Bidspirit auction | Meissen Pug Model ex. Polish

Meissen Pug Model ex. Polish Queen Maria Josepha - Meissen, Germany. Documentary porcelain model of a pug dog on a cushion, dated 1739. Modelled by J.J. Kandler. The small dog with pale brown hair markings, a pink ribbon and green collar with the gilt initials KPMJ and date. The dog sits recumbent on a square cushion molded with flowers. The cabriole stool with mask head, shoulders, and shell and scroll friezes, terminating with claw feet, joined by an X-stretcher and enriched with gilt. Provenance: Christie's, London, ”The Nyffeler Collection of German Porcelain, ” June 9, 1986, Lot 97; The Distinguished Collection of Leo & Doris Hodroff. The initials on the pup's collar are those of Maria Josepha, Queen of Poland (1699-1757). This model was likely made bespoke for the Queen. Dogs are modelled in numerous Meissen sculptures. Some of the Meissen examples were painted or modelled after the real dogs of court members. In one work journal from December 1743, J.J. Kandler notes a dog “painted from nature in the most accurate manner” for the Countess Mozinska. Instances of Kandler painting dogs for court ladies appear numerous times throughout his work journals. While most were pugs - popularized by the founding of The Order of the Pug - many others were Bolognese or other undefined dog breeds. Height: 4 1/4 in x width: 2 3/4 in x depth: 2 1/2 in. Condition: There are restorations to the dog's right front leg and the tip of it's tail. There is a small vertical hairline crack extending approximately 1 inch along the left side of the dog's torso; the hairline crack reappears along the back of the figurine, extending from the dog's right side to the surface of the cushion. There is a linear firing flaw along the crevice of the left armpit. There are additional small linear firing flaws along the areas where the dog's body meets the surface of the cushion. There are a few fleabite chips along the right ear. There are a few linear firing flaws to the base. Light wear to the feet, including fleabite chips.