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Lot Essay
Donna Martina belongs to a series of sixteen comedy figures which was first mentioned in the Nymphenburg factory's 'Formenverzeichnis' (inventory of moulds) of 1760 as '16 Stukh Pantomin Figuren' (16 individual Pantomime figures).1 A pair of engravings by Martin Engelbrecht,2 which are known to have been in Bustelli's possession, show characters from the Commedia dell'Arte with their corresponding names. When all Bustelli's sixteen figures were named for the first time in the 1767 price list, it appears that Bustelli had used some of the names of the characters from the prints for his porcelain figures. However, the modelling of the series was not derived from these prints, and it is thought that most of the figures are not directly inspired by engravings.3 Bustelli created something quite new with his figures, and they take on a life and elegance of their own.
Even though they are masterpieces in themselves, as Hofmann notes, these figures were intended to form pairs, and were intended to work together as a group. When they are viewed with their partners they take on an additional dimension in the relationship with their counterparts. Donna Martina was designed to form a pair with 'Il Dottore', her husband.
The exceptional crispness of the modelling suggests that this example was an early cast from the moulds. The white example from the Kaumheimer Collection was sold in these Rooms on 8 December 2003, lot 52 and another white example from the Rutters Collection was sold by Hugo Helbing, Munich, on 24 October 1927, lot 72.
Meredith Chilton, Harlequin Unmasked, The Commedia dell'Arte and Porcelain Sculpture Singapore, 2001, p. 318, no. 128 notes the complete series of these figures. For the complete series also see Michael Newman, 'The Comedians of Franz Antonÿ Bustellÿ', Keramik-Freunde der Schweiz III, No. 3-75, December 1997, and Alfred Ziffer, Nymphenburger Porzellan, Sammlung Bäuml, Stuttgart, 1997, 60-70; Rainer Rückert, Franz Anton Bustelli, Munich, 1963, illus. 28-43; F.H. Hofmann, Das Europäische porzellan des Bayerischen Nationalumuseum, nos. 510-522. The entire series was sold at Christie's, London, on 28 March 1977, lots 157-171.
1. See F.H. Hofmann, Geschichte der Bayerischen Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg, Leipzig, 1923, Vol. 3, p. 396.
2. The prints date to circa 1740 and are illustrated by Meredith Chilton, ibid., 2001, p. 62, fig. 81 and p. 152, fig. 253.
3. See Chilton, ibid., 2001, p. 318, where she cites Newman's article (cited above) and notes his persuasive argument that Bustelli was influenced to cast Harlequin in the role of father to the baby monkey in his arms from a series of engravings by G.-J. Xavery, published by Petrus Schenck in Amsterdam, The Mysterious Malady of Harlequin.
Even though they are masterpieces in themselves, as Hofmann notes, these figures were intended to form pairs, and were intended to work together as a group. When they are viewed with their partners they take on an additional dimension in the relationship with their counterparts. Donna Martina was designed to form a pair with 'Il Dottore', her husband.
The exceptional crispness of the modelling suggests that this example was an early cast from the moulds. The white example from the Kaumheimer Collection was sold in these Rooms on 8 December 2003, lot 52 and another white example from the Rutters Collection was sold by Hugo Helbing, Munich, on 24 October 1927, lot 72.
Meredith Chilton, Harlequin Unmasked, The Commedia dell'Arte and Porcelain Sculpture Singapore, 2001, p. 318, no. 128 notes the complete series of these figures. For the complete series also see Michael Newman, 'The Comedians of Franz Antonÿ Bustellÿ', Keramik-Freunde der Schweiz III, No. 3-75, December 1997, and Alfred Ziffer, Nymphenburger Porzellan, Sammlung Bäuml, Stuttgart, 1997, 60-70; Rainer Rückert, Franz Anton Bustelli, Munich, 1963, illus. 28-43; F.H. Hofmann, Das Europäische porzellan des Bayerischen Nationalumuseum, nos. 510-522. The entire series was sold at Christie's, London, on 28 March 1977, lots 157-171.
1. See F.H. Hofmann, Geschichte der Bayerischen Porzellanmanufaktur Nymphenburg, Leipzig, 1923, Vol. 3, p. 396.
2. The prints date to circa 1740 and are illustrated by Meredith Chilton, ibid., 2001, p. 62, fig. 81 and p. 152, fig. 253.
3. See Chilton, ibid., 2001, p. 318, where she cites Newman's article (cited above) and notes his persuasive argument that Bustelli was influenced to cast Harlequin in the role of father to the baby monkey in his arms from a series of engravings by G.-J. Xavery, published by Petrus Schenck in Amsterdam, The Mysterious Malady of Harlequin.