Meissen Porcelain – Figurine Depicting Pantalone

Meissen porcelain figurine depicting Pantalone from the Commedia dell’Arte series created for the Duke of Weissenfels.

Model by J. J. Kändler and P. Reinicke, circa 1743.

Saxony, Germany, Meissen, 18th century.

Height: 13.3 cm.

Condition: Small restored loss to the right side of the base, right foot and calf broken and reattached, some retouching to the black paint.

The series created for the Duke of Weissenfels comprises 18 figurines representing characters from the Italian Commedia dell’Arte, commissioned to commemorate his marriage. They were modeled by P. Reinicke around 1743 and derived from engravings published in Luigi Riccoboni’s Histoire du Théâtre Italien, published in Paris in 1727.

Although Riccoboni was the director of a company of Italian actors performing the Commedia dell’Arte, he lived and performed in Paris with his troupe for most of his life, dying there in 1753 at the age of 78. The engravings were by Joullain and Callot.