Figure
ca. 1770 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
The figure is emblematic of America. It is a purely decorative piece from a set representing the Four Continents. Each of the figures is frontally posed, and the backs are poorly finished, so they were probably intended to be set against a wall. They may have been displayed set out on a chimneypiece or other domestic furnishing.
People
This set of figures was first made by the partnership of Nicholas Crisp (born about 1704; died 1774) and John Saunders at Vauxhall in London. The modeller of the Vauxhall Continents has not been identified. However, the Neo-classical sculptor John Bacon the Elder (1740-1799) was apprenticed to Crisp and is said to have modelled for the factory. On the other hand, Crisp also employed a modeller and mould-maker named Hammersley, who later worked at Plymouth, where this figure was made. Even if he did not model the figure, Hammersley may have made the moulds in which they were cast, and he presumably brought the moulds or casting models from London to Plymouth. The Plymouth factory was founded by William Cookworthy (1705-1780), an apothecary. Cookworthy had discovered the raw materials required for 'true' or hard-paste porcelain when prospecting in Cornwall in the 1740s, but he did not succeed in manufacturing it on a commercial scale until 1768.
The figure is emblematic of America. It is a purely decorative piece from a set representing the Four Continents. Each of the figures is frontally posed, and the backs are poorly finished, so they were probably intended to be set against a wall. They may have been displayed set out on a chimneypiece or other domestic furnishing.
People
This set of figures was first made by the partnership of Nicholas Crisp (born about 1704; died 1774) and John Saunders at Vauxhall in London. The modeller of the Vauxhall Continents has not been identified. However, the Neo-classical sculptor John Bacon the Elder (1740-1799) was apprenticed to Crisp and is said to have modelled for the factory. On the other hand, Crisp also employed a modeller and mould-maker named Hammersley, who later worked at Plymouth, where this figure was made. Even if he did not model the figure, Hammersley may have made the moulds in which they were cast, and he presumably brought the moulds or casting models from London to Plymouth. The Plymouth factory was founded by William Cookworthy (1705-1780), an apothecary. Cookworthy had discovered the raw materials required for 'true' or hard-paste porcelain when prospecting in Cornwall in the 1740s, but he did not succeed in manufacturing it on a commercial scale until 1768.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Hard-paste porcelain, painted in enamels and gilded |
| Brief description | Figure of America |
| Physical description | PLYMOUTH FIGURE |
| Dimensions |
|
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
TWO VERSIONS OF A FIGURE OF AMERICA The repetition of the design here was probably the result of moulds being taken from Vauxhall to Plymouth, where men from Vauxhall were employed after the factory closed down. Workers had to be mobile because of bankruptcies and fluctuations in demand, but their mobility helped spread styles throughout the industry.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs L. J. Hayward |
| Object history | Made at the Plymouth porcelain factory, Devon |
| Summary | Object Type The figure is emblematic of America. It is a purely decorative piece from a set representing the Four Continents. Each of the figures is frontally posed, and the backs are poorly finished, so they were probably intended to be set against a wall. They may have been displayed set out on a chimneypiece or other domestic furnishing. People This set of figures was first made by the partnership of Nicholas Crisp (born about 1704; died 1774) and John Saunders at Vauxhall in London. The modeller of the Vauxhall Continents has not been identified. However, the Neo-classical sculptor John Bacon the Elder (1740-1799) was apprenticed to Crisp and is said to have modelled for the factory. On the other hand, Crisp also employed a modeller and mould-maker named Hammersley, who later worked at Plymouth, where this figure was made. Even if he did not model the figure, Hammersley may have made the moulds in which they were cast, and he presumably brought the moulds or casting models from London to Plymouth. The Plymouth factory was founded by William Cookworthy (1705-1780), an apothecary. Cookworthy had discovered the raw materials required for 'true' or hard-paste porcelain when prospecting in Cornwall in the 1740s, but he did not succeed in manufacturing it on a commercial scale until 1768. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | C.556-1920 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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