A Beggar Man
Statuette
c.1850 (made)
c.1850 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This statuette representing a beggar man, a pair to one of a beggar woman (A.12-1949) was previously thought to have been made Dresden in about 1730-1750.
It is reminiscent of Dresden ivory statuettes of beggars of the eighteenth century, many of which are in the Grünes Gewölbe, Dresden. These firgures may have had as their ultimate source the earlier engravings by Jacques Callot (1592/3-1635). Formerly such pieces used to be attributed to the Dresden artist Wilhelm Krüger (1680-1756), to whom the present statuettes of a beggar man and a beggar woman were attributed at the time of their acquisition. However there is no evidence Krüger worked in ivory. It is far more likely that the figures in the V&A were actually made in Dieppe ivories in the mid-nineteenth century.
It is reminiscent of Dresden ivory statuettes of beggars of the eighteenth century, many of which are in the Grünes Gewölbe, Dresden. These firgures may have had as their ultimate source the earlier engravings by Jacques Callot (1592/3-1635). Formerly such pieces used to be attributed to the Dresden artist Wilhelm Krüger (1680-1756), to whom the present statuettes of a beggar man and a beggar woman were attributed at the time of their acquisition. However there is no evidence Krüger worked in ivory. It is far more likely that the figures in the V&A were actually made in Dieppe ivories in the mid-nineteenth century.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Title | A Beggar Man (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Ivory |
| Brief description | Statuette, ivory, a beggar man, French (Dieppe); c. 1850. |
| Physical description | Statuette of a male beggar, bearded and with long hair. He wears a tricorne hat, ragged clothes and round his shoulders a cloak. Across the front of his body he carries a musical instrument (hurdy-gurdy) and round his waist a pan, a water bottle and a chicken in a bag. The hat broken and right hand missing. The bearded man's mouth is open as if he is singing. The toes of his right foot are revealed through his damaged shoe. He steps forward with his right foot. The figure stands on an integral ivory base. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh. |
| Object history | Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh F.S.A. in 1949. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This statuette representing a beggar man, a pair to one of a beggar woman (A.12-1949) was previously thought to have been made Dresden in about 1730-1750. It is reminiscent of Dresden ivory statuettes of beggars of the eighteenth century, many of which are in the Grünes Gewölbe, Dresden. These firgures may have had as their ultimate source the earlier engravings by Jacques Callot (1592/3-1635). Formerly such pieces used to be attributed to the Dresden artist Wilhelm Krüger (1680-1756), to whom the present statuettes of a beggar man and a beggar woman were attributed at the time of their acquisition. However there is no evidence Krüger worked in ivory. It is far more likely that the figures in the V&A were actually made in Dieppe ivories in the mid-nineteenth century. |
| Associated object | A.12-1949 (Pair) |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | A.11-1949 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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