These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.
Download this imageCreative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.
The Pelican in her Piety
Potter: Simpson, Ralph
History note: A lady owner at New Malden; Sotheby's, 28 November 1924, lot 51a; purchased by Mr Stoner for £195 (with 5% commission £204.15s.) on behalf of Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge
Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest
Depth: 8.5 cm
Diameter: 46.5 cm
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr
Circa 1670 - 1680
The name on the rim is probably that of the potter, Ralph Simpson (1651-1724) of Burslem, who was the son of John Simpson and brother of John II Simpson.
The pelican was believed to love its offspring so much that it fed them on its own blood. On the basis of this legend, images of the pelican feeding its young from its own breast came to be regarded as a symbol of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross to save humanity from sin, and also as a symbol Christ's blood in the Eucharistic Sacrament.
Front
composed of
lead-glaze
( clear yellowish)
Decoration
composed of
slip
( cream, red-brown and dark brown)
Accession number: C.215-1928
Primary reference Number: 73163
Old object number: 4463
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 (2024) "The Pelican in her Piety" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/73163 Accessed: 2024-11-22 05:27:00
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/73163
|title=The Pelican in her Piety
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 05:27:00|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-73163
To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:
<div class="text-center">
<figure class="figure">
<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa7/C_215_1928_281_29.jpg"
alt="The Pelican in her Piety"
class="img-fluid" />
<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">The Pelican in her Piety</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...
