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

Figure

ca. 1775 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Figure, in hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of a shepherdess, barefoot and leaning against a tree-trunk with her head to the right and her left hand raised in a gesture of surprise; she is dressed in a blue and red hat, a white bodice, gold-laced in front, and a white petticoat with a pattern of gold flowers under a white skirt, which she catches up with her right hand to support a lapful of flowers; a lamb is beside her, and they stand on a square base painted with leafy scrolls in dull crimson


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Hard-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded
Brief description
Figure, in hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of a shepherdess with a lamb, made by Bristol porcelain factory, Bristol, ca. 1775
Physical description
Figure, in hard-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of a shepherdess, barefoot and leaning against a tree-trunk with her head to the right and her left hand raised in a gesture of surprise; she is dressed in a blue and red hat, a white bodice, gold-laced in front, and a white petticoat with a pattern of gold flowers under a white skirt, which she catches up with her right hand to support a lapful of flowers; a lamb is beside her, and they stand on a square base painted with leafy scrolls in dull crimson
Dimensions
  • Height: 17.8cm
Credit line
Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber
Object history
One of a pair with 414:735-1885 (Sch. I 733)
These two figures were purchased by Lady Charlotte Schreiber from De Maan, The Hague, for £12 in March 1874
In her Journals Lady Charlotte Schreiber recorded (vol. I, p. 252, March 12, 1874), 'On reaching our Hotel we found that we had just missed de Maan, who had called by appointment. He came, however, the following morning before I was out of my room. C.S. went down to see him, and presently ran back joyfully back to me bringing what de Maan was offering for sale. What was my astonishment and delight when he displayed before my bewildered eyes no less than 5 beautiful Bristol figures! viz. the boy with hurdy gurdy, a girl dancing with a triangle, the girl with dog, and a boy and girl of a model we had never seen before, he holding a bird and she some flowers. The price was not very small for Chelsea, which is what de Maan considered them to be, but it was little enough for Bristol, which they really were, and we gladly gave him the £32. to which, after a little parleying, he came. Our Bristol figures now surpass every collection. We have every known type but one (the female companion to our shepherd carrying the kid), and have three specimens hitherto unknown, viz. the two bought this morning, and the fine double group purchased of Jacob some yeast ago.
Subjects depicted
Other number
Sch. I 733A - Schreiber number
Collection
Accession number
414:735/A-1885

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Record createdFebruary 10, 2009
Record URL
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