Cupid With Hands Bound

This expressive Meissen porcelain figure shows the god of love, Amor, in a surprising pose: with his hands bound behind his back. Far from the typical portrayal of a free and playful messenger of love, this scene symbolizes the powerlessness of love, which cannot be forced. The depiction invites interpretation-it can be read as a metaphor for unrequited feelings, emotional dependency, or self-sacrifice in the name of love.

The design is by Heinrich Schwabe, one of the most important Meissen modelers of the late 19th century. Schwabe was renowned for his refined and often symbolically rich creations, which he translated into porcelain with great attention to detail. This piece also demonstrates his ability to capture complex emotional states in a small yet powerful form.

Putti-childlike representations of Amor-have been among the most popular motifs in Meissen porcelain art since the 18th century. They offered the perfect stage for humorous, moral, or deeply symbolic scenes, often exploring human emotions in a playful and artistic way.

This high-quality figure of Amor was traditionally handcrafted and meticulously hand-painted. Every detail-from body posture to facial expression-was executed with the utmost care. At the Meissen manufactory, Bossierer (assemblers) skillfully construct such compositions from numerous individual porcelain parts, before each section is finely modeled with specialized tools. The result is a miniature sculpture that embodies both technical mastery and emotional depth.