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Toper: C.22-1954

Object information

Current Location: Gallery 26 (Lower Marlay)

Titles

Toper

Maker(s)

Factory: Meissen Porcelain Factory
Modeller: Kändler, Johann Joachim

Entities

Categories

Description

Hard-paste porcelain painted in green, yellow, flesh pink, pink, red, purple, brown, grey, and black enamels. The peasant is seated on a white tree stump which rises from a low white circular base, encrusted with coloured flowers and foliage. His left hand is holding the brim of his hat, with his right clasping a jug of brown liquor which he holds before his chest. His left leg is crossed in front of him with bended knee. His shaggy grey hair hangs loosely over his left ear. He wears a wide brimmed grey hat tied with a white ribbon falling down his back. His short white coat has lavender lining, and is over a white shirt. His breeches are of a pale straw colour and are peculiarly puckered, fastened at the knee with red bows and held up by purple braces. He also wears white stockings and black shoes with yellow bows.

Notes

History note: Bought from Frau Elfriede Langeloh, Köln, on March 1, 1934, for £26 by Cecil Vavasseur, 2nd Lord Fisher; Lord and Lady Fisher of Kilverstone

Legal notes

Given by Lord and Lady Fisher through the National Art Collections Fund

Measurements and weight

Height: 16.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Meissen ⪼ Saxony ⪼ Germany

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1954-01-14) by Fisher, Lord and Lady

Dating

18th Century, Mid
Production date: circa AD 1744

Note

In the catalogue of Lord Fisher's collection this figure is described as a Toper (a drinker) but it is also known as Peasant taking off his Hat, and Dancing Peasant with a Mug. There are further examples in the Victoria and Albert Museum (C25-1984) and the Irwin Untermyer collection in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 64.101.116.

People, subjects and objects depicted

Materials used in production

Enamels
Hard-paste porcelain

Techniques used in production

Modelling
Enamelling

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: faintly discernable

  • Text: crossed swords
  • Location: Underneath the base
  • Method of creation: Underglaze blue
  • Type: Factory mark

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.22-1954
Primary reference Number: 140178
Old object number: 410
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 12 December 2023 Last processed: Tuesday 19 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Toper" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/140178 Accessed: 2024-11-21 17:09:05

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/140178 |title=Toper |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-21 17:09:05|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

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https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-140178

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