MANUFACTURE: Meissen (GERMANY)
NAME: Europa and Bull
SCULPTOR: Johann Friedrich Eberlein ca. 1748
NUMBER: 2697
YEAR: 1850 - 1925
CONDITION: Toes and three fingers of woman in yellow were restored. Firing crack under base. Minor damages of flowers.
HEIGHT: 9 inch / 22 cm
WIDTH: 8 1/4 inch / 21 cm
DEEP: 5 inch / 13 cm
CATEGORY: porcelain ceramic statue figure figurine sculpture
SKU#: 112801
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Europa, the Phoenician Princess was the beautiful daughter of the Phoenician king of Tyre, Agenor. Zeus, the King of the gods (according to Greek mythology), saw Europa as she was gathering flowers by the sea and immediately fell in love with her. Overwhelmed by love for Europa, Zeus transformed himself into the form of a magnificent white bull and appeared in the sea shore where Europa was playing with her maidens. The great bull walked gently over to where Europa stood and knelt at her feet. The appearance and movements of the bull were so gentle that Europa spread flowers about his neck and dared to climb upon his back overcoming her natural fear of the great animal. But suddenly, the bull rushed over the sea abducting Europa. Only then the bull revealed its true identity and took Europa to the Mediterranean island of Crete. There, Zeus cast off the shape of the white bull, and back into his human form, made Europa his lover beneath a simple cypress tree. Europa became the first queen of Crete and had by Zeus three sons.
Meissen's renowned artists capture every detail in full, gorgeous color. Some of the piece's stunning features include: intricate flowers, a finely woven basket, luscious patterned robes, dreamy facial features, and individually painted hairs- even white on white hairs for the bull so fine as to be barely noticeable. The base is completely encircled by gilded scallop decoration, suggestive of the sea in the ancient myth.