19th Century Porcelain Napoleonic Soldier Figurine from Capodimonte Manufacture, 1800s

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Description

MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 28 cm; Width: 8.5 cm; Depth: 7.7 cm; Weight: 0.388 kg

Item :
Splendid figurine, a sculpture in … Read more MEASUREMENTS:
Height: 28 cm; Width: 8.5 cm; Depth: 7.7 cm; Weight: 0.388 kg

Item :
Splendid figurine, a sculpture in vitrified hard-paste porcelain, entirely hand-decorated, depicting a Scottish Highland soldier, crafted by the Capodimonte manufactory in the first half of the 19th century. The piece features a beautiful patina, particularly visible under the base, perfectly consistent with its period of production. This specific mold has been used over time by several renowned European manufacturers, including Dresden, Potschappel, and Sitzendorf. The one presented here is the prestigious version made by the Capodimonte manufactory, which stands out for its richness of detail and precision of execution significantly superior to most variations by other manufacturers, especially the more recent productions. The work dates to the first half of the 19th century, when the Capodimonte factory acquired the production of the Real Fabbrica Ferdinandea, inheriting its models. This mold was most likely among them, part of a series of military subjects with various uniforms, today considered among the most beautiful, rare, and sought-after on the art market. Specifically, the sculpture depicts a Scottish soldier wearing the uniform of the 79th Cameron Highlanders, dating between 1814 and 1815, at the height of the Napoleonic era. The uniform is faithfully reproduced with all its distinctive elements: the classic red British Army tunic, the typical tartan kilt complete with a sporran (the traditional fur pouch placed at the front), the red and white checkered socks with cross-tie fastenings, and finally, the feather bonnet, the characteristic and elegant high black feather headdress, decorated on the sides with red and white feathers and finished with a checkered band (diced band).

Useful information for appraising this item:
Our market research highlights the exclusivity of this piece. Similar sculptures can be found online, with asking prices ranging from €150-200 to around $850. However, these are all more recent examples, primarily made by the German manufacturer Sitzendorf in the early decades of the 20th century; production was much later than ours. For a more accurate and consistent comparison, through our online research, we found another sculpture from the same series (albeit wearing a different military uniform), also produced by Capodimonte in the first half of the 19th century, of the same artistic quality and fine detail, listed for over €1,300 on a website specializing in art and antiques. This comparison clearly demonstrates how the object's age, the superior quality of the sculpture, meticulous attention to detail, the brilliance of the enamels, and the pinpoint precision of the hand-decorated pieces are key factors in determining the high collectible and commercial value of our piece, especially compared to more recent productions.

Information on the artist and/or manufacturer:
Capodimonte porcelain owes its name to the famous hilly area of ​​Naples where, in the first half of the 18th century, King Charles of Bourbon and Queen Maria Amalia of Saxony founded the Royal Factory. Today, in addition to the prestigious National Museum of Capodimonte, this factory's masterpieces are housed and displayed in important museum collections, such as the Duca di Martina Museum at Villa Floridiana, the Filangieri Museum, and the Diego Aragona Pignatelli Cortes Museum. The last photo contains further historical information from a specialized French-language volume. Among the various historical trademarks illustrated in the text, you can also see that of our sculpture, used by the factory in the early decades of the 19th century. This piece has an attribution mark,
I am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
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