Single Figurines Monkey with Xylophone

Hardly any group of figures in Meissen porcelain is as renowned and charming as Johann Joachim Kaendler's "Monkey Orchestra." When the master modeler created his ensemble of 21 music-making monkeys dressed in human attire in 1753, he held up a witty mirror to the aristocratic society of the Rococo era.

The newly modeled figure of the xylophone player continues this tradition as the latest addition to the celebrated series.

Rococo culture was defined by theatricality, stagecraft, and playful disguise. The aristocracy reveled in lavish festivities featuring music, dance, and fireworks. Within this atmosphere, so-called singeries emerged-depictions of monkeys engaged in human activities, derived from the French word singe. As parodies of social rituals, they were immensely popular in the 18th century, adorning entire rooms such as those in the Château de Chantilly near Paris.

Kaendler's "Monkey Orchestra" belongs squarely in this context: elegantly dressed monkeys perform on courtly instruments-a whimsical interplay of animal and human, irony and virtuosity. In modern times, the series has been carefully expanded, initially with two additional figures based on historical designs. To mark Kaendler's 320th birthday, the manufactory now continues this tradition.

With the new xylophone player, modeler Silke Ebermann draws on the stylistic language of the Rococo master. Based on historical research, she has created another musician: mallet raised, expression focused, and body poised with lively tension. The finely crafted attire, along with the precise rendering of fur, fabric, and movement, reflects the artistic excellence that has always distinguished Kaendler's figures.