Hildegard Günzel – Another Coup

by Pam North

	Last year was an exciting one for Hildegard Günzel. Just when it didn't seem that she could outdo last year's offerings, she has stunned the doll world once more with her exquisite renderings of irresistible little personalities. Her striking one-of-a-kind portraits in her “Circle of Seasons” collection were covered in the last Dolls issue, and included Spring (40.5”), long blonde-haired, and fresh in creamy tones with her fluffy poodle; Summer (37”), with blonde flowing locks and sweeping picture hat, holding her sweet cocker spaniel; Autumn (42”), red-haired, dressed in her tawny-toned, country-styled dress, and accompanied by her sleek greyhound; and Winter (40”), with her long, single blonde braid, Russian-inspired gown, fur hat, and carrying her stick-doll. All have human hair wigs, deep-toned, blown-glass eyes, and are elegant visions of the four seasons of the year, as interpreted by Günzel. 
	She since has introduced her 2015 “Bliss of Harmony” collection of limited-edition dolls,  deftly executed in porcelain with wax overlay, and all with human hair wigs and blown-glass eyes.. Each is a beautifully-winning vignette of innocence and charm, and includes nine unique personalities.  Philoméne (sitting size 21.5”), and Antoine (41.5”) are a dramatic pair, each in an edition of 10, in the “Menuet Fantastique” theme, and have white human hair, green glass eyes, are dressed in elegant silk period costumes, and carry their own musical instruments. Soléne (39.5”), an edition of 15, has ginger brown human hair in a braid under her whimsical unicorn hat, brown glass eyes, and is dressed in a two-piece silk taffeta dress. The remaining dolls are each an edition of 20: the two blondes are sun-hatted, wavy-haired Siobhan (34”), and Fabienne (23”) with her stylish updo and her Bru-style doll; exotic Asian Araya (38”) with black, bobbed hair and startling blue eyes; dark-brown-haired Harper (34”); and Willow (37”) and Ivy (35.5”), both sweetly somber-faced and sporting bows in their ginger-brown-hair.
	In addition, Günzel is featuring a small array of five resin dolls for 2015, which include Inka, (32”), Marta (36”), Shani (31.5”), Marei (25”), and Bettina (32.5”). 
	Adding to the drama and pressure of trying to get all her wonderful dolls produced for 2015 was the simultaneous process of shutting down her factory and doll museum in Duisburg-Rheinhausen, Germany, and moving the entire enterprise to another location in that same city. The new facility encompasses 425 square meters (almost 4,500 square feet), and the exhibition area features one of the largest displays of modern doll art. The new building is exactly what she wanted, and it has the convenience of being closer to her home for an easier commute.
	What inspired her to create dolls? When asked that question, Günzel replied that she saw a collection of antique dolls 40 years ago, and she became completely fascinated with them, as so many dolls had been destroyed in Europe during World War II. At a fair for antique dolls in Frankfurt, she saw her first bowl of porcelain, which prompted her to make her first mold. An unfortunate omission of mold release made it impossible for her to retrieve the doll from the mold, so the would-be doll was lost. Günzel says she made her first doll in 1972, commenting with a chuckle that, “It was ugly, and, of course, it didn't sell.” Luckily, she refused to give up, however, or her legendary doll artistry might never have happened. Such are the failures and disappointments of doll artists as they go through their learning process.
	Gunzel loves the difficult three-dimensional aspects of doll making, and bringing to life the many visions in her mind. Having been a fashion designer earlier in her career, she loves materials in all their many varieties. She relishes experimenting with their range of textures, weights, soft tints, and rich hues to render the intricate, elaborate costuming effects that are the hallmarks of her dolls. Her dolls radiate quality and attention to detail. She designs all her dolls in porcelain, and she likes the effect of the added wax layer over the porcelain, saying that “it looks like skin”. From her initial molds in porcelain, some of her dolls are cast in resin in China. She even has created vinyl dolls for play.
	When asked if she had a specific doll among her many creations of which she was most proud, she replied, “Every doll I make is my favorite.”	
	Günzel's talents go beyond her superb doll making. “Every two years I go to Salzburg, and study sculpture with Judy Fox. “I like to work in another field,” she said, and superb bronze statues result from her endeavors there. “I see them as figurines,” she said, and describes a finished creation as “freezing a moment in time.”  
	Günzel will have celebrated her 70th birthday on April 17, and will be attending the International Doll Show in Asheville, NC from June 5th-7th. She hasn't been to the United States for a quite a while, and she has received many emails from collectors who are excitedly  looking forward to meeting her.	
	Günzel is ever secretive about her plans for future dolls, preferring to give out information only just before her newest collection is ready for sale. She did tease with a couple of comments suggesting that there might be three dolls with turning heads, and  since she will become a grandmother in September, the new family addition might inspire her to create a special toddler doll in the future. She also commented that while she already had done Sleeping Beauty as a 5-year-old child, sometime she would like to do an older version of that beloved fairytale character. Who knows what is yet to come – even a Günzel Repunzel perhaps? Whatever she chooses to design, each is its own special masterpiece.

Contact Information:
Telephone: 011 49 203 93556375
Email: design@hildegardguenzel.com
Website: http://www.hildegardguenzel.com/