Current Location: In storage
Titles
The Prophet Elijah and the Ravens
Maker(s)
Production:
Wood, Ralph II
Production:
Wood, Ralph III
(Perhaps)
Entities
Categories
Description
Lead-glazed earthenware figure of Elijah and the Raven painted in polychrome enamels
White earthenware, moulded, covered with slightly blue-tinted lead-glaze, and painted in pale blue, turquoise, green, yellow, flesh pink, salmon, dark red, purple, brown, and black enamels. The figure is supported on a shallow square base decorated with a horizontal dark red line, and the name 'Elijah' on the front. The underside has curved sides and a central ventilation hole (blocked). The prophet is seated in front of a tree on a rock with a stream of water flowing from it over a mound .He has his left leg forward and holds his hands one above the other in front of him to receive food. He looks upwards towards the viewer's right. A raven is perched in the tree above his head. He has brown hair and beard, and wears a salmon-coloured cap, a white gown decorated with floral sprigs and spots, a black belt, a white cloak with a yellow lining, and sandals with dark red straps. The rock and the mound are painted naturalistically in brown, turquoise, yellow and green, and the stream in pale grey.
Notes
History note: Private house sale at Wisbech; bought for £6 with its companion Widow of Zarapeth by Mr Roe, Cambridge, from whom purchase for £8 on 24 February 1907 by Dr J.W.L. Glaisher, FRS, Trinity College, Cambridge
Legal notes
Dr J. W. L. Glaisher Bequest
Measurements and weight
Height: 27.6 cm
Width: 12.8 cm
Acquisition and important dates
Method of acquisition: Bequeathed
(1928-12-07)
by
Glaisher, J. W. L., Dr
Dating
18th Century, Late
George III
Circa
1790
-
1801
Note
The story of Elijah being instructed by God to travel eastwards and hide himself by a brook called Cherith, where he would be fed by Ravens, is told in the Bible, I Kings, 17, 1-7. On this model the raven who should be perching beside him on the rock is missing, except for its lower part.
People, subjects and objects depicted
Components of the work
Decoration
composed of
enamel
( blue, turquoise, green, yellow, salmon, flesh pink, purple, red, brown, grey and black)
Surface
composed of
lead-glaze
( very slightly blue tinted)
Base
Width 11.4 cm
Materials used in production
white
Earthenware
Techniques used in production
Moulding
: White earthenware, press-moulded, covered with slightly blue tinted lead-glaze, and painted in blue, turquoise, green, yellow, salmon pink, purple, red, brown, grey, and black enamels
Inscription or legends present
- Text: Elijah
- Method of creation: Painted in dark red enamel
- Type: Inscription
- Text: Ra. Wood/Burslem
- Location: On underside near the front
- Method of creation: Impressed
- Type: Factory mark
References and bibliographic entries
Identification numbers
Accession number: C.881B-1928
Primary reference Number: 76283
Old object number: 2604
Stable URI
Audit data
Created: Saturday 6 August 2011
Updated: Tuesday 30 April 2024
Last processed: Monday 4 August 2025
Associated departments & institutions
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Applied Arts
