Since Meissen's manufacture discovered the secret of porcelain manufacturing for the first time in Europe in the 18th century, it has become one of the most outstanding centres in the production of decorative objects and for use in this material. In the creation of sculptural groups of all kinds, it was a pioneering factory, always having a certain competition and rivalry with the French of Sèvres. Maintaining itself as a leading artistic industry involved controlling the best sculptors and decorators, so at each period - with the consequent changes in aesthetics - successful results were achieved. The taste for the gallant groups that had prevailed in different versions since the 18th century, and which lasted throughout the 19th century, in the 20th century, had an excellent and renewing adaptation.

The creative genius that operated the change was the American Paul Scheurich, (New York 1883 - Brandenburg 1945) who from the 10s would create a fascinating gallery of small characters. In them he combined a delicate detail, with extremely sophisticated lines and gestures and expressions voluntarily naïve and seasoned, although with a grotesque aftertaste. The sculptor's fantasy required perfect execution that was very complicated by the rhythmic and thin lines and the thoroughness of gestures, expressions and ornaments. Meissen's artisans knew how to live up to the mouldings, polychrome and glazed, in the 83 models Scheurich created.

Paul Scheurich
"Harlequin el Columbine"
characters from the Russian Ballets in "Carnival" by Robert Schumann
Group in porcelain. Meissen Manufacture. 1913 models and edition of the second third of the 20th century

Subhabit in Balclis December 2016

Paul Scheurich
"Eusebius"
Character of the Russian Ballets for "Carnival" by Robert Schumann
Sculptures in porcelain. Meissen Manufacture. 1913 models and edition of the second third of the 20th century

auction in Balclis February 2019

Paul Scheurich
"Eusebius" and "Chiarina", characters from the Russian Ballets in "Carnival" by Robert Schumann
Pair of porcelain sculptures. Meissen Manufacture. 1913 models and edition of the second third of the 20th century

Subhabit in Balclis December 2016

The fascination that the Ballets Russos produced throughout the world with their exuberant brightness, enhanced the imagination of many artists, providing new iconographic models. Scheurich attended Berlin in 1910 at the premiere season of the ballet "Carnestoltes", with music by Schumann, and saw his creativity illuminated, modeling 6 sculptures on the subject, which would see the light in porcelain in 1913 and were the start of his gallery of stage characters. They were followed by other groups and figures about other protagonists of those Ballets, who also recreated the famous dancers with their lively costumes in their main roles. In the 1930s he continued to perform famous dance groups, approaching more avant-garde musical approaches such as those of the ballet "Petrushka by Igor Stravinsky. Often the author was based not only on the costumes worn by the dancers, but also on their traits and gestures, as we can see seeing old photographs of those protagonists, such as the famous Nijinsky.

Paul Scheurich
"Petrushka" and "La Ballarina", characters from the Russian Ballets in "Petrushka" by Igor Stravinsky
Group in porcelain. Meissen Manufacture. 1913 models and edition of the second third of the 20th century

Subhabit in Balclies December 2016

Vaclav Nijinsky in the role of Petrushka in 1911

Scheurich also entered the world of opera, attentive – in his own way – to all kinds of performing arts. We can see an example in his dynamic version of a pierrot for Jacques Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann". The work is known as “Bell sguardo” (Bella mirada), referring to the young man who observes a mask, who in turn also seems to be looking at him. All these pieces in porcelain would be an immediate success and have become some of the most valued emblems of Meissen manufacturing in the 20th century.

Paul Scheurich
“Bello Sguardo” character of the opera The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach
Sculpture in porcelain. Meissen Manufacture. 1931 model and edition of the second third of the 20th century

Subhabit in Balclies December 2016