Hobbies And Interests
Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel
Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, the artist who inspired the creation of the Hummel figurine, was born in 1909 as Berta Hummel in Massing, Bavaria. Berta attended the Institute of English Sisters, Marienhoehe, at the age of 12 at the recommendation of her Catholic schoolteachers. This opportunity allowed Berta to attain formal artistic training before attending the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich. The M.I. Hummel website states the sister's favorite subjects to draw were innocently portrayed Bavarian children. In 1931, Berta completed her novitiate and took the name Maria Innocentia. The sister's artwork, which was displayed in books and cards, helped support the Convent of Siessen.
The Porcelain Finery of W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik
Franz Detleff Goebel, a porcelain merchant, started his firm with his son, William, in 1871 in the town of Oeslau, Germany, where there were prime clay deposits. They initially made dinnerware and figurines. Franz eventually sent his 16-year-old son, Max Louis, to the United States to spot new trends in porcelain. According to the M.I. Hummel website, Max Louis worked with Marshall Field and other firms before returning to Oeslau. The firm commissioned some of Europe's fines sculptors and make figurines based on famous works of art.
A Life-Changing Partnership
Knowing the Germans sought a sense of happiness during hard times, Franz came across the idea to make figurines of children. He soon discovered the artwork of Sister Maria Innocentia and traveled to Munich to view more. After a company representative visited the nun, she accepted their offer to form a partnership that would benefit her convent and work to create Hummel figurines began.
Sister Maria worked with the Goebel painters to make sure the colors and decorations on the figurines matched her drawings. On Jan. 9, 1935, she gave Franz the sole manufacturing and distribution rights in exchange for specific requests. She demanded all the royalties go to the Convent of Siessen, Franz's personal supervision of the figurine making, and the right for her to have some controls over the authenticity and decoration of the figurines. This date in January is the official birthday of the figurines and the M.I. Hummel line, according to the M.I. Hummel website.
The 1935 Leipzig Spring Fair
The 1935 Leipzig Spring Fair was a chance for European artists and product developers to show off their works. Franz first displayed the M.I. Hummel line here, and the event proved to attract the public. The product line quickly grew after this event.
The Passing of World War II and a Hummel Creator
The M.I. Hummel website states that World War II slowed down the production of Hummel figurines, but after the war ended, the product became popular on the international market. American soldiers were particularly fond of the figurines, which they purchased from shops across Germany. During the same time, Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel contracted tuberculosis, which eventually took her life in 1946 at age 37.
A New Era for M.I. Hummel
After the war, Goebel expanded and modernized its kilns and techniques. The Hummel figurine, however, remained handcrafted and hand-painted. In 1971, Gobel manufactured a line of Hummel plates and founded the M.I. Hummel Club in 1977. The club expanded internationally by 1989. Hummel figurines are still in production today.