Limited Masterworks Elephant

Balanced upon a richly ornamented saddlecloth, the elephant carries a towering obelisk. Its poised and concentrated stance reflects the strength, intelligence and composure that cultures around the world have long associated with this remarkable animal.

In classical antiquity, the elephant was regarded as the mount of Mercury, the god of wisdom and eloquence. Across Asia and Africa, it symbolises wisdom, peace and good fortune. In Greek and Roman tradition, it was also admired for its gentleness and willingness to help. Owing to its longevity, the elephant has furthermore become a universal symbol of endurance and the triumph over mortality.

The fact that the animal stands upon a pedestal has more practical origins. With the elephant as bearer of an obelisk, MEISSEN^® draws upon a motif famously realised by the architect Gian Lorenzo Bernini in 1677 on Rome's Piazza della Minerva. Bernini found his inspiration in the Renaissance novel Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, while the pedestal itself was necessary to ensure the stability of the monument. The inscription is often paraphrased as: "A strong mind is required to bear wisdom."

In Baroque Saxony, the symbolism of this sculpture, modelled in porcelain around 1743 by Peter Reinicke (1711-1768), can be understood even more broadly. It may be seen as a tribute to Augustus the Strong and his son, whose combination of power and wisdom ushered in an unprecedented period of economic and cultural prosperity in the Electorate of Saxony.

Together with Johann Joachim Kaendler (1706-1775), Peter Reinicke helped establish the rich repertoire of forms for which MEISSEN^® became renowned. He created several versions of the elephant, including examples with a sultan or a Moor as rider. Yet the most striking interpretation is undoubtedly this one, crowned by a soaring, finely detailed obelisk that serves as