Lady with Pugs

Copy of the Meissen porcelain factory model by J. J. Kändler. 1744. Porcelain, on-glaze decoration

The figurine “Lady with Pugs” was modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1744 as a reaction to topical political developments: it depicts a member of the so-called Order of the Pug, founded by the elector of Cologne after the pope had banned the activities of the Masonic Order in 1738. Unlike the Freemasons, the Order of the Pug accepted also women as its members. The colourful porcelain figurine depicts a lady-member of the order together with two pugs, who symbolised loyalty and trustworthiness. Another figurine related to the same topic was “Freemason”, modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1743.
“Lady with Pugs” has been a successful model of the Meissen porcelain factory throughout the years; several repetitions of it were made also outside the Meissen factory in the 19th and 20th centuries. The figurine in the Mikkel collection is unmarked and differs from Kändler’s model in many aspects: the original figurine stands on a 9cm-high base, and the pugs’ paws are in a completely different position. All this indicates that the Mikkel collection’s figurine was not made using a Meissen mould, and that it is an imitation of the original porcelain figurine.