Madonna with children after design of Berta Hummel also known as Sor María Innocentia

The last day of the year Sergio and I bought several items to Dorita that I will post. The first one is this beautiful plaque, so lovely. It represents the Virgin Mary with her holly children both embracing each one and looking to the other. Wonderful for a sister that was a relevant artist and one of the German people that had the courage of denouncing the discriminatory politic of Hittler http://www.gloria.tv/?media=340915 . Only to very few people it is known that the world famous Hummel figures are based on the paintings and sketches of a Franciscan sister of the Convent in Sießen. Maria Innocentia Berta Hummel was born 1909 in Massing, a small town in the South of Bavaria. In the rural surroundings of her Bavarian homeland she had a happy childhood, together with her 5 brothers and sisters.Through painting and theatre playing her lively imagination found many occasions to be expressed. Early in life her artistic talent was known and promoted. Her parents made it possible for her to study at the art's academy in Munich.
Her manifold talent can be seen in different kinds of art work: portraits, drawings, paintings with watercolours or oil, nature studies, wood carving and textile work ...
A promising career as an artist lay before her. But she decided to become a Franciscan sister. After a very good final exam of her studies she joined the Order of the Franciscan Sisters of Siessen in spring 1931. At the clothing ceremony she received the religious name Sr. Maria Innocentia. She left her art work behind, but in another way she found it again in a new and deeper way: In the school and in the department for liturgical vestments, in many paintings for children and in religious art, wherefore she used pastel or painted in oils. The plaque seems to have been taken from the drawing that you can see in the picture, that was taken, as all this information, from the web site http://www.klostersiessen.de/pages/kunst-und-kultur/kuenstlerinnen/m.-innocentia-hummel/hummelenglish.php
Since 1935 her drawings were used as a base for the "Hummel figurines", which were designed by the W. Goebel porcelain factory in Rödental. Our plaque has the MK-1 The Full Crown (1934-1950). The "wide-crown-WG" trademark was used on the first M.I. Hummel figurines produced in 1935. On the earliest figurines it was incised on the bottom of the base with the "M.I. Hummel" signature on the top or side of the base. Between 1935 and 1955, the company occasionally used a © mark on the side or top of the base of some models. It is seen occasionally to the right of the "M.I. Hummel" signature. The "crown" appears either incised or stamped. When both are used on the same piece it is known as a "double crown" mark. I tried to show the incised mark but it is difficult. From 1946 through 1948 it was necessary to add the stamped words "Made in the U.S. Zone Germany." This mark was used within various types of frames or without a frame, underglazed or stamped over the glaze in black ink. http://www.icollecthummel.com/learn-about/Article.aspx?id=192
The model number is 48 and following the The Complete Hummel Value Guide it is described as Madonna Plaque 4.75x5.75 and its value U$ 425. Fortunately we did not payed this price.