Meissen, Bust Of Proserpina By Benjamin Thomae In Brown Sandstone

Brown glazed stoneware bust of Proserpina—known as "Böttger Steinzeug"—mounted on a wooden base; designed by Benjamin Thomae after the famous marble sculpture by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini housed in the Galleria Borghese in Rome. The Meissen Porcelain Manufactory issued this sculpture in 1982 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the birth of Johann Friedrich Böttger (inventor of European porcelain) and the 300th anniversary of the death of the brilliant Baroque sculptor Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. Crossed-swords mark and date on the back. Height: 21 cm (excluding base); dimensions with base: 29 x 18 x 13 cm. Proserpina is the Roman equivalent of Persephone, the figure in Greek mythology who created the seasons; she is the daughter of Ceres and Jupiter. Despite her abduction by Pluto and her status as Queen of the Underworld, Proserpina is also a goddess of spring.