(b Fischbach, 15 June 1706; d Meissen, 17 May 1775). German sculptor and porcelain modeller. He worked in Dresden with the court sculptor Benjamin Thomae (1662–1751) from 1723 and during this period was involved in the decoration of the Grünes Gewölbe in the castle. In 1730 he was appointed court sculptor by Frederick-Augustus I, Elector of Saxony, and in June 1731 was employed at the Meissen Porcelain Factory as a modeller. Initially he worked with Johann Gottlob Kirchner, and, after his departure in 1733, Kändler became Modellmeister and continued the production of the large, white birds and animals for the Elector’s Japanisches Palais in Dresden (e.g. Paduan cockerel, c. 1732; Dresden, Porzellansamml.). For the next 40 years Kändler was the dominant figure in the plastic production at Meissen. His role was one of constant conflict with his colleague Johann Gregorius Höroldt, who was in charge of both the painters’ studio and the kilns. The battle was fought over the surface of the factory’s wares where moulded detail, initially limited to spouts and handles, gradually invaded the surface of the wares thus reducing the flat areas available for the painters to display their skills. The apogee of this style was the ‘Schwanenservice’ created by Kändler with the assistance of Johann Friedrich Eberlein between 1737 and 1741 for Heinrich, Graf von Brühl; the entire surface of each piece was moulded with shells, swans and herons, and the coloured decoration was reduced to a very secondary role (see MEISSEN, fig. 2).

• Kändler, Johann Joachim
  • Dresden, §III, 2: Centre of faience production
  • Germany, §VII, 3(i): Porcelain, before 1880
  • Kandler, Charles
  • assistants
    • Eberlein, Johann Friedrich
  • collaboration
    • Kirchner, Johann Gottlob
    • Meissen, §3(i): Porcelain Factory, before 1800
  • groups and movements
    • Rococo, §III, 1(iv): Holy Roman Empire: Sculpture and porcelain figures
  • patrons and collectors
    • Cross, §III, 1(ii): Altar and processional: Renaissance and after
    • Dresden, §II, 2: Art life and organization, 1697–c 1754
    • Wettin, House of: (8) Frederick-Augustus II, Elector of Saxony
  • works
    • Ornament and pattern, §II, 4(iv): Western Baroque: Elsewhere
    • Statuette, §III, 1(iii): 18th century: Germany
    • Table services and ornament