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RHINOCEROS CLARA

Designer

Peter Anton von Verschaffelt

Manufacture

Nymphenburg

Circa

1770

Description

There was a mania for the exotic in the 18th century. The first live rhinoceros arrived in Europe in 1741 – a mighty animal from the Bay of Bengal with a thick skin and a horn that reputedly possessed special powers. The animal was shown as a curiosity at fairs and markets and also at royal courts. Peter Anton Verschaffelt, court sculptor for Elector Carl Theodor in the Palatinate, created a large rhinoceros sculpture in 1770 and a model for it to be reproduced in porcelain – at the time for Frankenthaler Porzellanmanufaktur. Around 100 years after this manufacturer closed its gates, Nymphenburg revisited these designs. This realization in biscuit porcelain emphasizes a wealth of detail and depth of subtlety. Sculptural qualities like the structure of the skin or the fine drawing of the ears come into their own especially well when rendered in this material.

Peter Anton von Verschaffelt

Peter Anton von Verschaffelt Collection