MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART FOUNTAIN PEN, HOMAGE TO LUDWIG II. Body in white and blue lacquer, with

MONTBLANC PATRON OF ART FOUNTAIN PEN, HOMAGE TO LUDWIG II.
Barrel in white and blue lacquer, with details and ornamentation in rose gold.
Limited edition. Item no. 2477/4810.
Nib in 18 kts. rose gold. F point.
Screw cap. Piston loading.
Presents box and original documentation. Brand new.
Dimensions: 15 cm (length) x 18 mm (diameter), 23 x 13 x 4.5 cm (case).
As part of its ongoing support of art and culture around the world, Montblanc has recognised the exceptional contributions of today's patrons of the arts since 1992 with the Montblanc Award for Culture. To coincide with the Award, a unique limited edition writing instrument inspired by a historical patron is commissioned each year to honour contemporary patrons. The latest edition of Montblanc Maecenas celebrates the extraordinary life and cultural legacy of Ludwig II of Bavaria (25 August 1845 - 13 June 1886), known as the "Swan King" or the "King of Fairy Tales". As Richard Wagner's patron, he made possible the creation of the composer's greatest works, such as Tristan and Isolde, Die Meistersinger and Parsifal. In addition to his support for music and theatre, King Ludwig II devoted himself to the construction of extraordinary palaces, such as the fairytale Schloss Neuschwanstein, a dramatic Romanesque fortress decorated with scenes from Wagner's operatic masterpieces.
A recurring motif throughout the king's life, the swan, is the central design theme of the Maecenas Limited Edition 4810 Homage to Ludwig II, featuring a special translucent lacquer and guilloche cap underneath, emulating white feathers, and a champagne-coloured gold-plated clip in the shape of the long neck and head of an elegant aquatic bird. In contrast to the hood, the blue of the translucent lacquer barrel reflects the blue of the official royal portrait of Ludwig II, as well as the blue of the pillars inside the throne room at Neuschwanstein. The shape of the royal crown on the upper part of the hood and the letters engraved on the gold cone are inspired by the royal seal of the Bauer monarch. In homage to the opera that started the young Ludwig II on his journey to patronage, the gold-plated hood is engraved with "WWV 75", the opus from Wagner's opera Lohengrin about the Swan Knight sent on a swan boat to rescue a maiden, with a round-cut red synthetic stone in the ring. The solid gold Au750 nib of the fountain pen is decorated with an engraving of the fairytale castle Neuschweinstein.
Ludwig II's passion for creating poetic havens and refuges in which to escape from the real world earned him the nickname "King of the Fairies". With its bird and floral motifs, the skeletonised design of the Mecenas Limited Edition 888 Homage to Ludwig II is inspired by wall paintings in Neuschwanstein's luxurious throne room. The intricate Au750 solid gold overlay features a cut-out design that allows the translucent white lacquer to show through underneath, finely matched with a platinum-plated swan-shaped clip and engraved decorated fittings. Evoking the opulent surroundings that the king created in each of his palaces, the cap ring is fitted with a round-cut ruby, while the Montblanc emblem on the top of the cap is made of precious mother-of-pearl.
As complex and complex as the spectacular fairy-tale castles of King Ludwig II, the Patron of Art Limited Edition 40 Homage to Ludwig II combines the technical virtuosity of the Métiers d'Art with some of the most precious materials.