Hummel Figurines

One girl's drawings inspired the world

The story behind M.I. Hummel figurines is suited for books and movies without any fictional embellishments.

The humble heroine

A girl named Berta Hummel from rural Bavaria started her journey in a small village. Born to a large family, with a father who stifled his own dreams of being an artist to provide for hungry mouths, Berta had the makings of a classic tale come true.

Her Catholic mentors noticed Berta's creative skills and insisted she be sent to the Institute of English Sisters, Marienhoehe, a boarding school with rigorous artistic training. Berta's father consented.

Artistic journey

Fostered by the strict discipline under the Sisters, Berta was dedicated to her professional studies at the Academy of Applied Arts in Munich. She befriended two Sisters and entered the Convent of Siessen after graduating top of the Spring Class of 1931.

Along with labor and spiritual duties, Berta, then Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel, applied her skills to book illustrations and art cards to support the Convent. The porcelain firm W. Goebel Porzellanfabrik wanted to share her vision.

Faith and dedication to authenticity

Franz Goebel and Sister Hummel worked together to preserve her works' originality, from drawings to sculptures, and guarantee that the royalties went to the Convent. The figurines were a hit and survived World War II (and charmed American G.I.s). When Sister Hummel died from a lung ailment in 1946, Goebel decided to continue creating figurines based off her art with the same vital, spiritual spark.

Today, a sculptor's finished model is still presented before the Artistic Board at the Convent of Siessen. Creation takes weeks and may involve as many as 700 hand operations and quality-control checks to ensure that the imagination, discipline, and faith embodied by a Bavarian girl still touch her figurines today.