A pair of Meissen bird figurines A starling sitting on a tree stump, partly decorated with plastically applied foliage, preening its open left wing and a thrush respectively. Extremely fine plumage in relief with staffage in shades of brown, partly yellow and black as well as dark dotted plumage. Polychrome painting. Designed by Johann Joachim Kaendler, probably c. 1740 - 1745. Partially incised model no. 974. unmarked; centre mark. Meissen. Mid 18th century; h. 15 cm - 15.5 cm. Johann Joachim Kaendler studied various bird species in the electoral menageries from the early 1730s and modelled them in porcelain with great attention to detail. Kaendler's meticulous reproduction of the animal's posture and plumage became a key characteristic of Meissen bird sculpture. With the Japanese Palace, Augustus the Strong intended to build a porcelain palace in which porcelain birds and other animal sculptures would be exhibited for representative purposes. Cf. cat. Staatl. Porzellanmanufaktur Meissen, Bunte Vögel, no. 974; Röbbig, exhib. cat. Kabinettstücke im Amira-Palais München, p. 51 ff., Coll. Guttmann, p. 88ff. A pair of finely polychrome painted porcelain figures of a common starling and song thrush sitting on a tree trunk. Partly incised model no. 974. Insignificantly restored. Crossed swords mark. Meissen. Mid 18th century.