These beautiful limited edition hand-painted porcelain skulls are from Germany’s Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory, one of the finest manufacturers of porcelain in the world. Limited to 25 a piece, these five richly painted white skulls are collectible objets d’art that felt appropriate to share given Halloween is only 10 days away. Not to mention how scary the prices are.
Hand-painted Porcelain Skulls
Nymphenburg prides themselves on the beauty of pure handicraft since as far back as 1747 and is considered state of the art for culinary arts and interior solutions. In addition to their dinnerware, they often have limited editions of special pieces, such as the time they recruited 16 famous fashion designers to repaint their classical figurines.
These pieces are part of the brand’s Memento Mori collection which also includes all-white and all-black bisque skulls.
Every fine brushstroke is applied by hand without a stencil and some are embellished with 24k gold paint.
Skull Edition, Peacock Feather (limited to 25)
The following descriptions are courtesy of Nymphenburg.
Inspired by the magnificent plumage of the paradisiacal bird, the porcelain painters transfer the rich variety of colors of individual feathers to the life-size skull made of white glazed porcelain. In addition to the skull itself, the decor continues the vanitas motif, as the peacock embodies vanitas – vanity. It also symbolizes resurrection and thus refers to paradise. A hopeful still life in which the lively play of colors from delicate painting in lush green and radiant blue with details made of shiny gold complements an extravagant work of art.
Family: Memento Mori
Decor: peacock feather Details: Porcelain, glazed, richly painted
Dimensions: 6.3″ x 6.3″ x 5″ (16 x 16 x 13 cm)
Price: $6151.99 USD (5,280 euros)
Skull Edition, Voyage (limited to 25)
The three-dimensional still life with the title “Voyage” thematizes the transience of everything earthly. All skulls are painted as unique pieces with different sections of the world map The compass as a navigational instrument is particularly detailed and precise. The extravagant line composition made of 24-carat fine gold evokes associations with journeys to distant lands and the associated longings of mankind to discover the world and its treasures.
Family: Memento Mori
Decor: Voyage Details: Porcelain, glazed, richly painted
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 13 cm
Price: $6151.99 USD (5,280 euros)
Skull Edition, Hummingbird (Limited Edition 25 pieces)
It is small, strong, fast and inspires our thoughts: the Colibri, symbol of strength, love and a positive future. With 40 to 50 wing beats per second, this bird is one of the most agile creatures on earth the smallest representative of his guild measures just six centimeters – including beak and tail feathers. For the “Skull Edition”, the porcelain painters of the manufactory immortalized a colibri with flowers on the handcrafted skull for the first time in 2016. The elaboration of the fine, iridescent plumage testifies to the skill of the porcelain painters Especially since every fine brushstroke is applied by hand without a stencil.
Family: Memento Mori
Decor: Kolibri Details: Porcelain, glazed, richly painted
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 13 cm
Price: $6151.99 USD (5,280 euros)
Skull Edition, Onyx (limited to 25)
This skull celebrates the stone of happiness and health with a precious onyx made of 24-carat fine gold, ocher, walnut brown and the bright yellow of Naples. At the same time, it is contemporary, designed by Prof. Karsten Krebs in homage to Hamlet – Shakespeare’s tragic hero who had enigmatic and metamorphosis in mind.
Family: Memento Mori
Decor: Onyx Details: Porcelain, glazed, richly painted
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 13 cm
Price: $6151.99 USD (5,280 euros)
Skull Edition, Turtle (limited to 25)
Sea turtles are ambassadors of longing vacation paradises: Bali, Tahiti or the Fijis, the Australian Great Barrier Reef or the Bahamas. With the help of the paddle-like extremities, the subtropical sea creatures glide gently through the turquoise blue water. The Nymphenburg porcelain painters captured precisely that moment for the Skull Edition “Turtle” with fine squirrel hair brushes on porcelain. The seemingly incident rays of the sun let the richly decorated armor of the small, streamlined body shimmer in fantastic colors: blue and green tones, rose and violet, turquoise and fine shades of gray – the artisans drew from the rich spectrum to be able to represent the luminous diversity in such a multifaceted way of the in-house color laboratory.
Family: Memento Mori
Decor: Turtle Details: Porcelain, glazed, richly painted
Dimensions: 16 x 16 x 13 cm
Price: $6151.99 USD (5,280 euros)
Purchase the hand-painted skulls here.
Follow Nymphenburg on IG @porzellanmanufakturnymphenburg
