Shepherdess
Figurine
19th century (made)
19th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figurine, possibly a shepherdess, was made in Thuringia, Germany. The quality of the sand and soil in Thuringia lent itself to the production of high-quality porcelain and the earliest factory in Volkstedt produced a wide variety of wares, including over 90 different types of figurines that were advertised in their catalogue of 1795.
The shepherdess was part of a collection of theatrical ceramics, assembled by the actor Robert Eddison (1908-1991), but it is unlikely that it represents any specific performer. It simply appears to be a decorative and charming ornament, and possibly quite revealing in its time since the demurely dressed girl is lifting her skirts to show a pair of shapely ankles.
The shepherdess was part of a collection of theatrical ceramics, assembled by the actor Robert Eddison (1908-1991), but it is unlikely that it represents any specific performer. It simply appears to be a decorative and charming ornament, and possibly quite revealing in its time since the demurely dressed girl is lifting her skirts to show a pair of shapely ankles.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Shepherdess (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed porcelain |
| Brief description | Figurine of a shepherdess. Porcelain, Thuringian, German, 19th century |
| Physical description | Figurine of a shepherdess, standing on a roughly circular base, looking down, both arms down by her sides, wearing a white wig and purple head-dress, a green bodice with a central white panel and white frilled sleeves, and a white skirt decorated with blue and purple floral sprigs, the lower edge bordered in blue and pink. She is holding up her skirt to reveal white stockings and black shoes. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996 |
| Summary | This figurine, possibly a shepherdess, was made in Thuringia, Germany. The quality of the sand and soil in Thuringia lent itself to the production of high-quality porcelain and the earliest factory in Volkstedt produced a wide variety of wares, including over 90 different types of figurines that were advertised in their catalogue of 1795. The shepherdess was part of a collection of theatrical ceramics, assembled by the actor Robert Eddison (1908-1991), but it is unlikely that it represents any specific performer. It simply appears to be a decorative and charming ornament, and possibly quite revealing in its time since the demurely dressed girl is lifting her skirts to show a pair of shapely ankles. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1097-1996 |
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| Record created | April 7, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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