John Wilkes thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 139, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

John Wilkes

Figure
ca. 1775 (made)
Artist/Maker
Derby Porcelain Factory (manufacturer)
Place of origin
Derby (made)

Figure, in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of MP John Wilkes standing beside a pedestal inscribed 'IN° WILKES, Esqr' on which are scrolls with the words 'MAGNA CHARTA' and 'BILL OF RIGHTS'; at his feet is a cupid with a cap of liberty and a volume entitled 'LOCK ON GOV.T'; he stands on a rococo scrolled pedestal with a pink mantle thrown over his left shoulder, his left hand on his hip, and his right holding a pen and resting on the pedestal, which is picked out in gold, turquoise-blue and green.


Object details

Categories
Ceramics
Porcelain
Object type
Figure
TitleJohn Wilkes (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Soft-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded
Soft Paste Porcelain
Painted
Gilded
Brief description
Figure, in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of John Wilkes, Derby Porcelain factory, Derby, ca. 1775
Physical description
Figure, in soft-paste porcelain painted in enamels and gilded, of MP John Wilkes standing beside a pedestal inscribed 'IN° WILKES, Esqr' on which are scrolls with the words 'MAGNA CHARTA' and 'BILL OF RIGHTS'; at his feet is a cupid with a cap of liberty and a volume entitled 'LOCK ON GOV.T'; he stands on a rococo scrolled pedestal with a pink mantle thrown over his left shoulder, his left hand on his hip, and his right holding a pen and resting on the pedestal, which is picked out in gold, turquoise-blue and green.
Dimensions
  • Height: 31.8cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'BILL / OF / RIGHTS' (Textual information painted (overglaze) on a scroll hanging from a pedestal to the figure's right.)
  • 'LOCK / ON / GOV.T' (Textual information, painted (overglaze). Title of tome supported by a putto at the feet of the figure)
  • 'IN° / WILKES, / Esqr' (Inscribed on pedestal)
  • 'MAGNA CHARTA' (Inscribed on scroll)
Credit line
Given by Lady Charlotte Schreiber
Object history
Companion piece to Sir Henry Seymour Conway 414:200-1885 (Sch. I 362)
Purchased by Lady Charlotte Schreiber from Willson, London, for £10 in September 1869.
Acquired as Chelsea porcelain.
Subjects depicted
Man
Wilkes, John
Cupid
Bibliographic references
  • Bradshaw, Peter. Derby Porcelain Figures 1750-1848. London : Faber & Faber, 1990. 108 p., pl. 91.
  • Clifford, Timothy. Derby Porcelain and the British Monumental Sculpture Tradition 1760-1775. Derby Porcelain International Society. 2004, Journal 5.
Other number
Sch. I 362A - Schreiber number
Collection
Ceramics Collection
Accession number
414:201-1885

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Record createdAugust 14, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O165892/john-wilkes-figure-derby-porcelain-factory/
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