Figurine of an unidentified lady
Figurine
1840-1870 (made)
1840-1870 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Earthenware flatbacks and figurines for mantelpiece decoration were first produced in Staffordshire in the late 1830s. The earliest datable figures appear to be of Queen Victoria. Production of earthenware figures continued throughout Victoria's lifetime, but although they were still made after her death in 1901, few appear to have been produced after 1905. During their heyday, however, they were produced in vast numbers, usually modelled after prints. They represented a wide variety of subjects but those of actors and actresses were especially popular. This lady, holding a love letter, probably represents an actress in costume.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Figurine of an unidentified lady (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed earthenware |
| Brief description | Earthenware figurine of an unidentified lady holding a love letter, Staffordshire, mid 19th century |
| Physical description | Glazed earthenware figure of an unidentified lady, holding a letter in her left hand. She wears a short dark blue coat, the edging moulded in white and spotted in black to represent ermine, over a white dress with coloured edging to the frills at the hem. |
| Dimensions |
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| Credit line | Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996 |
| Summary | Earthenware flatbacks and figurines for mantelpiece decoration were first produced in Staffordshire in the late 1830s. The earliest datable figures appear to be of Queen Victoria. Production of earthenware figures continued throughout Victoria's lifetime, but although they were still made after her death in 1901, few appear to have been produced after 1905. During their heyday, however, they were produced in vast numbers, usually modelled after prints. They represented a wide variety of subjects but those of actors and actresses were especially popular. This lady, holding a love letter, probably represents an actress in costume. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1028-1996 |
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| Record created | October 20, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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