Chinese Zodiacs

The sculptures by MEISSEN artist Maria Walther are as multifaceted as the history of the manufactory. Her commitment to design and the language of form are always at the centre of her artistic exploration of new themes. In 2021, Maria Walther dedicates herself to the 12 Chinese signs of the zodiac and interprets them with a modern contemporary design language that shows off the brilliant white Meissen porcelain to particularly impressive manner. The design of the deeply symbolic figurines is reduced to the essential and at the same time plays with the limits of possibilities in porcelain design. The story behind the 12 signs of the zodiac had a major role for Maria Walther in the design of the sculptures: The first 12 animals that successfully crossed a river in a competition for a place in the Chinese horoscope were given a year in the order of their arrival. Maria Walther captures the moment of success with her sculptures: rat, buffalo, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig are the first to cross the river - captured in motion out of a wave onto the other side of the water.