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Lion carrying Cupid: C.866-1928

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Object information

Current Location: Gallery 27 (Glaisher)

Titles

Lion carrying Cupid

Maker(s)

Production: Wood, Ralph, II (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Earthenware figure group, press-moulded with modelled additions decorated with coloured lead glazes.

White earthenware, press-moulded in several parts, with modeled additions, and decorated with in clear blue-tinted, greyish-blue, green, yellowish-brown, and pale manganese-pink lead-glazes. A lion stands with tail between his rear legs and head turned to the right to look up at a half standing figure of Cupid mounted on its back. The lion’s teeth are bared. Cupid, originally with wings, is holding a globe in his left hand and drawing on it with a quill in his right. The lion is golden brown, the Cupid is flesh-toned, with blond hair and a blue quiver. They stand on a shallow mound decorated with green leaves, supported on a rectangular plinth with moulding round the upper and lower edges, covered with slightly blue-tinged glaze. The underside is open and un-glazed.

Notes

History note: Bought from Madame L’Hote-Saintoin, 62 Grande rue, Boulogne-sur-Mer by Dr. J.W.G. Glaisher, Trinity College, Cambridge. Dr Glaisher paid 15 francs for the lion on 2 June 1913 and 8 francs for the panther (already missing its rider) on 4 October 1913. According to the vendor, both pieces were from the same previous owner.

Legal notes

Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest

Measurements and weight

Height: 20.5 cm

Place(s) associated

  • Burslem ⪼ Staffordshire ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

18th Century, Late#
George III
Circa 1782 CE - Circa 1795 CE

Note

The figures are exceptionally well modelled and other examples have been found with gilding. They were probably made by Ralph Wood (1748-95) of Burslem, whose father was also a modeller and mould-maker (Ralph Wood, d. 1772). Ralph jnr. learned his trade through apprenticeship at Wedgwood, while his brother John trained at Wedgwood’s London warehouse/salerooms. Ralph was briefly in partnership with his cousin Enoch before establishing his Burslem business, which was continued after his death by his son (another Ralph). John Wood is known to have bought figures from his brother and his account book of 9 December 1785 notes the sale of ‘1 pair Lyon & Panther with cupids coloured & Gilt 4.6d’ to a Mr John Edwards.

This is one of pair, its companion piece having Cupid on a panther (or lioness), looking up to the stars through a telescope. The winged cupid represents love, and riding or subduing a ferocious lion symbolises ‘love conquers all’; the globe and link to the heavens suggest that love knows no boundaries.

School or Style

Neoclassical

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of lead-glaze ( clear blue-tinted, blue, green, yellowish-brown, and pale manganese-pink)
Base Length 15.2 cm Width 9 cm
Parts

Materials used in production

Earthenware

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: C.866-1928
Primary reference Number: 76246
Old object number: 3614
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Saturday 24 June 2023 Last processed: Wednesday 13 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) "Lion carrying Cupid" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76246 Accessed: 2024-11-05 16:24:22

Citation for Wikipedia

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/76246 |title=Lion carrying Cupid |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 16:24:22|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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