Drawing of the Day: Punchinellos with Monkey and a Dead Chicken, c. 1795

Click image to enlarge.

Punchinellos with a Monkey on a Donkey Holding a Dead Chicken
Domenico Tiepolo, 1791-1804
The British Museum

We’ve seen the works of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo before and I much enjoy his Punchinello scenes.  But, we've not looked at the work of Domenico Tiepolo previously.  Domenico was the son of Giovanni Battista, and, like his father, the younger Tiepolo gave us many drawings of Punchinellos, often in groups, and often, as a Punchinello is wont to do, up to mischief.

This drawing from 1791 to 1804 depicts a group of Punchinellos with a monkey who’s holding a dead chicken on a donkey. 

I want to reinforce how wonderful this is...

It's PUNCHINELLOS with a MONKEY on a DONKEY and the monkey on the donkey is holding a DEAD CHICKEN.

It's as if all my dreams came true.

I confess, I initially read the title of the drawing as being “Punchinellos with a Dead Monkey.” This is, however, just as intriguing. 

In true Venetian style, beyond the figures, we see a view of a town. Like most of  the Tiepolos' Punchinello drawings, this one is created in pen and brown ink with ochre wash, over black chalk.

Was this a study for a painting? Perhaps. Tiepolo, in this work, shows that he was influenced by German artist Johann Elias Ridinger and his “Paradeis” series. Tiepolo often borrowed figures of animals from Ridinger’s works. If this was intended as a study for a painting, there’s no evidence of the finished product. The British Museum acquired this piece in 1925.

Object of the Day, Museum Edition: A Punchinello, 1750

Punchinello
Bow Porcelain Factory
England, c. 1750
The British Museum

Made in Bow at the Factory of the Bow China Works, this glazed figure of soft-paste porcelain dates to 1750 and depicts Punchinello. He stands, almost in profile, on a shallow, square base. Punchinello’s hunchback is supported by a tree trunk. This bit of the figure is unglazed to contrast the texture of the tree with the shimmer of Mr. Punch. In a way, this serves to make the grayish white figure all the more alive.

Gratuitous Bertie Dog Picture: The Bertie Savante

“I’m simply trying to raise the issue of the Faustian implications of the protagonist’s development.  That, and, I want a cookie.”

Image:  Les Femmes Savantes, 1845, Charles Leslie (1794-1859), Given by John Sheepshanks to The Victoria & Albert Museum.  

You know you want to have a Bertie Dog mug, tee-shirt, tote bag or water bottle. You know you do. So, take a look at our online store. 

Mastery of Design: The Canary Giardinetti, 1730-1760

Giardinetti Ring
1730-1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Since the weather, for most of us, has turned chilly, I thought that today we should look at objects which brought to mind the colors and warmth of spring. What better than a giardinetti (little garden) ring? Such jewels were quite fashionable during the first three quarters of the Eighteenth Century. 

This one, made somewhere in Europe between 1730 and 1760, boasts a gold openwork bezel styled as a flower. The ring is set with a table-cut yellow diamond surrounded by rubies and emeralds. Chased scrolling adorns the openwork shoulders—each of which is set with a twinkling brilliant-cut diamond. 

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.

Sculpture of the Day: Primavera, 1926

Primavera
Louis Richard Garbe, 1926
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Perhaps the most ambitious sculpture undertaken by Louis Richard Garbe (1876-1957), “Primavera” is carved entirely from ivory. It’s a masterful work which shows off Garbe’s skills expertly, featuring a combination of techniques: relief, piercing, architectural carving and free-standing full figures.

This representation of Spring depicts Flora with her attribute of a bouquet of flowers. She’s flanked by columns surmounted by more diminutive figures. One is a man with a lute, the other is a singing female figure. The Sun is represented at the top, merging through the clouds, and just above a frieze of nudes with flowers. The figure of Flora is being overtaken by a relief of the west wind of Spring, Zephyr and a bas relief of a shepherd who gives audience to Pan who is perched in a tree. Pierced adornment of animals and foliage becomes obvious when studying the gilt background.

Garbe created this piece at a time when ivory carving was not in favor. The fashion for ivory had diminished considerably toward the start of the 20th Century, and, by 1926, when Garbe made “Primavera,” “The Studio,” Magazine had already declared twenty years earlier that the only suitable use for the medium was for 'billiard balls, false teeth and cutlery.”

Yet Garbe persevered and is considered as a pioneer in reviving the art of ivory carving. His ivory pieces, starting in 1924, were displayed regularly at the Royal Academy.

Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square, Chapter 211

Chapter 211
Family Bonds 

“Thank you for agreeing to see me,” Orpha smiled at Lady Constance. “I know it must be difficult for you, in this, your time of mourning.”

Lady Constance scowled. “Your letter sounded so…plaintiff and urgent. I still wonder why I’m here. I suppose I was curious. What should I call you, Miss? You’re not really Ellen Barrett.”

“My name is Orpha Polk.”

“Why did you send for me, Miss Polk?” Lady Constance asked softly.

“I’ve been very busy of late.” The former Ellen Barrett sighed.

“Being resurrected can be quite taxing, I’ve heard.” Lady Constance sniffed.

“Yes.” Orpha smiled. “As can committing murder.”

“So I understand,” Lady Constance nodded.

“I don’t wish to bore you, Lady Constance. So, I shall try to be as brief as possible. Since the Duke of Fallbridge has been reunited with his true half-sister and since my little scheme to deceive him failed, I’ve had some time to think about my behavior of the last few years.”

“And?”

“I wasn’t as clever as I thought.”

“Few of us are.” Lady Constance replied. “How does this concern me?”

“I’ve always been looking for comfort.” Orpha continued. “The life of a girl in a workhouse lacks a certain amount of comfort.”

“I can imagine.”

“Having no family is also tiresome.”

“Family is often over-rated.” Lady Constance shrugged.

“That rather depends on the family, doesn’t it?” Orpha smiled. “During my childhood, I was aware that I had a brother. But, we’d been taken from each other. I longed for him. I…”

“You decided that if you were to have a brother, it ought to be a wealthy one? So, you set your eyes on the ‘mad” Duke.”

“Not exactly.” Orpha shook her head. “I only decided that when the opportunity presented itself. When the true Ellen Barrett learned of her parentage, I seized the opportunity. It seemed the only way to reach my ultimate dream.”

“Which was? Wealth? Position? Power?”

“Somewhat. I’d not turn my nose up at any of those things. However, they were just a path to realizing my true ambition.”

“Yes?”

“Being reunited with my family.”

“You’ve just said you have no family. That you’d been taken from them.”

“Near me.” Orpha said firmly.

“Again, Miss Polk, what has any of this to do with me?”

“I know you murdered your mother, the Countess Hamish.” Orpha smiled.

“You know nothing of the sort.”

“Come now, Lady Constance, have you forgotten to whom you’re speaking? I was there! I have ties to the whole sordid series of events. I set them in motion, in fact. You should thank me. Were it not for the stage which I set for you, you’d not have had a chance to realize one of your own dreams.”

“Why would I kill my own mother?” Lady Constance growled. “Doing so essentially separates me from my wealth. The entail insists that my rightful inheritance be given to the next male heir. My mother’s death only hurts me.”

“And, that’s your excuse. That’s your claim to innocence. But, it’s not the Hamish wealth which motivates you. We both know that you’re hardly destitute. You’ve a handsome trust from your late father. You will live in luxury until your end.”

Lady Constance raised her eyebrows.

“There was something much more important which motivated you that night. As I said, I dressed the stage. Finlay and I had already left a trail of blood. You saw your chance to rid yourself of that vicious burden, your mother. Furthermore, you had a chance to upset Lady Gertrude. That was just an extra bit of luck, but one, I’m sure you enjoyed as you saw her discover the mutilated corpse of her old friend.”

“Keep your voice down.” Lady Constance hissed.

“Am I mistaken?”

Lady Constance remained silent.

“Even more so important was the next phase of your scheme. You wanted the Baron Lensdown to take the blame for the murder. However, that didn’t quite work out for you. Did it?”

“Is he in prison?”

“No.” Orpha shook her head.

“Then, obviously not.”

“Dear Lady Constance, you needn’t blush…”

“I’m not.” Constance snapped.

“I know of your association with the Baron. I know also how foul he can be.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“He’s quite treacherous. How did he manage to wriggle his way out of your demand?”

“He made his position clear to me.” Lady Constance replied.

“He threatened you, then?” Orpha nodded. “He’s quite good at it. I know how dangerous he can be. Sometimes I loved him for it. Other times, I tried to think of anything else. For a time, I’d actually begun to forget who I really was. I’d begun to feel that I really was Ellen Barrett, and that poor, poor, lunatic man—Roger—was my family. You know, of course, what the baron did to Roger.”

“I know.” Lady Constance nodded. “I know of all of his past associations. Including you and the Scotch footman.”

“I know of them, too.” Orpha winked. “I know also of your daughter. I believe you call her Fern.”

“What do you know of it?” Lady Constance hissed.

“Much.” Orpha sighed. “More than I ever wished to. You see, I saw the baron earlier. He told me that you claim Fern is his child. Is she?”

“Of course.” Lady Constance narrowed her eyes. “So, you continue your association with the blackguard.”

“To my own ends,” Orpha shook her head. “I shall explain in a moment. My dear, I’m really only trying to be your friend. I know what you’ve endured better than anyone could ever understand it. You wanted a name for your child. But, your mother, the Countess, just wanted to be rid of her, I presume. A family embarrassment. Wasn’t it her wish to see the Duke of Fallbridge adopt the girl?”

“Yes.” Constance replied angrily. “I couldn’t have that. I…”

“So, you rid yourself of the problem.” Orpha winked again. “I would, too.”

Lady Constance shook her head. “What do you want of me?”

“An ear to listen. A shoulder upon which to lean. Constance, we’ve much to offer one another. We’ve survived so many of the same things.”

“Just because we shared a lover once…”

“The father of our children.” Orpha whispered.

“Our…”

“I, too, have a child. A boy. Lensdown is his father. My boy is not as…he’s not as pretty as your Fern.”

“Where is he?”

“In a special place where he can be cared for.”

“Cared for? Is he ill?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

“What ails him?”

“Much.” Orpha answered. “He’s a monster. It was to be expected.”

“Why?”

“The child of a brother and sister is often a monster.” Orpha replied.

“I…I don’t understand.” Lady Constance pushed away from the table.

“Victor Geddes…the man who became the Baron Lensdown, the man who turned Roger Barrett into a madman, the man who has tortured both of us and countless others—he is my brother. He was born Victor Polk. Geddes was the name of the family who took him in.”

“Your brother?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you known this?”

“I’ve always known.” Orpha smiled. “I’ve known since the day we were separated. I, sent to one workhouse, he another. I came out to be what I am. And, he, the same. We’re both frauds in one way or another.”

“And, yet, you…you…”

“Oh, yes.” Orpha nodded.

“Did he know? Does he know that…that you’re his sister?”

“No. Though I don’t think it would have stopped him.”

“How? How could you have…”

Orpha sighed. “I suppose I’m just a bit mad myself. You can use that to your advantage, Lady Constance. You’re not mad. You were trapped. You did what was needed to free yourself and your little Fern. That’s strength, some would say, but not madness.”

“You are. You are mad.” Lady Constance shook her head.

“Well, sometimes it serves me well.” Orpha nodded. “It can do the same for you, too.”

“How? Why?”

“For our children. Don’t think me a failure, Lady Constance. Yes, one scheme of mine failed. I should have known the Duke was too well-protected for it to work. I’ve already set another in motion with two others. They think I’m doing it help them, too, but it’s only meant as a distraction. Only you know of my true ambition. To be a mother—even if only to a monster.”

“I pity you.” Lady Constance gasped.

“Please don’t.” Orpha smiled. “Join me. Join me, Lady Constance. Help me destroy Victor Geddes, my brother.”

“I can’t.” Lady Constance shook her head.

“Why not?” Orpha frowned. “I know you loathe him, too.”

“You said you’ve another scheme involving the Duke of Fallbridge. I want no harm to come to him or his family. I like them so. I truly do.”

“Everyone does.” Orpha shrugged. “I can’t see why. But, if I can assure you that I’ll spare them from any harm, will you join me?”

“But…”

“They were only being used as tools anyway.” Orpha continued.

“Why should I believe you?” Lady Constance asked.

“Because you have no choice.” Orpha smiled.



Did you miss Chapters 1-20 of Mr. Punch of Belgrave Square? If so, you can read them here. Come back tomorrow for Chapter 212.