by Meissen 1 - or 4-piece; Ascending on a stepped, octagonal pedestal, slender shaft with the bust of the long-bearded wise men from the East. Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar with a removable, curved, four-flame brass candlestick mount. Polychrome painting with gold accents. Either by Erich Kleinhempel, 1903. Model no. T 197. Candlestick mount supplemented; sword mark. H. 44 cm - 55 cm. The figures depicted in a flowing, linear formal language are a remarkable example of the Meissen Jugendstil and reflect the emerging artistic will around 1900. Friedrich Erich Kleinhempel (1874-1947) worked as a freelance artist for the Meissen porcelain manufactory. He studied at the Dresden School of Arts and Crafts between 1890 and 1893, was involved in the founding of a private arts and crafts school in Dresden-Striesen in 1900, and participated in the founding of the Dresden Artists' Association in 1909. From 1912 onwards, he took over the management of the arts and crafts school and the arts and crafts museum in Bremen. The multi-talented Kleinhempel also designed fabrics, furniture, glasses, and bookbindings, among other things. In the year 2000, the Meissen porcelain manufactory reintroduced the three Jugendstil candlesticks as part of the "ZeitZeichen" edition. See Just, Meissen Jugendstil Porcelain, p. 60; Bayer, ZeitZeichen, Meissen Manuscripts XIV, p. 66; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Inv. 1964-216-1a, b, 1964-216-2a, b, 1964-216-3a, b. Three candlesticks with removable mount modeled as the "The Three Magi" by F. E. Kleinhempel in 1903. Candlestick mount supplemented. Crossed swords mark. Meissen. Around 1903.
