Sir John Falstaff
Figurine
ca.1880 (made)
ca.1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This figurine of Sir John Falstaff, 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 | Sir John Falstaff (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Glazed porcelain |
| Brief description | Figurine of Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff, Samson & Company copy of a Crown Derby figure. French, late 19th century |
| Physical description | Figurine of Falstaff, standing on an integral base decorated with rococo patterns and gold lines. He is bare-headed, with light brown hair and a beard, and wears a tan-coloured belted tunic patterned with large floral motifs. He has a white scarf which he holds out in front of him with his right hand while his left hand is also held out front at waist height. He wears yellow tights and black boots. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | 'Falstaff' (Marked on the base in cursive black script.) |
| Credit line | Accepted by HM Government in lieu of Inheritance Tax and allocated to the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1996 |
| Subject depicted | |
| Literary references |
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| Summary | This figurine of Sir John Falstaff, 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.967-1996 |
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| Record created | February 24, 2006 |
| Record URL |
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