Hamlet
Figurine
ca.1880 (made)
ca.1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figurine of Hamlet, 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 | |
| Title | Hamlet (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed porcelain |
| Brief description | Figurine of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Samson & Company copy of a Crown Derby figure. French, late 19th century |
| Physical description | Figurine of a bearded, long-haired Hamlet standing on a rococo-style base decorated with gold lines, wearing a dark green, belted tunic, decorated with a gold quatrefoil motif, beige hose, a tan hat with a feather and a gold chain around his neack. He holds his left hand down to his side and slightly away from his body, his left hand further out in front of him, his fingers open. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Hamlet' (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 reference | Hamlet |
| Summary | This figurine of Hamlet, 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.958-1996 |
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| Record created | February 24, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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