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Little Girl in High Chair: C.2773-1928

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Titles

Little Girl in High Chair

Maker(s)

Factory: Die Porceleyne Schotel
Proprietor of factory: Duijn, van, Johannes

Entities

Categories

Description

Tin-glazed earthenware painted in blue, green, yellow, red, and manganese-purple. The little girl is seated in a high chair in the form of a six-sided pulpit with a high pierced back, mounted on four wheels. It is partly covered over at the top to form a tray, on which there are two fruits. The girl holds a third fruit in both hands. She wears a purplish-brown cap, and a green dress with brown cuffs. The chair is marbled overall in blue and manganese-purple, and has yellow edges and yellow wheels. The three fruits are yellow and brown.

Notes

History note: Part of a small collection purchased by Debenham and Freebody, London, where bought on 12 June 1896 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 13 cm
Width: 8.3 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Delft ⪼ Holland ⪼ United Provinces of the Netherlands

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1928-12-07) by Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr

Dating

18th Century, third quarter#
Circa 1764 CE - 1772 CE

Note

Label text from the exhibition ‘Feast and Fast: The Art of Food in Europe, 1500–1800’, on display at The Fitzwilliam Museum from 26 November 2019 until 31 August 2020: This curious figurine depicts a toddler in an elaborate wheeled chair – a combination of a baby-stroller and highchair – feeding herself some fruit. The early modern period saw the development of children’s furniture, like highchairs, which encouraged the child to sit up ‘politely’ whilst eating, and permitted participation at family meals. Children’s comportment at table was an indicator of education and refinement. Was the figurine given as a present to a new mother? Or as an instructive toy to a child? Given how well- preserved this example is, it must have spent much of its life out of harm’s way. Probably Die Porceleyne Schotel Factory, Delft, Netherlands, c.1764 – 73.

This figure was probably made at Die Porceleyne Schotel (Porcelain Dish) factory during the proprietorship of Johannes van Duijn, 1764-72, or of his widow 1772-3.

Components of the work

Decoration composed of high-temperature colours ( blue, green, yellow, brown and manganese-purple)

Materials used in production

buff Earthenware
Tin-glaze

Techniques used in production

Moulding : Buff earthenware, moulded, assembled, tin-glazed and painted in blue, green, yellow, brown and manganese-purple high-temperature colours
Tin-glazing

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: first three letters joined

  • Text: IVDuyn underlined
  • Location: On base
  • Method of creation: Painted in dark manganese-purple
  • Type: Factory mark

Inscription present: circular white paper stick-on label; FOUNDED IN 1744 is much smaller than SOTHEBY'S

  • Text: SOTHEBY'S/FOUNDED 1744/'CHILDHOOD 1988' encircling hand-written 22/15
  • Location: On base
  • Method of creation: Printed and hand-written in black
  • Type: Label

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.2773-1928
Primary reference Number: 74053
Old object number: 41
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 25 November 2020 Last processed: Thursday 7 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) "Little Girl in High Chair" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/74053 Accessed: 2024-11-13 06:26:19

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/74053 |title=Little Girl in High Chair |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-13 06:26:19|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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