There were dozens of Porcelain Painting Studios operating throughout Germany and Austria in late 19th and early 20th century.
They acquired blank porcelain plaques and plates from KPM, Hutschenreuther and Rosenthal, and had all the necessary
resources and equipment to paint, apply gilding and glaze, and fire these pieces producing some amazing works of art.
One of the most prominent and successful such studios was Franz Xaver Thallmaier (1890-1910). Located in Munich, he
employed a number of talented porcelain painters. Unlike Wagner's shop "specializing" in
portraits after Asti and other Victorian fluff with semi-nude girls and cupids, Franz Xaver
Thallmaier picked more serious genre subjects. The prime course of his menu were female
portraits after Joseph Stieler, especially when it came to "Royal Vienna" style plates. He also
copied Defregger, Thumann and many other popular contemporary artists.
Unfortunately, instead of paint or incision, he used paper labels to "mark" his plaques.
Obviously, such labels often get destroyed or removed over time, which makes it impossible to
identify most of Thallmaier studio's work. But those that survived give us a pretty good idea
about the range and volume produced by this shop. Needless to say that his plaques do carry
either KPM or Hutschenreuther's impressed markings that were applied to the blanks by
manufacturers. It's indeed very important to realize that a KPM or Hutschenreuther mark on
most of the plaques produced in late 19th and early 20th century, merely indicates where the
blank was made, while the plaques were actually decorated by independent artists studios
such as Franz Xaver Thallmaier's.
Unlike porcelain plaques, Franz Xaver Thallmaier applied a painted mark to his plates. It
consisted of a little red picture of an artist's figure usually accompanied by full or abbreviated
name of the studio in black.
All Thallmaier's plates have a rather plain cobalt blue border which suggests that, unlike many
other plate decorating studios, Thallmaier did not employ a skillful gilder in his shop. So his
plates, while always beautifully painted, lack those exquisite borders with raised gilding and
"jewels" that we see so often on other "Royal Vienna" style plates produced during this period
in Germany.
They acquired blank porcelain plaques and plates from KPM, Hutschenreuther and Rosenthal, and had all the necessary
resources and equipment to paint, apply gilding and glaze, and fire these pieces producing some amazing works of art.
One of the most prominent and successful such studios was Franz Xaver Thallmaier (1890-1910). Located in Munich, he
employed a number of talented porcelain painters. Unlike Wagner's shop "specializing" in
portraits after Asti and other Victorian fluff with semi-nude girls and cupids, Franz Xaver
Thallmaier picked more serious genre subjects. The prime course of his menu were female
portraits after Joseph Stieler, especially when it came to "Royal Vienna" style plates. He also
copied Defregger, Thumann and many other popular contemporary artists.
Unfortunately, instead of paint or incision, he used paper labels to "mark" his plaques.
Obviously, such labels often get destroyed or removed over time, which makes it impossible to
identify most of Thallmaier studio's work. But those that survived give us a pretty good idea
about the range and volume produced by this shop. Needless to say that his plaques do carry
either KPM or Hutschenreuther's impressed markings that were applied to the blanks by
manufacturers. It's indeed very important to realize that a KPM or Hutschenreuther mark on
most of the plaques produced in late 19th and early 20th century, merely indicates where the
blank was made, while the plaques were actually decorated by independent artists studios
such as Franz Xaver Thallmaier's.
Unlike porcelain plaques, Franz Xaver Thallmaier applied a painted mark to his plates. It
consisted of a little red picture of an artist's figure usually accompanied by full or abbreviated
name of the studio in black.
All Thallmaier's plates have a rather plain cobalt blue border which suggests that, unlike many
other plate decorating studios, Thallmaier did not employ a skillful gilder in his shop. So his
plates, while always beautifully painted, lack those exquisite borders with raised gilding and
"jewels" that we see so often on other "Royal Vienna" style plates produced during this period
in Germany.
|
| AntiqForum Categories > KPM Plaques > Franz Xaver Thallmaier |
