Augarten Wien Austria Courbette Spanish Riding School Horse & Rider Figurine

This is a very fine porcelain figurine of a horse and rider titled Courbette, one in a series of 8 Spanish Riding School figurines from the Vienna Porcelain Manufactory, Augarten in Wein.
This series of figurines was created by Albin Dobrich. This porcelain piece is in excellent condition with no chips, cracks, losses or repairs.
On one side of the base is written Courbette-Spanische Reitschule and on the other is Hofburg Wien. Made in Austria.
One of a famous series of figurines depicting dressage stances from "The Spanish Riding School " created in 1925 by artist, Professor Albin Dobrich. Typical Art -Deco period style piece ,it shows the combination of different geometrical forms in one composition.
The dressage stance shown here is called "Courbette", one of the various leaping movements that exist. The Courbette is a movement where the horse balances on its hind legs and jumps, keeping its forelegs off the ground, thus it "hops" on its hind legs.
The rider is riding "The Lipizzaner " regarded as the oldest classic horse breed in Europe, bred since 1570 to supply the Hapsburg Empire with cavalry and show horses. The stallion here has wonderful detail - the hair on the horse's fetlocks, veins, stitching on the saddle, intricate reins.
The rider is well done as well , dressed in brick-orange coat with cold trimming he has beige pants and high black boots on, armed with a sword and wearing a triangle shaped black hat trimmed with gold.
Produced by "Augarten" which is the successor to the Royal Vienna Porcelain Factory - each figure is a miniature work of art in its own right. In contrast to machine-fabricated chinaware, every single step of production of these figures - from mixing the paste to finishing the wares - is carried out by hand.

The "Courbette" group consists of 68 different single pieces in order to achieve the greatest degree of plasticity. The attention to detail and the craftsmanship involved in forming one figurine was a painstaking process but resulted in unsurpassed pieces of quality which have become highly collectible.
The oval base has gold painted rims, and has 2 inscriptions. One side reads "Hofburg Wien " and the other reads ""Courbette Spanische Reitschule". Hallmarked (base) by "Augarten Wien Austria" with Augarten blue shield/crown mark.

Number "80" is inscribed on the base. Number 80 indicates that the figure was painted by Erik Selinek, who worked at the factory between 1963 -1985 .

Size: Height 11.50" x Length 9 3/8" by Width 3.75"
Weight:

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