Exclusive Collection Large Sculpture Paduaner Rooster

Monumental sculptures in white porcelain are among the most impressive masterpieces created by MEISSEN. "The nature of porcelain is rooted in light. Porcelain absorbs light and reflects it back in countless subtle ways." This fascinating interplay of light, texture, and translucency is especially striking in these large-scale figures.

Johann Joachim Kaendler joined the Meissen manufactory in 1731 and quickly transformed the art of porcelain with extraordinary skill and creativity. He created monumental animal and bird sculptures such as the "Macaw," the "Grey Heron," the "Cassowary," and the "Padua Rooster." These life-sized figures were commissioned for Augustus the Strong, who dreamed of building a magnificent porcelain palace. To realize this vision, the Dutch Palace in Dresden was transformed into the Japanese Palace.

Kaendler modeled many of his works freehand, giving them remarkable vitality and movement. The finely detailed surfaces were designed to interact beautifully with light and shadow. He studied living animals in the royal menagerie at Dresden's Jägerhof, capturing their character with exceptional realism.

Today, only MEISSEN continues to produce monumental porcelain sculptures of this kind entirely by hand. Every feather is individually modeled and refined by hand. A single sculpture can consist of up to 85 individual parts and requires at least four weeks of drying time. The large-scale pieces are then fired separately and remain in the kiln for around three weeks. The result is a unique work of art that combines light, form, and centuries of craftsmanship.