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A set of four Meissen Marcolini mythological busts of Vesta, Venus, Mercury and Apollo, late 18th/early 19th century image 1
A set of four Meissen Marcolini mythological busts of Vesta, Venus, Mercury and Apollo, late 18th/early 19th century image 2
Lot 121

A set of four Meissen Marcolini mythological busts of Vesta, Venus, Mercury and Apollo, late 18th/early 19th century

3 July 2025, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £1,152 inc. premium

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A set of four Meissen Marcolini mythological busts of Vesta, Venus, Mercury and Apollo, late 18th/early 19th century

Modelled by Schönheit and Jüchtzer in biscuit porcelain, each depicting the deity with their attributes in relief to the base, all between 12-13cm high, incised crossed swords mark within a triangle to the base, incised "H.6" to Vesta, incised "H.14" to Venus, incised "H.5" to Apollo, incised "H.7" to Mercury, various impressed numerals, and pencil inscriptions, (Apollo bust broken and re-stuck) (4)

Footnotes

From a series of busts or "Götterbüsten," modelled by Schönheit and Jüchtzer, after drawings by Schenau in late 1782. The drawings for these busts are published by Tim Clarke, Marcolini Meissen Figures Engraved by Friedrich Elsasser 1785-1792, 1988, pp. 39-40, nos. 109 (Vesta), 116 (Mercury), 117 (Venus), and 118 (Apollo). Clarke notes that the classical models were provided by plaster busts in the Royal Cast Collection (Köningliche Abgusssammlung zu Dresden) and that the bust of Apollo was possibly based on a restored head in the collection of Prince Agostino Chigi, acquired by Augustus III in 1728.

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