Yeah, it’s Friday! Got anything special happening today?
I thoroughly enjoy researching the items I find in my foraging in part so that I might write a more accurate description when I list the item and also because I love discovering the history of said item.
Today was a bit of a revelation for me. These adorable little coasters by M. I. Hummel made my heart warm and my eyes tear.
There’s probably very few people out there who haven’t seen some of Hummel’s work either as some type of print/picture or in figurine shape. But these children leave an impression.
But perhaps you’ll shake your head and wonder ‘was she born under a rock?’ but seriously … I had no idea this was the work of a woman, make that Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel.
A prolific artist from childhood, (Berta) Hummel continued her art after joining the Church and with the Mother Superior’s consent, had her art made into figurines by Franz Goebel who owned a porcelain factory.
Her art was greatly favored throughout Europe. Then, the dark clouds of war formed. Hitler despised her art denouncing the depiction of German children with “hydrocephalic heads”. The Nazi authorities allowed Hummel to work but they banned the distribution of her art in Germany.
Eventually, the Nazi’s seized the Convent, expelling all but a handful of the community. They were allowed no income and gradual deprivation and starvation ensued. Hummel was diagnosed with tuberculosis and died at the age of 37 in 1946.
But her art came home with the returning G.I.s and America fell in love with the Sister’s ‘children’.
What a tragic story of an immense talent. I will never see her work the same. Still, I love how history preserves such special people and through items as mundane as coasters we can pay homage to these flickering stars that bring us the beauty of life captured in a moment.
This is a very nice set of 6 coasters. They have tough acrylic fronts…
…and protective cork on the back.
These coasters were made by Pimpernel, a company known for their quality.
This set would make a particularly nice gift. Here’s the link to my shop Old Raven on Etsy – and these adorable coasters:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/757191006/hummel-coaster-set-6-original-art?ref=shop_home_active_1
Have a great Friday and a long, enjoyable weekend. – Kriss
Old Raven Creates 