Collection of Meissen figures from the Monkey Chapel, 15 pieces; 14 standing or seated figures with music stand on a rocaille base in relief. Conductor with music stand, harpist, 3 female singers, clarinettist, hurdy-gurdy player, flautist, French horn player, guitarist, timpanist, timpani player and drummer. Polychrome painting with gold staffage. Designed by Johann Joachim Kaendler and Peter Reinicke. Partly minimally rest.; crossed swords mark. H. 9 cm - 18,5 cm. As early as 1753, Kaendler designed an ensemble of monkey figures playing music in colourful clothing with an affected expression, as it is said, for Madame de Pompadour, which he reworked in collaboration with Peter Reinicke around 1765/66. Depictions of animals with human characteristics and behaviour enjoyed great popularity in the 18th century, not least because of the great interest in fable poems, especially in the so-called "Singeries" by French artists, which showed curious, scenic depictions of monkeys acting humanly in various situations. Cf. Rückert, cat. Bayer. Nationalmuseum, p. 192, Sonntag, Affenkapelle aus Meissener Porzellan, pp. 29ff. A 15-piece collection of porcelain figures from the "monkey orchestra" modelled by J. J. Kaendler and P. Reinicke. Partly minor restored. Crossed swords mark. Meissen. 2nd half 20th cent.