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Not currently on display at the V&A

'Home Sweet Home'

Cake Stand
2011
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Functioning as a cake stand, Carol McNicoll's 'Home Sweet Home' is formed from a found blue and white transfer-printed plate supported by figures of soldiers cast from an original model by the artist. The idealised and nostalgic rural imagery of the plate has been adapted by the addition of transfer-prints of soldiers, while the fatigues of the supporting soldier figures are 'decorated' with floral prints. Together these elements combine in an ironic commentary on romanticised views of the English landscape and national identity.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Title'Home Sweet Home' (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Earthenware, slip cast, with transfer-printed and painted decoration, and found earthenware plate with additional transfer-printed decoration
Brief description
Cake stand, 'Home Sweet Home', slip-cast earthenware, transfers, found earthenware plate, Carol McNicoll, London, 2011
Physical description
Cake stand composed of a found blue and white transfer-printed earthenware plate, supported by four slip-cast figures of soldiers; the soldiers dressed in fatigues with camouflage based on floral patterns; the original plate from Myott's 'Royal Mail' series, decorated with a nostalgic printed scene of wagon and horses, this overlaid with a further print of soldiers produced by the artist.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25.3cm
  • Width: 35.6cm
  • Depth: 28cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'Carol / McNicoll / HOME SWEET HOME' (Painted in black, on underside of plate.)
  • 'MYOTT / ROYAL MAIL' above a wagon and horses, below which 'A GENUINE HAND ENGRAVING / FINE STAFFORDSHIRE WARE / WITH ALL PERMANENT COLOURS / MADE IN ENGLAND / 1982' (Original maker's mark on plate. )
Credit line
Acquired through the generosity of Gerard and Sarah Griffin
Object history
Shown in the group exhibition 'Ideal Home', at Marsden Woo Gallery, London, 3 November - 22 December 2011. No. 5 on list of works by McNicoll shown. The exhibition featured the work of Carol McNicoll, Jacqueline Poncelet and Sam Scott. The exhibition list describes McNicoll's works as 'sculptures'.
Summary
Functioning as a cake stand, Carol McNicoll's 'Home Sweet Home' is formed from a found blue and white transfer-printed plate supported by figures of soldiers cast from an original model by the artist. The idealised and nostalgic rural imagery of the plate has been adapted by the addition of transfer-prints of soldiers, while the fatigues of the supporting soldier figures are 'decorated' with floral prints. Together these elements combine in an ironic commentary on romanticised views of the English landscape and national identity.
Collection
Accession number
C.104-2012

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Record createdJanuary 31, 2013
Record URL
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