Peasant Woman, 1740-1750. The official Saxon porcelain factory at Meissen not only introduced the manufacture of true, hard-paste porcelain to Europe but also popularized the creation of small porcelain sculptures to be used primarily as dining table decorations. Realistic subjects based on contemporary life were introduced in the 1740s. J. J. Kaendler was the most famous of several modelers who worked at the Meissen factory.