Rare monumental figure "Eagle with snake". High, barren rock base, covered with a few green, sculptural plants. An eagle in grey-yellow and black painted plumage standing at the edge, its head lowered, pointing at the snake in front of it pointing steeply upwards. Richly coloured, polychrome overglaze painting. Minimally dam. / rest; designed by Arthur Storch, 1921; signed monogr. "ASt"; minimally dam.; maker's mark. H. 62.5 cm. The model was created in connection with the famous group of 16 monumental animal sculptures by the modellers Hugo Meisel and Arthur Storch, with which the Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur caused a sensation in 1921 when, under the direction of the architect Hans Poelzig, it was significantly involved in the design of the "Porzellan-Palais" in Leipzig, which was used for the first time as an exhibition centre. Due to their extraordinary size, their production posed a particular technical challenge. Even today, these are considered masterpieces of "artistic and technical craftsmanship". They were only produced in small series of an estimated 10 moulds per model. Cf. cat. Schwarzburger Werkstätten, p. 272 ff.; Fritzsche, Aelteste Volkstedter Porzellanmanufaktur, p. 211f.; Zimmermann, in Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration, vol. 49, 1921 - 1922, p. 46ff.; Porzellanland Thüringen, p. 243ff. Provenance: from the estate of an important North German private collection. A rare monumental Thuringian porcelain figure of an eagle with snake modelled by H. Meisel. Minor chipped. Manufacturer's mark. Thuringia. Volkstedt-Rudolstadt. Oldest Volkstedt porcelain factory. 1920s.