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

Figure

ca.1850 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Figure of a girl, standing, with her right arm holding up a pear-shaped basket on her shoulder. She wears a dark blue bodice, white flounced skirt edged with orange, red & green and holds a wide-brimmed straw hat in ger left hand. Oval mounded base coloured yellow and brown, encircled by a gilt line.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
earthenware, painted in enamel colours
Brief description
Figure, unidentified girl forming a pair with figure of T.P.Cooke as 'Ben Backstay', earthenware, Staffordshire, ca.1850
Physical description
Figure of a girl, standing, with her right arm holding up a pear-shaped basket on her shoulder. She wears a dark blue bodice, white flounced skirt edged with orange, red & green and holds a wide-brimmed straw hat in ger left hand. Oval mounded base coloured yellow and brown, encircled by a gilt line.
Dimensions
  • Height: 18.7cm
converted from register
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
  • a stroke (painted in blue to base)
  • 3 x 'E'? (painted in red to base)
Credit line
Given by Mr J. D. Kennedy through Art Fund
Object history
Given by Mr. J.D.Kennedy through the National Art Collections Fund
Production
This figure was designed to form a pair with that of the performer Thomas Potter Cooke (1786-1864) identified from a lithograph entitle 'Mr.T.P.Cooke as 'Ben Backstay'. The female figureis so far unidentified and may just be a balancing figure
Subjects depicted
Literary referenceBen Backstay
Bibliographic references
  • Harding, A,N., Victorian Staffordshire Figures 1835-1875, Book One, (Atglen: Schiffer, 1998), p.303.ill.
  • Pugh, P.D. Gordon, Staffordsshire Portrait Figures of the Victorian Era, Woodbridge: Antique Collectors' Club, 1987), p.429.ill.
Collection
Accession number
C.445-1928

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Record createdMay 12, 2009
Record URL
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