Statuette

The hollow, square plinth has a step-like protruding middle where a naked, young female figure sits, her right leg bent under her. She supports the large, scaled fish in her lap with her left knee, holding it with her hands. From the hollow mouth of the fish water sprung and the calm, buxom figure looks downwards on the water, smiling happily, with her head slightly bent forward. The rich, stylized hair covers her shoulders, the tail of the fish claps on to her nicely curved, smooth back. The precise, dynamic modelling and the inner richness of the composition are balanced by the closed, bulk-like arrangement. The colouring follows an earlier stylistic trend. The greenish glaze homogeneously covers the statuette, with spontaneous shading, flows and crystals, reminding us of mossy rocks at places. The brown and dark contours at the mouth of the fish and on the scaled body not only emphasize the shape but reflect the natural brownish colour of spring wells. The thin, bright, iridescent lustre glaze reflects the brightness of the flowing water. The original water basin of which this statuette is a quality sculpture sketch, was probably a part of the decoration in the drawing room of an elegant mansion.