Single figure Eagle owl

Erich Hösel's (1869-1953) Eagle Owl is an impressive example of the masterful animal sculpture of the MEISSEN porcelain manufactory. Hösel, one of the most important sculptors of his time and longtime head of the design department in Meissen, enriched the manufactory's artistic repertoire with numerous animal figures. His works are distinguished by their exceptionally lifelike design and precise observation of nature, which he deepened through his travels and regular visits to zoos.

The figure was created in Böttger stoneware, one of the manufactory's characteristic materials. This unglazed material goes back to the tradition of the "fine red porcelain" developed by Johann Friedrich Böttger and was reinterpreted in Meissen in the early 20th century. Its warm, natural surface brings out every subtlety of the modeling to particularly striking effect.

With the Eagle Owl, Hösel created an animal sculpture of extraordinary presence. Despite its calm, upright posture, the bird radiates strength, alertness, and dignity. The richly detailed feathers, tense body, and characteristic ear tufts give the figure remarkable vitality. At the same time, due to its size and the special properties of Böttger stoneware, its production placed the highest demands on modeling and firing techniques. In this way, the Eagle Owl combines masterful craftsmanship with artistic expressiveness and powerfully embodies the bird's symbolism as an emblem of wisdom and intelligence.