Single Figurines Group of Two Bears, Boettger Stoneware

Erich Hösel, head of design at the manufactory between 1912 and 1929, had a penchant for the odd realistic, conventionally styled animal figure. Whether Böttger stoneware or white porcelain, each sculpture by the academically trained sculptor bears witness to masterful craftsmanship and is characterized by an unobtrusively traditional design style in which attention to detail is at the service of the lively overall figure appearance. Hösel trained the powers of observation required for such an impressive sculpture on study trips and visits to zoos at home, for he already brought his talent for craftsmanship with him.

Hösel created his "Bear Group" figure in 1905, and the velvety, earthy Böttger stoneware exudes matte elegance and perfection. After a nerve-racking series of experiments, the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger succeeded in producing the so-called "jasper porcelain" in 1707. Clear lines and fine details lend liveliness and dynamism to the frolicking bear sculpture made of Böttger's stoneware. The depiction of nature in all its beauty testifies to bear-strong craftsmanship.