498 - Fuerstenberg figure series The Four Seasons, four polychrome porcelain figures, 20th century

Fuerstenberg figure series The Four Seasons, four polychrome porcelain figures, 20th century Porcelain, polychrome painted and glazed. Four figures by the Fuerstenberg porcelain manufactory after a design by Jean Jacques Desoches as allegories of the seasons, each on an oval light base. Spring as a young woman with flowers in her hair gathering blossoms in her raised apron, the dress with flower painting. Summer as a young woman in white blouse with laced bodice and pink skirt, a sheaf of ears and a sickle in her arm. Autumn as a young man in violet coat and ochre breeches with grapes in his hand, a bowl of grapes at his feet. Winter as a man in a broad-brimmed hat with green band, pink coat and red, light-lined cloak with yellow collar, warming his hands over a fire basin. On the bases the underglaze blue mark with crowned F, inscribed in gold with the name of the season, no. 342 and handgemalt as well as the painter's mark. Good condition, minimal firing crack on the finger of the winter, small glaze irregularities. H. c. 19 cm each. The seasons have been among the most widespread allegorical series of European porcelain since the Baroque; their attributes are firmly established: flowers for spring, ears and sickle for summer, grapes for autumn, fire and warming cloak for winter. The Fuerstenberg porcelain manufactory was founded in 1747 by Duke Karl I of Brunswick-Wolfenbuettel; since 1753 every piece carries the blue F under the glaze. The crown above the F was added in 1906 on ornamental wares and generally from 1918, placing this series in the 20th century. The gold inscription with model name, number and the word handgemalt together with the painter's mark identify the pieces as hand-painted manufactory ware.