Figure
1750 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
This English adaptation of a Chinese Taoist Immortal would have been purely decorative. Furniture designs of about the same date as this piece show similar figures displayed on wall brackets and on shelves built into elaborate carved and gilt mirrors. They were probably also displayed in small glazed 'china' cabinets and on chimney-pieces.
Materials & Making
The figure is made from a type of soft-paste porcelain containing soaprock. This was used in place of the china stone employed in true or 'hard-paste' porcelain of the Chinese type. It was mined under licence near the Lizard in Cornwall. Bristol was one of the first porcelain factories to use soaprock. Its use was noticed there in 1750, when it cost £5 a ton. 'Being so dear', wrote one observer, 'it must be much better than pipe clay'. The purple at the base of the figure is derived from manganese and was applied to the figure after the first firing but before it was dipped in glaze and the glaze fired on. Manganese is one of the few pigments that can withstand the heat of the first firing (around 1100-1150 degrees C), but it was very rarely used.
This English adaptation of a Chinese Taoist Immortal would have been purely decorative. Furniture designs of about the same date as this piece show similar figures displayed on wall brackets and on shelves built into elaborate carved and gilt mirrors. They were probably also displayed in small glazed 'china' cabinets and on chimney-pieces.
Materials & Making
The figure is made from a type of soft-paste porcelain containing soaprock. This was used in place of the china stone employed in true or 'hard-paste' porcelain of the Chinese type. It was mined under licence near the Lizard in Cornwall. Bristol was one of the first porcelain factories to use soaprock. Its use was noticed there in 1750, when it cost £5 a ton. 'Being so dear', wrote one observer, 'it must be much better than pipe clay'. The purple at the base of the figure is derived from manganese and was applied to the figure after the first firing but before it was dipped in glaze and the glaze fired on. Manganese is one of the few pigments that can withstand the heat of the first firing (around 1100-1150 degrees C), but it was very rarely used.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Soft-paste porcelain, decorated in underglaze purple |
| Brief description | Figure of Taoist immortal Lu Dongbin, soft-paste porcelain, decorated in underglaze purple, made by Lund and Miller, Bristol, England, 1750 |
| Physical description | Figure of Taoist immortal Lu Dongbin, of soft-paste porcelain. He is standing, bearded in a long robe, on a mounded base moulded with scrollwork in low relief, irregularly coloured with manganese purple blotches. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Bristoll 1750' (Moulded in relief on the base at the back) |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
The figure is copied from one made in the Fujian Province of southern China. Fujian potters specialized in undecorated white porcelains. The East India Companies imported such figures into Europe, where they were greatly admired and imitated. Unlike many Chinoiserie pieces, this figure is a close copy of a Chinese original.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mr Wallace Elliot |
| Object history | Windlesham, C.H.B. Caldwell, 1931. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type This English adaptation of a Chinese Taoist Immortal would have been purely decorative. Furniture designs of about the same date as this piece show similar figures displayed on wall brackets and on shelves built into elaborate carved and gilt mirrors. They were probably also displayed in small glazed 'china' cabinets and on chimney-pieces. Materials & Making The figure is made from a type of soft-paste porcelain containing soaprock. This was used in place of the china stone employed in true or 'hard-paste' porcelain of the Chinese type. It was mined under licence near the Lizard in Cornwall. Bristol was one of the first porcelain factories to use soaprock. Its use was noticed there in 1750, when it cost £5 a ton. 'Being so dear', wrote one observer, 'it must be much better than pipe clay'. The purple at the base of the figure is derived from manganese and was applied to the figure after the first firing but before it was dipped in glaze and the glaze fired on. Manganese is one of the few pigments that can withstand the heat of the first firing (around 1100-1150 degrees C), but it was very rarely used. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.97-1938 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
