Perdita and Florizel
Spill Vase
ca.1852 (made)
ca.1852 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Stars of the 19th century were often celebrated in paintings, prints and drawings, and in ceramic figurines. Several Staffordshire factories specialised in moulded earthenware portrait figurines and spill vases which were decorated by hand and sold cheaply. This shows Jenny Marston (ca.1837-1861) and Frederick Robinson (1832-1912) as Perdita and Florizel in Act IV, scene iii, of Samuel Phelps' revival of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 28 July 1851. The pose was copied from an engraving showing the scene in Bohemia - 'A Lawn before the Shepherd's Cottage' - published in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, 1852-1853, engraved by Sherratt after a daguerrotype by Paine of Islington.
At least seven earthenware portrait figurines are known to have been copied from engravings in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, known as 'Tallis figures'. They were made in many sizes and are thought to have been made by the Burslem potters Thomas Parr, who was working from 1852 until 1870, John Parr, who worked from 1870 to 1879, or the Kent & Parr firm, who worked from 1880 until 1894. These manufacturers passed the moulds to each other and the figures were produced throughout the Victorian period.
At least seven earthenware portrait figurines are known to have been copied from engravings in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, known as 'Tallis figures'. They were made in many sizes and are thought to have been made by the Burslem potters Thomas Parr, who was working from 1852 until 1870, John Parr, who worked from 1870 to 1879, or the Kent & Parr firm, who worked from 1880 until 1894. These manufacturers passed the moulds to each other and the figures were produced throughout the Victorian period.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Perdita and Florizel (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Glazed earthenware |
Brief description | Spill vase representing Jenny Marston (c.1837-1861) and Frederick Robinson (1832-1912) as Perdita and Florizel in Samuel Phelps' production of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 28 July 1851. Probably made by Thomas Parr, Burslem, Staffordshire. Earthenware, ca.1852 |
Physical description | Spill vase of Jenny Marston and Frederick Robinson as Perdita and Florizel, the couple standing on a base imitating a mound, behind which a tree can be seen in the shape of a spill vase. He holds her left hand with his left hand. They are both dressed in white, with details picked out in overglaze gold enamel paint. The piece is predominantly white, with black for their hair and brown for the interior of the spill vase. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | WINTER'S TALE (Painted on the front of the base) |
Credit line | Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996 |
Object history | Jenny Marston and Frederick Robinson appeared as Perdita and Florizel in Phelps' revival of The Winter's Tale which opened at Sadler's Wells on 28 July 1851. |
Production | The pose was copied from an engraving by Sherratt published in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery which in turn was copied from a daguerrotype by Paine of Islington. Attribution note: Known as a Tallis Figure since the pose was copied from an engraving in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, 1852-1853. |
Literary reference | Winter's Tale, The |
Summary | Stars of the 19th century were often celebrated in paintings, prints and drawings, and in ceramic figurines. Several Staffordshire factories specialised in moulded earthenware portrait figurines and spill vases which were decorated by hand and sold cheaply. This shows Jenny Marston (ca.1837-1861) and Frederick Robinson (1832-1912) as Perdita and Florizel in Act IV, scene iii, of Samuel Phelps' revival of Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, Sadler's Wells Theatre, 28 July 1851. The pose was copied from an engraving showing the scene in Bohemia - 'A Lawn before the Shepherd's Cottage' - published in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, 1852-1853, engraved by Sherratt after a daguerrotype by Paine of Islington. At least seven earthenware portrait figurines are known to have been copied from engravings in Tallis's Shakespeare Gallery, known as 'Tallis figures'. They were made in many sizes and are thought to have been made by the Burslem potters Thomas Parr, who was working from 1852 until 1870, John Parr, who worked from 1870 to 1879, or the Kent & Parr firm, who worked from 1880 until 1894. These manufacturers passed the moulds to each other and the figures were produced throughout the Victorian period. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | S.941-1996 |
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Record created | December 14, 2005 |
Record URL |
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