MONKEYING AROUND: THE MEISSEN MONKEY ORCHESTRA ACROSS THE AGES with Dr Matthew Martin

One of the most delightful and engaging productions of the eighteenth-century Meissen porcelain factory is the series of small-scale sculptures depicting a band of monkeys playing musical instruments, known in German as the Affenkapelle. These figures are masterful examples of the work of the great porcelain sculptor, Johann Joachim Kändler. The conceit of depicting monkeys imitating human activities was not original to Meissen and these porcelain sculptures form part of a tradition dating back centuries in European art. Known as singeries in French, such images were particularly popular in the eighteenth century. This talk will explore the complex history of these Meissen sculptures, including the revival in their popularity during the nineteenth century, the age of Darwin and European global colonialism.

DR MATTHEW MARTIN is Senior Lecturer in Art History and Curatorship in the University of Melbourne. From 2006 to 2019 he was a curator in the department of International Decorative Arts at the National Gallery of Victoria. His research work is focussed on the cultural history of European porcelain in the eighteenth century.

Your ticket includes tea or Market Lane coffee served before the lecture, and time to browse our exclusive range of books, gifts, and homewares at TJC Emporium.  NOTE: Tickets for this event do not include access to our exhibition-house, Fairhall. Guided tours of the current exhibition 'A Home of One's Own' can be booked separately.

This lecture is supported by The Colin Holden Charitable Trust.

Image: Meissen porcelain, Affenkapelle, 1753-65/66, Museen der Stadt Bamberg, Sammlung Ludwig.