exists as a site of ongoing cultural and philosophical re-evaluation.