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

Figure

ca. 1750-1754 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Figure of a sphinx, glazed white soft-paste porcelain. Depicted as half woman, half lion; seated on a sloping rococo scroll base with her head turned to her left; over the lion's back is thrown an ornamental saddle with incised scrolls, terminating in tassels. The lion's tail passes under the hind paw, and ends in the middle of the back. The front portion shows a woman's body with bare breasts dressed in a frilled shirt and ruff. The paws crossed and with cuffs buttoned to the elbows ending in fur at the wrist and elbow. Facing to the front the woman wears a mob, cap and earrings. Undecorated, except for a blob of underglaze blue on the back.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain, glazed
Brief description
Figure of a sphinx, glazed white soft-paste porcelain; Bow Porcelain Factory, England (London), ca. 1750-54
Physical description
Figure of a sphinx, glazed white soft-paste porcelain. Depicted as half woman, half lion; seated on a sloping rococo scroll base with her head turned to her left; over the lion's back is thrown an ornamental saddle with incised scrolls, terminating in tassels. The lion's tail passes under the hind paw, and ends in the middle of the back. The front portion shows a woman's body with bare breasts dressed in a frilled shirt and ruff. The paws crossed and with cuffs buttoned to the elbows ending in fur at the wrist and elbow. Facing to the front the woman wears a mob, cap and earrings. Undecorated, except for a blob of underglaze blue on the back.
Dimensions
  • Height: 12.1cm
Subject depicted
Collection
Accession number
C.110-1977

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
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