Clorinda
Manufacturer:
Minton & Co.
Sculptor:
Bell, John
Parian porcelain figure of a warrior maiden looking down towards her helmet on the ground beside her
History note: Bought from Richard Graham, Northampton at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, Antiques Fair in 1999 by John Edward Trice, MA, LLM (1941-2022); bequeathed by him
Bequeathed by John Edward Trice, 2022
Height: 34.3 cm
Width: 22.3 cm
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (2024) by Trice, John Edward
19th Century, Mid
Victoria
Production date:
dated
AD 1876
: the model bears the year cypher for 1876
The poignant story of Clorinda's death occurs in TorquatoTasso’s epic, 'Gerusalemme Liberata' (Jerusalem Delivered), Book XII, Cantos 51-69, first published in Parma and Ferrara in 1581. The action takes place during the First Crusade (1095-99), when the Crusaders were trying to capture Jerusalem. During a night time battle, Clorinda was mortally wounded by Tancred, a Christian knight, to whom her identity was unknown. Knowing that death was close, Clorinda asked to be admitted to the Christian faith, and when Tancred removed her helmet, he was stricken with grief as he recognized her as the maiden with whom he had earlier fallen in love. . The original marble sculpture of Clorinda by John Bell (1812-95) was exhibited at the Royal Academy in London in 1848, and the Parian versions have 'JOHN BELL/February/1848' impressed into their backs. The model was intended as a companion to 'Dorothea' produced in 1847, which likewise shows a girl in male attire. Clorinda was initially made for Summerley's Art Manufactures, and was exhibited by Minton at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Clorinda is shown wounded and defeated, in a pose which does not convey the bravery and determination of her character, or the dreadful poignancy of her death. It was Minton Parian figure no. 203, and was one of the firm's most popular Parian models which remained in production for many years. This model bears the factory's year cypher for 1876. Felix Summerley's Art Manufactures was an enterprise founded in 1847 by Henry Cole (1808-82) with a view to improving public taste by commissioning works of art and designs for useful objects from well known artists and designers, and having these produced for sale by selected manufacturers, such as Minton.
Base Depth 14.6 cm
Slip casting : Parian porcelain, slip cast; the base has a narrow flange round its edge, and is open so that the interior of the lower part of the figure is visible
Inscription present: a circle containing a triangle
Inscription present: circular white paper stick on label
Accession number: C.14-2024
Primary reference Number: 317586
Old object number: 148
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Clorinda" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/317586 Accessed: 2025-03-24 22:46:41
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/317586
|title=Clorinda
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-03-24 22:46:41|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:
https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-317586
Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...