129. A Meissen white group of Petruschka, 1986 Modelled by Paul Scheurich, the female dancer with her arms raised and her right leg outstretched wearing a tutu and trousers, the male dancer leaning forwards and wearing a tunic decorated with bells, a barrel organ between them, on a high elongated octagonal base, incised 'Scheurich' to the reverse of the organ, 27.5cm high, crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue, incised model number 73325., impressed numeral, impressed date code for 1986 (chip to one of his bells) This model draws its inspiration from another ballet first performed by Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in Berlin in December 1912. While it is likely that Scheurich attended one of these performances, the reason behind his decision to create a porcelain interpretation nearly eighteen years later, in April 1930, remains a mystery (Johannes Rafael, Paul Scheurich 1883-1945 Porzellane für die Meissener Manufaktur, Meissener Manuskripte, Sonderband VIII, 1995, p. 92, no. 42). A preparatory sketch for the model has survived and was published in the magazine "Sport im Bild", 37/14 (1931). The first example was formed in October 1930 and then fired and painted shortly thereafter. However, for an unknown reason, the group was not included in the selling catalogues of the manufactory. It wasn't until 1943 that records show three unpainted examples were sold. See Johannes Rafael, Paul Scheurich: Balletfiguren, in Keramos 148, 1995, pp. 53-84, for a full discussion of Scheurich's ballet models. The only known decorated version outside of the manufactory was in the collection of Prof. J. Rafael, sold in these rooms, 14 April 2022, lot 94.