Figure of the Day: A West Pans Romantic Group, 1764-1770

Figural Group and Candle Holder
West Pans Factory
Scotland, 1764-1770
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A work of soft-paste porcelain, oil gilded, this figural group is the work of the West Pans Factory in Scotland.  It was made between 1764 and 1770.

The group depicts a pair of young lovers, under a wreathed, semi-circular arbor surrounded by blooming trees and roses.  The stems twist to form a handle and, at the top, is a convenient taper holder.  

Beautiful and functional, it's a perfect representation of the handsome work of Scottish porcelain factories of the middle-late Eighteenth Century.

The Victoria & Albert Museum

Sculpture of the Day: The Sense of Smell, c. 1752

The Sense of Smell
Derby Porcelain Factory

Modeled by Agostino Carlini (1713-1790) for the Derby Porcelain Factory between 1752 and 1755, this figure group of soft-paste porcelain is gilded and painted with enamels. The group comes from a series which depicted the senses. This one represents the sense of smell and depicts a woman holding a nosegay. She looks away from a curiously-bald child on a stool. The child is reaching for a flower to add to those already clipped. 

Figure of the Day: Two Putti with Grapes, 1762-1770

Figure Group
French, c. 1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

The work of the French Crépy-en-Valois Porcelain Factory, this figure group depicts two blond puttis seated face-to-face. Each one is holding a bunch of grapes. Figures like this one were designed to represent the seasons. Typically, those holding grapes denoted Autumn.

The soft-paste group, painted in enamels, was made between 1760 and 1770.

The underside is marked “D.C.O.” Interestingly, the enamel that we see on this figure is a later addition. For years, the piece was attributed to Mennecy, however, that attribution was amended when it was noticed that the figures had been re-fired with newer enameling.

The Home Beautiful: A Figure of Caritas, c. 1759

Caritas
Germany, 1759
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Fürstenberg, Germany (presumably where the family of Diane is von), this figure group of hard-paste porcelain depicts a woman wearing a head-cloth and a flowered smock. Seated upon the sort of Rococo base one would expect from a German figure of the 1750s, the woman is nursing a child while other children are flitting about in various stages of dress. The group obviously is meant to represent Caritas (Charity). It’s the work of the Fürstenberg Porcelain Factory’s chief modeler Johann Christoph Rombrich and dates to about 1759. 

Figure of the Day: A Victorian Fairing, 19th C.

Fairing
German, 1887
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Fairings were so-called because they were given out as prizes and souvenirs at Victorian fairs. These porcelain trinkets were often made in Germany for the English market. Here’s another great example of a Nineteenth Century fairing.

The body of this piece is made of white porcelain which has been coated with a brilliant, shiny glaze. The base is typical of these objects—a moulded rectangle fitted with scrollwork at the reverse.

These objects often depicted comical scenes. The group here depicts two women in sporting dress, each on a bicycle. They are about to collide, prompting the caption:A dangerous encounter. 
This fairing is marked :

'1887', 'OM', 'I'

Like most fairings, this one was made in Germany. Many German porcelain concerns had lines of inexpensive fairings, but certainly the most prolific was Conta and Boehme of Pössneck in Saxony.

The firm was established in 1790, specializing in small porcelain pieces such as dolls' heads and, from about 1855-1860, in these fairground trinkets. The subject matter of the figural groups varied from the most innocent (children, pigs, dogs, simple puns) to the frankly ribald (naughty frolics and dirty jokes). Sometimes, the figures would lampoon contemporary politics or society with caricatures or scenes which were considered timely or humorous. The ladies on their bicycles that we see here are demonstrative of that theme.

Sculpture of the Day: Falstaff in the Laundry, 1850

Parian Group
"The Merry Wives of Windsor"
Worcester, 1850
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Parian ware, as we know, is the unglazed development of biscuit porcelain. The medium became very popular after the Staffordshire firm of Copeland and Garrett introduced it in 1842 as a medium for busts, statuettes and reliefs.

Several different British pottery concerns marketed the medium under a different name but “Parian” remained the generic term after Minton used “Parian” to suggest Paros, the Greek island which supplied a lot the marble used for Classical statuary. Now, to be sure, Parian ware was not inexpensive, however, it was more cost effective than marble, and it gave households the appearance of owning a marble bust or figurine, previously only afforded by the very wealthy.

The Worcester firm, makers of the example we see pictured above, started their production of Parian relatively late in the game. After Worcester launched a range of Parian objects at the Dublin Exhibition in 1853, James Hadley (1837-1903), their chief modeler, created a host of new Parian objects, including the Shakespeare subjects of Lady Macbeth and King Lear. Meanwhile another Worcester modeler, William Boynton Kirk, produced a dozen figural groups based on characters from A Midsummer Night's Dream.

This Worcester piece, dating to about 1850, was most likely modeled by James Hadley (1837-1903) and shows the scene from The Merry Wives of Windsorwhen “Mistresses Page” and Ford humiliate Falstaff in retaliation for his amorous advances by hiding him in a laundry basket which Mrs. Ford's servants, naturally, leave in the river—as one does. The front of the base incised THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: The Fontana Inkstand, c. 1550

Inkstand
Fontana Workshop, c. 1550
This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in the mid-Sixteenth Century, this tin-glazed earthenware inkstand comes from the Fontana Workshop in Urbino, Italy. The inkstand is surmounted by a figure of a young man playing an organ. He is joined by his faithful spaniel who is getting his ear scratched by his master. An inkstand such as this would have been made to appeal to a young gentleman for use in his private study. During this era, a class of urban professional men was developing and many workshops created specialized items to appeal to them. Desk accessories and ink stands were the centerpieces of these collections. Very often, these stands were fitted with compartments for pen, pounce, a paper knife, and scissors. This example once had a sliding drawer which is now missing. 


The scene depicted here shows a fashionable young gentleman dressed in the “uniform” of a nobleman. He sits at an architecturally-designed organ which is being operated by a boy at the reverse operating bellows. The entire group rests on a rectangular stand supported by lion's paws at the corners. At one point in the last five hundred years, the stand was broken, and, then, restored. There’s evidence of restoration to the chair, the brim of the hat, one of the capitals of the organ’s pilasters and the boy’s toes and bellows. 

Figure of the Day: A Chinese “Pagod,” 1760

Pagod
Nymphenburg
1740-1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A “pagod” is, essentially, an idol. Here, we see a Chinese pagod of hard-paste porcelain and enamels dating to about 1760. The figure is the central piece of a table group of sixteen chinoiserie figures which was modeled by the great Franz Anton Bustelli for the Nymphenburg Porcelain Factory. The group also features figures of a priest, children and servants. Some are shown playing musical instruments, others are singing while some are shown bowing in worship.

The group was made during a period of great fascination with the orient. Meissen’s Kändler, a favorite of mine, began modeling chinoiserie figures in 1740 and the Nymphenburg factory followed suit.

Figure of the Day: The Pink Umbrella, c. 1773

Figure Group
Frankenthal, Germany
c. 1773
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made by the Frankenthal Porcelain Factory of Germany around 1773, this hard-paste porcelain figure group is the work of modeler Konrad Linck. 

The group, painted in enamel colors, depicts a Chinese man and woman. The man lies beside a tall vessel composed of overlapping palm leaves. His companion leans against this vase, shielding her face with a pink umbrella. The base shows Rococo influence with its relief mound of plants and cabbages.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Scaramouche and Columbine, 1740

Scaramouche and Columbine
Meissen Porcelain Factory
Germany, 1740
The Victoria & Albert Museum

I’ve always enjoyed Meissen porcelain figures and I’m especially fond of the work of one of their chief modelers, Johann Joachim Kändler (1706-1775) who was responsible for a monumental and diverse range of figures.

In my opinion, some of the most attractive of Kändler’s figures were those which he based on the Commedia dell’Arte. These porcelain figurines and groups were made, in many cases, for export to France where, in the Seventeenth Century, the fashion for adoring the dining table with porcelain figures during the dessert course was especially en vogue. This figure group depicts the Commedia dell’Arte characters of Scaramouche and Columbine. Made in 1740, the figures of hard-paste porcelain shows the famed couple embracing. Columbine holds a bird cage, showing how Scaramouche has captured her heart. The pair of lovers is brilliant with enamel colors in blue, red, gray, yellow, turquoise and white.

Figure of the Day: Three Graces Distressing Cupid, c. 1785

Three Graces Distressing Cupid
William Duesbury & Co.
Derby, England
1785
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A figure group of soft-paste porcelain on an irregular base of modeled flowers and leaves, this is the work of Derby’s William Duesbury & Co and dates to about 1785.

The subject is “Three Graces Distressing Cupid.” Poor Cupid is tied to a tree by his waist. One of the Graces is mocking him by breaking his bow over her knee. Another is pinching him. And, the third is pelting him with flowers. None of that seems very graceful.

Sculpture of the Day: The Meissen Three Graces, c. 1785

The Three Graces
Meissen, 1784-1785
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This handsome figure group depicts the “Three Graces” as known from classical Greek mythology. They are called: Aglaea, Euphrosne and Thalia and they personify charm, beauty and joy (among other interpretations). These young ladies were the companions of Aphrodite, Apollo and Athena.

Made in Meissen, Germany around 1784-17855, the group of hard-paste porcelain is modeled after classical sculptures and murals depicting the subject—specifically one particular sculpture in the collection of Cardinal Borghese in Rome. The cardinal’s sculpture had been restored in the early Seventeenth Century. During this restoration, carved flowers were added to the hands. The sculpture was sketched and painted numerous times.

It is believed that the Meissen Factory’s J.E. Schenau, who ran the Meissen drawing school, sketched the design which was modeled by Christian Gotfried Jüchtzer. The group was so popular and produced in such numbers that, by 1789, the moulds had worn out and needed to be repaired by Jüchtzer. 

Figure of the Day: The Death of Munrow, 1830

The Death of Munrow
Staffordshire, 1830
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Though rather naïve in its modeling, this ceramic sculpture depicts a serious subject--the death of Lieutenant Hugh Monro (Munrow), a young British army officer serving in India, who was mauled by a tiger while picnicking on a hunting trip in 1792. 
Monro's gruesome death is thought to have been the inspiration for the creation of the automaton and mechanical organ called “Tippoo's Tiger” which is one of the V&A's most popular exhibits.  “Tippoo's Tiger” was created for the Indian ruler Tipu Sultan, who was said to have loathed the British so deeply that he commissioned the piece showing the dominance of India over Britain. 
This ceramic Staffordshire group from 1830 mirrors the design of the famed automaton, causing one to conclude that the modeler must have seen images of Tippoos Tiger which was a popular theme for engravings.  


Here, Monro reclines at the feet of the tiger, wholly unaware of his fate.  Monro was  molded from a model for a standing figure of a military hero.  The piece is brightly enameled and labeled as, “THE DEATH OF MUNROW.”  

Sculpture of the Day: The Meissen Three Graces, c. 1785

The Three Graces
Meissen, 1784-1785
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This handsome figure group depicts the “Three Graces” as known from classical Greek mythology. They are called: Aglaea, Euphrosne and Thalia and they personify charm, beauty and joy (among other interpretations). These young ladies were the companions of Aphrodite, Apollo and Athena.

Made in Meissen, Germany around 1784-17855, the group of hard-paste porcelain is modeled after classical sculptures and murals depicting the subject—specifically one particular sculpture in the collection of Cardinal Borghese in Rome. The cardinal’s sculpture had been restored in the early Seventeenth Century. During this restoration, carved flowers were added to the hands. The sculpture was sketched and painted numerous times.

It is believed that the Meissen Factory’s J.E. Schenau, who ran the Meissen drawing school, sketched the design which was modeled by Christian Gotfried Jüchtzer. The group was so popular and produced in such numbers that, by 1789, the moulds had worn out and needed to be repaired by Jüchtzer. 

Figure of the Day: The Tithe Pig, 1765

The Tithe Pig
Derby Porcelain
1765
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figural group by Derby, England’s William Duesbury & Co is entitled “The Tithe Pig.”  A work of soft-paste porcelain, it is painted with enamels, and depicts a farmer's wife offering her baby to a clergyman in payment of tithe (in this instance, a religious contribution of money, but a compulsory one), instead of a pig which is held by her husband.

I suppose in 1765, when this was made, babies were easier to come by than pigs.

Figure of the Day: The Thomas Parr Spill Vase, 1852

The Victoria & Albert Museum

In the early to mid Nineteenth Century, matches were rather costly, and, so, alternative ways of lighting candles (and cigars) were employed. Spills—thin pieces of wood or rolled paper) were kept on the mantle in spill vases. These bud-vase-like pieces allowed for easy access to the spills which were used to transfer fire to other, smaller uses such as candle lighting.

Here, we see a spill vase depicting popular actors Jenny Marston and Frederick Robinson as Perdita and Florizel from Shakespeare’s “A Winter’s Tale.” The couple is standing on a base styled like a mound of earth, behind them is a tree in the shape of a spill vase.

Celebrated Nineteenth Century stage stars were often depicted as ceramic figurines, especially by Staffordshire factories who specialized in molded earthenware portrait figurines. Marston and Robinson were favorite subjects. They are seen here in Scene iii of a revival of “The Winter's Tale,” which was performed at Sadler's Wells Theatre in July of 1851.

Figure of the Day: A Chinese Man and Boy, c. 1766

Figure Group
Germany, 1766
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Made in Ludwigsburg, Germany, this figure group is meant to depict an East Asian man and boy. However, their costumes owe more to European fancy dress than they do actual Asian garments. Created in 1766, this work of hard-paste porcelain painted with enamels and gilding, this piece is one of the early nods to Chinoiserie that made the style so popular.

The bottom of the piece shows an incised mark of “Elbs” which serves to record the name as the workmaster.  The figures were modeled by Joseph Anton Weinmüller (born 1743 - died 1812).  

Figure of the Day: Winter and Spring, 1759-1769

Figure Group
Chelsea, England
1759-1769
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This figure group in soft-paste porcelain, enamels and gilding, depicts a skating man—a representation of Winter—and a woman who gathers flowers into her apron. Of course, she represents Spring. The holly bush behind them, an evergreen, joins them together.

The group, made by the Chelsea Porcelain Factory between 1759 and 1769 demonstrates the fine quality of the masterful porcelain pieces which were produced in England during the mid-Eighteenth Century. Mimicking the French fashion, manufactures such as the Chelsea Factory were able to create exceptional pieces with the brilliant-hued enamels which were so fashionable at the time. In true Rococo style, the base features graceful curves and applied foliage.

This group was a pair with another representing Summer and Autumn.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: Burns and Highland Mary, 1851

Burns and "Highland Mary"
Copeland & Sons, Ltd., 1851
Parian
Purchased by Queen Victoria
and Prince Albert at
The Dublin Exhibition, 1853
Also included were two glass
lamp shades.
The Royal Collection

Ye banks, and braes, and streams around 
The castle o' Montgomery! 
Green be your woods, and fair your flowers, 
Your waters never drumlie: 
There Simmer first unfauld her robes, 
And there the langest tarry; 
For there I took the last Farewell 
O' my sweet Highland Mary. 
--Robert Burns, 1792


With the rise of Parian ware, in the 1850’s, sculpture was becoming something that even the middle classes of Britain could afford. This unglazed biscuit mimicked the look of marble without the expense and was the perfect medium to create both original figures and reproductions of famous artwork.


Queen Victoria and Prince Albert—who had access to all the marbles in the world—were keen collectors of Parian figures because they liked the intimacy of the pieces and the feel of the medium. They allowed makers of Parian ware such as Copeland & Sons to create Parian reproductions of several of their most beloved full-scale marble figures so that others could also enjoy their beauty.

While at the Dublin Exhibition in 1853, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased two Parian figural groups by Copeland & Sons with the intention of making them into lamp bases. This is one of the two groups. Created in 1851, the group depicts the poet Robert Burns with his lady-love, Mary Campbell, who as known as “Highland Mary.” Not only were Victoria and Albert drawn to the medium, they also liked the romantic subject matter—being as they were similarly in love. 

Figure of the Day: Conquer or Die, 1830

Conquer or Die
Staffordshire, England
C. 1830
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This Staffordshire figure group of lead-glazed earthenware is adorned with enamel colors. The group of a man and a woman appear to be fighting over a pair of breeches. They stand in front of a fireplace with a large clock above. Plaques on either side of the seen read: “Conquer or Die” and “Who shall ware the breches (sic).”

This novelty piece refers to a familiar theme which was especially common in English and Dutch comic art as well as the theatre of the day…or, even, this day.