Pulcinella
Figure of Pulcinella
ca. 1755 (made)
ca. 1755 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pulchinella was one of the standard parts in the cast of the Italian Comedy (commedia dell’arte). He was a valet and rival and companion of Scaramouche. In Britain, he became known as Punch.
Although badly damaged, the figure is of interest because of its provenance. It was found in the grounds of Holland House, the London house of Sir Charles Hanbury-Williams, who was the British Envoy at Dresden court. In 1748, while stationed at Dresden, Hanbury-Williams was presented with diplomatic gifts of Meissen porcelain, and three years later he lent examples of Meissen from Holland House to the Chelsea factory in order for copied to be made. It is possible that this figure was originally owned by him.
The figure was modelled by the Chelsea factory modeller Joseph Willems, who copied a Meissen porcelain figure modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1748. Only one other version in Chelsea porcelain is known.
Although badly damaged, the figure is of interest because of its provenance. It was found in the grounds of Holland House, the London house of Sir Charles Hanbury-Williams, who was the British Envoy at Dresden court. In 1748, while stationed at Dresden, Hanbury-Williams was presented with diplomatic gifts of Meissen porcelain, and three years later he lent examples of Meissen from Holland House to the Chelsea factory in order for copied to be made. It is possible that this figure was originally owned by him.
The figure was modelled by the Chelsea factory modeller Joseph Willems, who copied a Meissen porcelain figure modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1748. Only one other version in Chelsea porcelain is known.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Pulcinella (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Soft-paste porcelain, slip-cast, with lead glaze and painted in enamels and gilt |
| Brief description | Figure of Pulcinella from the Italian Comedy (commedia dell'arte), damaged, made by Chelsea, modelled by Joseph Willems, ca. 1755. |
| Physical description | Porcelain figure, he stands in dancing pose, with his right arm and left leg raised (the former missing, and the latter broken at the ankle), and with very pronounced hump. He wears a pointed hat and mask, with hooked nose, divided down the middle, his left side of the mask being painted black. His suit has panels of geometric patterns alternating with plain pink silk. His jacket is secured by a row of globular gilded buttons and the back is painted with a pattern of scattered playing cards. He stands alongside (and is supported by) a tree stump growing from a circular pad base with applied flowers. Marks: a red anchor painted in red at base of tree stump; the base is painted in black with the modern reference number '3133 CR' |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by The Hon. Mrs Charlotte Townshend |
| Object history | Provenance: said to have been found on the site of Holland House, London, after it was bombed in 1940. Although badly damaged, the figure is of interest because of its provenance. It was found in the grounds of Holland House, the London house of Sir Charles Hanbury-Williams, who was the British Envoy at Dresden court. In 1748, while stationed at Dresden, Hanbury-Williams was presented with diplomatic gifts of Meissen porcelain, and three years later he lent examples of Meissen from Holland House to the Chelsea factory in order for copied to be made. It is possible that this figure was originally owned by him. |
| Production | Modelled by Joseph Willems, ca. 1755; copied from a Meissen figure modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1748. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Pulchinella was one of the standard parts in the cast of the Italian Comedy (commedia dell’arte). He was a valet and rival and companion of Scaramouche. In Britain, he became known as Punch. Although badly damaged, the figure is of interest because of its provenance. It was found in the grounds of Holland House, the London house of Sir Charles Hanbury-Williams, who was the British Envoy at Dresden court. In 1748, while stationed at Dresden, Hanbury-Williams was presented with diplomatic gifts of Meissen porcelain, and three years later he lent examples of Meissen from Holland House to the Chelsea factory in order for copied to be made. It is possible that this figure was originally owned by him. The figure was modelled by the Chelsea factory modeller Joseph Willems, who copied a Meissen porcelain figure modelled by J. J. Kändler in 1748. Only one other version in Chelsea porcelain is known. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.52-2005 |
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| Record created | December 20, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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