Figure
ca. 1855 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The Staffordshire potteries capitalised upon the popularity of contemporary personalities by mass-producing souvenir ceramic figures. This one shows the Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92), a prominent Baptist preacher. Nonconformists, believing that religious life continued in the home, often owned inspiring portraits of ministers.
Spurgeon began his public-preaching career at the age of 18 in 1852. His fame spread and by the end of the 1850s he was attracting thousands of worshippers to his sermons. Sometimes he preached outdoors as no venue was large enough to accommodate the large numbers of people attending. The 6000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, which opened in 1861, was built specially for Spurgeon's large congregations.
Spurgeon's voice was loud and strong which was essential in an age when public speaking was done without mechanical amplification. Both his admirers and his critics noted that he combined his skill of oratory with that of a stage actor.
Spurgeon began his public-preaching career at the age of 18 in 1852. His fame spread and by the end of the 1850s he was attracting thousands of worshippers to his sermons. Sometimes he preached outdoors as no venue was large enough to accommodate the large numbers of people attending. The 6000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, which opened in 1861, was built specially for Spurgeon's large congregations.
Spurgeon's voice was loud and strong which was essential in an age when public speaking was done without mechanical amplification. Both his admirers and his critics noted that he combined his skill of oratory with that of a stage actor.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Moulded lead-glazed earthenware enamelled in colours |
| Brief description | Figure of preacher Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon in moulded lead-glazed earthenware enamelled in colours, Staffordshire, ca. 1855. |
| Physical description | Figure of preacher Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon in moulded lead-glazed earthenware enamelled in colours. In an arched pulpit. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Given by Julie and Robert Breckman |
| Historical context | The Rev. Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a Baptist preacher. He began his public-preaching career at the age of 18 in 1852. His fame spread and by the end of the 1850s he was attracting thousands of worshippers to his sermons. Some of these sermons were conducted outdoors as no venue was large enough to accommodate the large numbers of people attending. The 6000 seat capacity Metropolitan Tabernacle in London was built and opened in 1861 especially for Spurgeon's large congregations. Spurgeon's voice was loud and strong which was essential in an age when public speaking was done without mechanical amplification. Both his admirers and his critics noted that he combined his skill of oratory with that of a stage actor. The Staffordshire potteries capitalised upon the popularity of contemporary personalities by mass-producing souvenir ceramic figures. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The Staffordshire potteries capitalised upon the popularity of contemporary personalities by mass-producing souvenir ceramic figures. This one shows the Reverend Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-92), a prominent Baptist preacher. Nonconformists, believing that religious life continued in the home, often owned inspiring portraits of ministers. Spurgeon began his public-preaching career at the age of 18 in 1852. His fame spread and by the end of the 1850s he was attracting thousands of worshippers to his sermons. Sometimes he preached outdoors as no venue was large enough to accommodate the large numbers of people attending. The 6000-seat Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, which opened in 1861, was built specially for Spurgeon's large congregations. Spurgeon's voice was loud and strong which was essential in an age when public speaking was done without mechanical amplification. Both his admirers and his critics noted that he combined his skill of oratory with that of a stage actor. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.77-2001 |
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| Record created | May 16, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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