Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Figure

ca. 1780 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The earliest porcelain figures were made for the dessert course of grand dinners and replaced the sugar paste and wax figures made since medieval times for royal feasts. Originally intended as expressions of dynastic power and to celebrate political allegiances, allegorical themes had been introduced into these table settings by the 16th century. By the 18th century many were entirely decorative.

A convention for depicting the Four Continents as female figures was used as early as the Counter-Reformation to symbolise the worldwide spread of Catholic Christendom. The figures were given wider appeal through their inclusion in the Iconologia of Cesare Ripa, an illustrated book of emblems widely used by artists from the early 17th century. ‘Africa’ was conventionally depicted as a black woman with ‘an Elephant’s Head for her Crest; a Necklace of Coral; and Pendents [sic] of the same, at her Ears; a Scorpion in her right Hand, and a Cornucopia, with Ears of Corn, in her left; a fierce Lion by her, on one Side, and a Viper and Serpent on the other.’ Here ‘Africa’ takes the form of a black child.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded
Brief description
Figure in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels of a black boy representing 'Africa', Derby, ca. 1780
Physical description
Figure of Africa, from a set of Continents, in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded. The figure of a black boy stands on a circular mound formed by pierced scrollwork. He stands on one leg, with one knee resting on the head of a lion. He wears a coral necklace and a pink and turquoise robe, hanging loosely about the hips. He holds a lobster in one hand and a cornucopia full of corn under the other arm. He wears an elephant's head hat. The side of the mound is inscribed AFRICA in gilding.
Dimensions
  • Height: 22.5cm
  • Base width: 11.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
'AFRICA' (Written in gilding on the base.)
Credit line
Bequeathed by R. E. Jerome
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
The earliest porcelain figures were made for the dessert course of grand dinners and replaced the sugar paste and wax figures made since medieval times for royal feasts. Originally intended as expressions of dynastic power and to celebrate political allegiances, allegorical themes had been introduced into these table settings by the 16th century. By the 18th century many were entirely decorative.

A convention for depicting the Four Continents as female figures was used as early as the Counter-Reformation to symbolise the worldwide spread of Catholic Christendom. The figures were given wider appeal through their inclusion in the Iconologia of Cesare Ripa, an illustrated book of emblems widely used by artists from the early 17th century. ‘Africa’ was conventionally depicted as a black woman with ‘an Elephant’s Head for her Crest; a Necklace of Coral; and Pendents [sic] of the same, at her Ears; a Scorpion in her right Hand, and a Cornucopia, with Ears of Corn, in her left; a fierce Lion by her, on one Side, and a Viper and Serpent on the other.’ Here ‘Africa’ takes the form of a black child.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
C.19-1985

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Record createdApril 27, 2006
Record URL
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