Meissen Porcelain Figure “Child on the Pillow”, Modeled by Konrad Hentschel

Description

Meissen Porcelain Figure “Child on the Pillow”, Modeled by Konrad Hentschel (1872-1907) This Meissen porcelain figure depicts a seated infant resting on a soft, white cushion. The child is portrayed with naturalistic proportions and lifelike modeling, the body slightly leaning forward with both hands raised toward the mouth. The head is gently tilted, and the face is rendered with softly tinted cheeks, pale lips, and delicate blue eyes. The hair is closely cropped, showing fine brushwork that gives a realistic impression of texture and direction. The child wears a light green dress patterned with violet floral motifs over a pale gray blouse, and reddish-brown stockings that extend to the feet, which rest naturally on the porcelain base shaped as a cushion with smooth, rounded contours. The underside of the figure bears the Meissen underglaze blue crossed swords mark, an incised model number “U 150,” and an impressed number “52.” These markings confirm the piece’s production at the Meissen porcelain manufactory during the early 20th century and correspond precisely to the records for this model as listed in Bergmann’s Meissen Figures, Model Numbers A 1–Z 99 (p. 245, cat. no. 466). Konrad Hentschel (1872–1907), a sculptor and designer trained at the Dresden Academy of Fine Arts, joined Meissen in the early 1900s and became known for his ability to capture the quiet realism of daily life. Between 1905 and 1907, he created the celebrated series of Hentschel Children—a group of eleven individual figures, one double figure, and one four-figure composition. These works depict infants and young children in natural poses, absorbed in play or contemplation, marking a shift toward expressive and modern domestic subjects within Meissen’s early 20th-century production. The present model, Child on the Pillow (U 150), is among the most recognized of this series, distinguished by its calm composition and refined porcelain surface that exemplify Meissen’s technical precision and Hentschel’s distinctive approach to the human form.

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