Meissen Figurines

The history of Meissen Figurines is an interesting saga. I never knew that these little people my grandparents had on their buffets were the coveted objects of kings.

During the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368), Porcelain was born in China. By the 17th century, Europeans were eager to get their hands on this strong ceramic material. China, who was making money on their sought after creations did not want to give up any secrets. So, early in the 18th century, "Augustus the Strong, elector of Saxony, arrested alchemist Johann Fredrich Bottger and imprisoned him in the town of Meissen: his mission, to discover the secret formula for hard paste porcelain. "(http://www.rauantiques.com/library/meissen--the-allure-of-continental-porcelain-506.html )

By 1708, our man Bottger figured out the formula and was released. Sure enough the factories in Europe got in on the competitive action and began creating with porcelain.

Four Seasons Figurines By Meissen
Source:
http://www.rauantiques.com/library/meissen--the-allure-of-continental-porcelain-506.html

The Meissen factory in 1720, went on to out-do the Chinese rival and became the most influential porcelain production in the world. Meissen was the leader until 1750, when the Seven Year War ended its production; leaving King Louis XV's factory, The Royal Manufactory at Sévres  in France to take over as Head Honcho. 1744, Vienna moved out as front runner. All three factories worked to impress their rulers and the artists were well rewarded for their beautiful work. Thus resulting in exquisite works of art.

Sèvres Palace Porcelain Urns circa 1860

source:

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/s-vres-palace-porcelain-urns.30-1803.html

Collecting, Meissens, Sévres, or Vienna porcelain is an art in itself and you have to be careful of fakes.

Royal Vienna Porcelain Vase circa 1890

source:

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/royal-vienna-porcelain-vase.30-1572.html

I chose to do research on Meissen figurines and to make a semi-modern day figurine myself based on the historical town I live in. Roswell, Georgia is an old Civil War town, full of ghost stories, plantation homes, and charm.

Smith plantation home from the back showing slave quarters

General Sherman marched through Atlanta to Savannah from December 15-21, 1864 to terrorize the confederate sympathizers; burning homes, stealing goods and eating the livestock. Under Sherman's orders, General Kenner Garrard, sent all the townspeople who made the confederate uniforms to Illinois and burned all but three of the plantation homes because they had the sign of the "Freemason's" above the doors. Sherman was a Freemason.

My figurine is meant to be the "ghost of one of the plantation home owners" - Annie Margaret Smith aka "Mary Smith".  At the time of this post, my ceramic studio, Cowgirl Studios is located across the street from the Founders Cemetery in Roswell, Ga. Every morning I drive by the cemetery and thought it only appropriate to channel her energy and make a figurine based on this figure in history. I have taken liberties to stylize her to my tastes and aesthetics. I chose to make her whimsical and ghostly.

My Studio mate Heiða Halldórsdóttir and myself made a video of our figurines depicting the life of Mary Smith for our graduate class. It is the story of when Mary was alive and Mary from her grave. Please view our video on youtube : https://youtu.be/cQ-QOhCJGHs

P.S. Side Note- After filming the video we had a real life ghost story. After filming at the Smith Plantation home we went to the old cemetery next to our studio and wanted to shoot my figurine ( the ghost figure) by an old tombstone. I had mentioned that we needed to film from the backside of a grave marker so that you wouldn't be able to read the name. So we walked to the set of tombstones that looked good from behind ( we never saw the front of the them). We shot some footage and I said that I needed to get it from the front because the light wasn't quite right from the angle we were standing at. We went around to the front of the stone and it was "Mary Smith's tombstone" we were shooting at the whole time. If thats not crazy I don't know what it. Mary had led us to her stone to film and we were so excited by our finding and that we were indeed filming at the right location. 

Sources:

http://www.rauantiques.com/library/meissen--the-allure-of-continental-porcelain-506.html

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/s-vres-palace-porcelain-urns.30-1803.html

http://www.rauantiques.com/item/royal-vienna-porcelain-vase.30-1572.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell,_Georgia