the radiant figure of Apollo, god of music and chief of the muses, depicted in Kändler's group riding the sun chariot with burning wheels, wreathed in rays; in the right hand a sceptre, in the left hand the reins of the carriage and four galloping across the clouds, in the foreground a winged genius holding a gilt sun and a gilt shield, the 4 horses with elaborate bridle and gilt lion head pectoral, pearl bits, porcelain, polychromed and gilt, tiered base with narrow and wide gilt edging, light purple border, light blue forget-me-not frieze and green sculpted laurel garlands attached to gilt rings, smooth backs, height: 31 cm, length: 48 cm, small restorations, Meissen, underglaze blue crossed swords mid-19th, model No 3, former no. 68, model by Johann Joachim Kändler 1772-1773, for the pavilion by the Sleigh Hills in the park of the Oranienbaum Palace, Lomonossow (Ru)

Lit.: Meissen für die Zaren, Porzellan als Mittel sächsisch-russischer Politik im 18. Jh., exhibition catalogue Dresden 2004, p 112, ill. 169; In November 1772, the Neptune and Thetis group was followed by that of Phoebus Apollo, which – as in the case of the Amphitrite figure – was preceded by a large design draft, and whose production took until February 1773. Apollo was also worshipped as Helios and counted among the seven planets, in whose company he is also found in the "Great Russian Commission". He was followed by Luna in August 1773, Mars in November 1773, Venus January 1774, Mercury 1774, Saturn in February and March 1774, whereas the personification of Jupiter was only created by Acier after Kändler's death.