Cupid As Blacksmith Hammering a Heart into Shape

This vividly colored Meissen porcelain figure depicts Amor, the god of love, in an unusual role: as a blacksmith, wielding a raised hammer as he works on a heart. The scene is both humorous and profound-it presents love as a craft, something malleable that must be shaped with effort, patience, and strength.

The design is by Heinrich Schwabe, one of the most prominent modelers at the Meissen porcelain manufactory in the late 19th century. Schwabe was renowned for his ability to reinterpret classical mythological themes into fresh and often surprising visual language. With "Amor as Blacksmith," he creates a powerful allegory for the active shaping of love-far removed from the romantic ideal of pure feeling.

Putti, childlike representations of Amor, have been a staple motif in Meissen porcelain art since the 18th century. They served not only decorative purposes but also as reflections on human relationships-often with a wink, but always executed with great artistic finesse.

The figure was traditionally handcrafted, hand-painted, and richly decorated with brown, red, and gold accents. Every detail-from the shine of the anvil to the three-dimensional portrayal of the heart-was modeled with the utmost precision. At the Meissen manufactory, Bossierer (assemblers) carefully piece together such complex compositions from many individual parts before finishing them with specialized tools. The result is a miniature sculpture of rare expressive power and technical mastery.