56. A rare pair of Meissen porcelain statuettes of pilgrims, circa 1745-50 A rare pair of Meissen figures of pilgrims, circa 1745-50 Modelled by J.J. Kaendler, the gentleman holding a staff and wearing a black tricorn and purple-lined black cape with blue bows and shells, a white jacket with gilt buttons, blue belt moulded with shells and blue breeches, his companion holding a shell in her right hand, wearing a puce-lined hat, matching cape and broad crinoline dress edged with a colourful floral border, both with leaves and flowers applied to the bases, on a gilt-edged, rectangular waisted pedestal moulded with a shell at the front and foliate motifs on the corners, 28.5cm and 27cm high, crossed swords mark in underglaze-blue to base of tree-stump support to gentleman (his staff replaced and left index finger restored, haircrack to lady's dress) (2) Provenance: The Property of a Lady of Title, sold Christie's London, 30 June 1980, lot 343 Literature: Johannes Rafael, Zur "Taxa Kaendler", in Keramos 203/204 (2009), p. 53 (illustrated) The figures are mentioned in Kaendler's Taxa of overtime work in November-December 1741 under nos. 87 and 88: '1. Einsiedler auf einem verzierten Postament in gehöriger Kleidung mit Muscheln verziert, vor die Aebtißn nach Herfordt [...] 1. dazu gehòrige Einsiedlering, ebenfalls mit Muscheln verziert, mit einem Huth auf dem Kopffe' [1. pilgrim on a decorated pedestal with appropriate clothing decorated with shells, for the Abbess of Herford ... 1 matching female pilgrim, also decorated with shells, with a hat on her head] (published by J. Rafael, Zur 'Taxa Kaendler', in Keramos 203/204 (2009), p. 52). Johanna Charlotte, Princess of Anhalt-Dessau (1682-1750), Abbess of the Protestant aristocratic ladies' monastery of Herford. The figures are inspired by depictions of pilgrims by Jean-Antoine Watteau; a study in red chalk by Watteau of around 1709-12 or slightly later depicting similar figures is in the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Kupferstich-Kabinett, inv. no. C 734.