porcelain, polychromed and gilt, 20 pieces, height 9–18 cm, model by Johann Joachim Kaendler and Peter Reinicke, underglaze blue crossed swords mark, partly restored, (GO)

An extremely rare, extensive collection of the Monkey Chapel from the 18th century; The various monkeys in the orchestra are mentioned in Johann Joachim Kaendler's work journals from 1749 and 1766. As early as 1753, Kaendler created an ensemble of music-making monkey figures in colourful clothing with an affected expression, which he reworked in collaboration with Peter Reinicke around 1765/1766. Depictions of animals with human characteristics and behaviour were extremely popular, not least because of the great interest in fables in the 18th century, especially in the so-called “singeries” by French artists, which showed curious, scenic depictions of monkeys imitating human behaviour in disparate situations. To this day, Kändler's large monkey orchestra is one of the most whimsical Meissen classics and has been copied several times by other manufacturers.
An entire lifetime of collecting is often not enough to gather such a complete set of the Monkey Orchestra as the present one.
Individual Meissen figures from the 18th-century Monkey Orchestra are represented in national and international museums.
''The motif of monkeys making music, dancing or acting in other ways has been a symbol of human behaviour and conduct since time immemorial [...] because they [the monkeys] appear like a distorted image of man, which makes them ideal for exposing human weaknesses and vices and for mocking social institutions.'' (H. Sonntag, Erlebte Kunst - Meissner Figurenporzellan aus drei Jahrhunderten, p. 68) ''The causes that led to the design of the 'Monkey Orchestra' are obviously rooted in the intellectual and cultural upheaval of the time, which was already significantly influenced by the progressive ideas of the Enlightenment.'' (H. Sonntag, Erlebte Kunst - Meissner Figurenporzellan aus drei Jahrhunderten, p. 68) Monkeys can only be trained under duress; their typical behaviour can be concealed, but never completely eliminated. In contrast, humans are characterised by rationality and the possibility of education. The Monkey Orchestra is thus clearly connoted with the idea of enlightenment and the educability of man.