Faustina Bordoni and Fox 1738 - 1748

This porcelain sculpture, made by the Meissen Manufactory, depicts the singer Faustina Bordoni with an unusual accompanist. Rather than a human, a fox sits at the keyboard, its paws poised to play. The fox, a symbol of cunning and deception, takes on a satirical twist here. In folklore, the fox often outwits its prey, but here it is domesticated, performing a cultured act. Consider how the fox-as-musician mirrors images of monkeys engaging in human activities, the so-called singerie, dating back to medieval times. The bestial musician undermines the supposed sophistication of human endeavors. The raised hand of Bordoni is a theatrical gesture, expressing deep feeling through the universal language of body. These hand gestures of performers, often highly stylized, connect to those found on ancient Greek and Roman sculptures and, in a cyclical progression, have resurfaced through time, evolving and taking on new meanings in each historical context.