Bear Hunt : figural group

Figures of single animals or groups of animals in hunting scenes were made after models of Franz Anton Bustelli and Dominikus Auliczek during the third quarter of the 18th century in the porcelain works of Nymphenburg. The most common theme consisted of dogs (mastiffs, bulldogs and Great Danes), and figural groups comprised a clash of wild and domestic animals used in the hunt. These figures are placed on a low base and were often uncoloured. In about 1760 Bustelli modelled a series of figures with horses that were being attacked by lions, panthers, bears or wolves. A common motif was the hunt for wild boar and bears. The common characteristic of the modelling of Bustelli and Auliczek was the great skill in showing the moment of greatest tension. The undecorated base and the absence of colour are there to heighten the movement, halt the moment of the animal battle. The figure in the studio collection of the Museum of Arts and Crafts tells of the success of the Nymphenburg modellers.