Figure thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
British Galleries, Room 53a

Figure

ca. 1749 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Object Type
This small sculpture of a retrieving setter with two dead partridges matches one of a greyhound with a dead hare. The pair were purely ornamental, and would probably have been displayed on a mantelpiece, in a glazed cabinet, or on another domestic furnishing. Their backs are comparatively uninteresting, so they were probably not intended to be seen from all sides.

People
The dogs were probably modelled by Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), the manager of the Chelsea porcelain factory. Sprimont is a rare instance of an English porcelain entrepreneur with design skills. A visitor to England around 1750 commented that 'an able French artist' supplied 'or directs the models' of everything made at Chelsea (Sprimont wasn't actually French, but was from a French-speaking part of Flanders). According to his widow, Sprimont had 'by his superior skill and taste in the arts of drawing and modelling and painting instructed and perfected several apprentices, workmen and servants'. He was also a gifted designer of silver, in which craft he had worked before setting up the Chelsea factory.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain
Brief description
Figure of a dog, soft-paste porcelain, possibly modelled by Nicholas Sprimont, made at the Chelsea porcelain factory, London, c. 1749
Physical description
FIGURE of a retrieving setter
Dimensions
  • Height: 13.4cm
  • Width: 19.6cm
  • Depth: 8.4cm
Dimensions checked: Registered Description; 01/01/1998 by KN
Gallery label
British Galleries: The dogs were possibly modelled by Nicholas Sprimont, the manager of the Chelsea factory. Sprimont is known to have been a skilful designer and modeller and to have taught his apprentices to model and draw. In this respect he was unusual among the managerial staff at the English factories.(27/03/2003)
Object history
Possibly modelled by Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771),
made at the Chelsea porcelain factory, London
Subjects depicted
Summary
Object Type
This small sculpture of a retrieving setter with two dead partridges matches one of a greyhound with a dead hare. The pair were purely ornamental, and would probably have been displayed on a mantelpiece, in a glazed cabinet, or on another domestic furnishing. Their backs are comparatively uninteresting, so they were probably not intended to be seen from all sides.

People
The dogs were probably modelled by Nicholas Sprimont (1716-1771), the manager of the Chelsea porcelain factory. Sprimont is a rare instance of an English porcelain entrepreneur with design skills. A visitor to England around 1750 commented that 'an able French artist' supplied 'or directs the models' of everything made at Chelsea (Sprimont wasn't actually French, but was from a French-speaking part of Flanders). According to his widow, Sprimont had 'by his superior skill and taste in the arts of drawing and modelling and painting instructed and perfected several apprentices, workmen and servants'. He was also a gifted designer of silver, in which craft he had worked before setting up the Chelsea factory.
Collection
Accession number
C.246A-1976

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Record createdApril 25, 2003
Record URL
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