Not on display

Petruchio

Figurine
ca.1880 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This figurine of Petruchio, one of a series of Shakespeare characters, was made in Paris by the company of Edmé Samson, a famous copyist of pottery and porcelain. Samson established his factory in Paris in 1845, producing pieces inspired by and copied from the work of famous factories, including Meissen, Sèvres, Chelsea, Derby and all the major factories of England, France and Germany, as well as tin-glazed earthenware or faience. He claimed to mark all pieces with his own double 'S' mark as well as the mark of the original piece, but in many cases his own mark is missing.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePetruchio (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Glazed porcelain
Brief description
Figurine of Petruchio in Shakespeare's play The Taming of the Shrew, Samson & Company copy of a Crown Derby figure. French, late 19th century
Physical description
Figurine of Petruchio standing on a rococo-style base decorated with gold lines, wearing a royal blue doublet decorated in gold, and royal blue and yellow hose. He wears a white ruff at his neck, a black hat with a plume, and tan thigh-length boots. He is looking in front of him, his head tilted upwards towards his left hand which is raised in the air, while his right hand is on his hip.
Dimensions
  • Height from hand to base height: 16.5cm
  • Maximum width width: 8.3cm
  • Of base width: 5.0cm
  • Of base depth: 6.4cm
Marks and inscriptions
'Petruccio' (Inscribed in black on the base in cursive script.)
Credit line
Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996
Subject depicted
Literary referenceThe Taming of the Shrew
Summary
This figurine of Petruchio, one of a series of Shakespeare characters, was made in Paris by the company of Edmé Samson, a famous copyist of pottery and porcelain. Samson established his factory in Paris in 1845, producing pieces inspired by and copied from the work of famous factories, including Meissen, Sèvres, Chelsea, Derby and all the major factories of England, France and Germany, as well as tin-glazed earthenware or faience. He claimed to mark all pieces with his own double 'S' mark as well as the mark of the original piece, but in many cases his own mark is missing.
Collection
Accession number
S.962-1996

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Record createdFebruary 24, 2006
Record URL
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