Impetuous Lover 1738 - 1748

The Meissen Manufactory, active since 1710, crafted this porcelain sculpture, entitled 'Impetuous Lover'. It encapsulates the Rococo era's fascination with theatricality. The scene features a Harlequin figure, attempting to woo a woman, while her companion gestures in protest. Gender and class dynamics are at play here. Harlequin, a figure from the commedia dell'arte, often represented the lower classes, his advances on the woman, likely of a higher social standing, introduce themes of desire, class tension, and social transgression. The sculpture's delicate porcelain belies the drama of the scene. The tension is palpable, the moment of pursuit frozen in clay. It invites us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in courtship. It prompts us to question the roles we play in these social dramas.