Single figure Bird Owl

Alongside his teacher August Gaul, Max Esser was one of the most important animal sculptors of the early 20th century. The director of the manufactory at the time, Max Adolf Pfeiffer, succeeded in engaging him permanently for the company. Esser's owl from 1921 is a particularly fine example of the artist's unmistakable style, which can probably best be described as a balancing act between lifelike representation and decorative formal language. The plumage structures, which are only hinted at, place the animal in a timelessly decorative sphere, as it were. And the fine wreath of feathers on the face corresponds harmoniously with the decoration on the lower edge of the plinth. At the same time, all of the owl's features appeal to us immediately, as if we were looking at a living specimen of the species. This fascinating effect can also be seen in other models created by Max Esser in his workshop in the 1920s, and it is of course worth comparing the owl in white with its counterpart in Böttger stoneware (86513).