Single Figurine Rhinoceros Anton Collage of Roses

To celebrate the 300-year anniversary of the Meissen manufactory, this striking sculpture of an Indian armoured rhinoceros by Johann Gottlieb Kirchner has been reissued in miniature form for the first time ever. Starting out as a porcelain modeller at MEISSEN, the sculptor would go on to become a master of large-scale animal sculptures. This rhinoceros was designed based on a copper engraving by Abraham de Bruyn from 1583 - a piece inspired by Albrecht Dürer's famous "Rhinocerus", which itself was based on a woodcut by an unknown artist. With its fine reliefs, countless sculptural details and intricate surface structure, the armoured rhinoceros is a true masterpiece of embossing. Kirchner's sculptural work closely mirrors the original drawing including all of its anatomical incongruities, creating a rhinoceros that appears to be wearing a suit of medieval armour. Though stylised, the depiction is in fact rooted in reality, with the thick folds of skin on Indian rhinoceroses resembling heavy armoured plates. Kirchner has translated the knobby protrusions on the rhinoceros' legs into a scaly structure reminiscent of chain mail. On the skin, the protrusions appear as delicate reliefs. A second, small, spiral horn extends from the back of the animal's neck - a false impression that had already made it into Dürer's woodcut. It is a mythical creature - an animal that does not exist in nature. It should come as no surprise, that the limited edition has been decorated with naturalistic roses whose delicate petals stand in stark contrast to the sculptural depiction of the powerful, warlike beast. The painted roses seem to be just another layer on top of the armour. However, painting these images by hand onto the dynamic shape of this porcelain piece, as well as transferring a two-dimensional image onto a three-dimensional object, both require exceptional skill on the part of the painter.