John Liston as Lubin Log
Figurine
ca.1840 (made)
ca.1840 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
In the 19th century the stars of their day were often celebrated in paintings, prints and drawings, in ceramic figures and even Toby jugs. Several factories in Staffordshire specialised in moulded earthenware portrait figurines which were decorated by hand and sold cheaply. This figurine depicts John Liston (1776-1846) as Lubin Log, the conceited cockney character he first played in James Kenney's play Love, Law and Physic at Covent Garden Theatre on 20 November 1812, and in many revivals.
Despite a rather serious temperament, John Liston became one of the greatest comedians of all time, achieving his greatest successes in farce, particularly at the Haymarket Theatre in 1825 as the pompous busybody Paul Pry, a role in which he was often depicted in paintings, drawings and figurines. Liston was the first comic actor to command a salary greater than a tragedian, earning the vast salary of £60-£100 a week with Madame Vestris's company at the Olympic Theatre. He retired in 1837 after a successful stage career which lasted over thirty years.
Despite a rather serious temperament, John Liston became one of the greatest comedians of all time, achieving his greatest successes in farce, particularly at the Haymarket Theatre in 1825 as the pompous busybody Paul Pry, a role in which he was often depicted in paintings, drawings and figurines. Liston was the first comic actor to command a salary greater than a tragedian, earning the vast salary of £60-£100 a week with Madame Vestris's company at the Olympic Theatre. He retired in 1837 after a successful stage career which lasted over thirty years.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | John Liston as Lubin Log (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed earthenware |
| Brief description | Figurine of John Liston (1776-1846) as Lubin Log in the comedy Love, Law and Physic by James Kenney, Covent Garden Theatre, 20 November 1812. Staffordshire, ca.1840 |
| Physical description | Polychrome glazed figurine of John Liston as Lubin Log, wearing a black top hat, a green coat with a stopped fichu around his shoulders, a striped waistcoat, cream breeches, black boots, and carrying a coat, hat box and umbrella with his right hand. He stands on a roughly circular base mottled green to imitate grass and earth. |
| 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 |
| Object history | The pose of this figurine is based on that in a print published by Orlando Hodgson in 1826 entitled: 'John Liston in his Principal Characters'. The print is inscribed with the names of the nine characters and an appropriate quote for each, and for Lubin Log: 'It's quite hoptinal you know, but here's sixpence for you'. Of all nine characters, pottery and porcelain figures and known to exist of seven, all dating from ca.1826 after Liston's enormous success as Paul Pry. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | In the 19th century the stars of their day were often celebrated in paintings, prints and drawings, in ceramic figures and even Toby jugs. Several factories in Staffordshire specialised in moulded earthenware portrait figurines which were decorated by hand and sold cheaply. This figurine depicts John Liston (1776-1846) as Lubin Log, the conceited cockney character he first played in James Kenney's play Love, Law and Physic at Covent Garden Theatre on 20 November 1812, and in many revivals. Despite a rather serious temperament, John Liston became one of the greatest comedians of all time, achieving his greatest successes in farce, particularly at the Haymarket Theatre in 1825 as the pompous busybody Paul Pry, a role in which he was often depicted in paintings, drawings and figurines. Liston was the first comic actor to command a salary greater than a tragedian, earning the vast salary of £60-£100 a week with Madame Vestris's company at the Olympic Theatre. He retired in 1837 after a successful stage career which lasted over thirty years. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.1006-1996 |
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| Record created | December 28, 2005 |
| Record URL |
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