What is still on my mind after my Dresden trip and visit to Grünes Gewölbe is a tiny porcelain squirrel acquired by Augustus the Strong.
The message about this statuette kept my attention. In those days of wars and conquests this rather extravagant monarch got an interest for this minute clever and crafty animal which seems coming from the forest in this luxurious display of miniatures. Simplicity versus worthless Baroque Dinglinger jewellery art?
I kept wondering at this statuette which was true to life and so minute.
I am fond of minute objects too. When I retired I bought myself a tiny tea-set made in Germany to put in my 'collection'... probably because my Mother, who was an expert at knitting, made fantastic clothes each Christmas for rather small cellluloid baigneurs which looked almost like babies but I had to give them away as presents each following Christmas at the Salvation Army stand on La Canebière... among tiny plastic furniture and tiny dolls also wearing Mum- made outfit... offered to me by my busy Mum when I was ill, but she wanted me to be charitable so I had to share my toys, though we were rather poor ourselves ... but so rich in our hearts! From Shanghaï I got back tiny wooden furniture to display on a painted wooden frame among cloisoné minute vases... useless and cheap ....I also selected minute objects for a tiny garden in Chinese style, and I realised how they are fond of miniature things which are so cheap at the Insect market!
My 'collection' does not have any particular meaning.
The Little squirrel displayed in the Neues Grüne vault has an important meaning which has also a value now, in these dreadful days of utter violence because of religious intolerance from some, on others.
Just before Christmas for so many of us, yesterday, there was a massacre in a school in Pakistan. The horror of this act is unbearable.
The message delivered by the squirrel has a universal meaning, symbolising"'the primarity of dexterity over brute force".
Season 's Greetings to all my faithful readers and my blogger friends, Willym, Eyes, An , Smorgy without forgetting Il Diavolo from Italy ! Peace and happiness from my tiny garden without a miniature squirrel, yet.
And Greetings to you too, Yvette. Thank you so much for your lovely accounts of your travels which are so important to those who cannot attend these events.
ReplyDeleteyes, very warm greetings to you too Yvette! while i was traversing France last week i thought how great it was that you took me through lots of bus/train trips which allowed me to navigate the system quite better during my sprinting :-) . i'm making at attempt to see Ms. Harteros in feb, hope that works out, and hopefully we'll run into each other again very soon! -td
ReplyDelete